One of
the things that I have learned from my time in a middle school is to pick your
battles. As a teacher it was very easy to control your own classroom. The
students knew you, knew the procedures, and it was all in your control. If
someone stepped out of line in my room they knew exactly what would happen. As
an administrative intern I tried to be just as consistent but it quickly became
apparent to me that the way I reacted in my classroom would not work in my new
role.
In my
classroom I felt that I needed to address any behavior issue immediately, as an
administrator this is not the case. I
have found that I needed to not only pick my battles strategically but also be
very aware of where the battles will take place. For example, if a student
walked out of my classroom as a teacher when they were supposed to be in the
room I would immediately track them down and bring them back to the classroom.
As an administrator when a student walks away from me in the cafeteria, it is
not the best idea to immediately chase them down and deal with the issue.
Middle school students like a show
and they like to be the star. If an administrator chases a student down in the
cafeteria to bring them to their office that student has just put on and
starred in their own cafeteria soap opera. The student decides how big the
production will be and the principal is just along for the ride.
There are other options than being
part of the spectacle. You must pick when and where your conversation with the
student will happen. This may mean waiting until there aren’t other students
around to speak with a student about their behavior. By waiting until you can
have a calm conversation and without other students watching you can have a
meaningful conversation that will not become a show for the cafeteria.
I know that this seems like a very
easy concept, but the first time a student says “F*** you” to you in front of
all their friends it becomes very difficult to think strategically. The key is
to control yourself so you can control your situation. Pick your battles, don’t
let them pick you.
- Erik
I think this is crucial especially when thinking about elementary compared to secondary. At the Sadie Hawkins dance last night I was on purse/bag duty, letting girls know that they couldn't have their purse in the dance. When a girl told me the rule was "F***ing stupid" I had to check myself. In an elementary setting, you would address the profanity, in the high school, you let that battle go.
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