MiddleView

Tip for first year principal:
1. Value the prior journey of the people in the school. Spend some time "taking stock". Even if you were told it is the worst school ever, don't go in with the idea of re-arranging everything just to say you did. In valuing the reason something came to be the way it is (whether or not it does now need to be re-looked at), you will gain the respect of the better teachers in the building who will then support you through tough decisions you and the staff make.
2. I never understood how implementing or changing something could take five years. If there is a big thing you're trying to do, remember that the process to get there is just as important as the end result. Take the time for all to journey with you. When you get to the end, most of the staff will be there with you.
Good luck! You won't be grading papers but you will be spending long hours...!

This is my first time to this site. (shame on me!) Not sure how to do my own entry for info for which I am searching.

Our middle school is beginning the process of looking at scheduling changes. (Notice that I am not calling it looking at block scheuling.) We are currently on a seven period day. We want more time for math and want to be able to block our reading and writing classes together in a longer period. Of course there are many other items we'd like to address but those two will be our "return to's" when we finally realize no schedule will give us the world.

I don't really want to look too much at high school block scheduling options because we do not want to be a high school for 12 yr. olds. I've looked at some works (Rettig and Canaday as examples) on middle school scheduling. I read a blog here by Patti Kinney that I totally agree with and that's where I'm coming from...I don't want to look at books and pick a schedule for my school. I want to use my school's students, staff, etc. and come up with some ideas first before we get too carried away by a particular schedule someone else has used.

Having said that, though, I am interested in others of you who have made the transition and what you wished you had or had not done and whether you like, love, or secretly dislike what you came up with.

This is a small middle school (450) and rural so just the size itself can limiting in scheduling; i.e. teachers may have to teach multiple subjects or grade levels.

Please share your insights; I need some!

Mike,

What are you doing posting a blog like this in the middle of the summer at 11:59 p.m.? My first piece of advice to you is to relax more! Actually I would tell you three things....1) find the good stuff that is happening in your building and build off that, 2) make sure that you clearly know what it is you will be held accountable for and what you are responsible for (there is a difference), and 3) put as much trust in your staff as you are able to personally handle (some type A control feaks like myself have a hard time with this).

The fact that you are even asking the question tells me that you will do awesome!

Good Luck!

Get out to the classrooms and meet the kids. It is important to project that administrative image as most students have a different "view" of administrators.
Sit down with kids at lunch if you have time....they like that interaction.
Look for the expertises of your staff to assist you with department meetings and staffings....I found that my staff knew much more than I did in certain discussions.