Last week, we welcomed our teachers back. On the first day, for 3 hours, I facilitated professional learning. A few days prior to that, I asked an instructional coach to schedule a reflective conversation to take place when I was done. Yes, principals need coaches, too!
It was an absolutely hectic day. In addition to welcoming staff back, we also had the following scheduled: new family orientation, 7th grade orientation, and 8th grade packet pick-up. Did I mention I had also just become principal 10 days before that???
Part of me wanted to cancel the conversation – I had so many other things to do. Yet, I held true to the time, and I’m glad I did. I was able to reflect on the first time I spent with all teachers, and my sense of how things had gone. My coach helped me celebrate, and was a meaningful thinking partner on what I would have done differently. I was able to take notes, with the experience of professional learning fresh in my mind, and use them to plan forward for the next session. Our teachers and students will benefit from that 45 minutes, and guess what? Everything else that needed to happen that day did happen.
I have another coaching conversation scheduled for next week. When is yours?
Join the conversation…how might you be reflecting as school starts?
Conversation: Education Adaptation 