Long story short when I taught admin were vindictive ladder climbers that were horrible teachers and worse bosses. Many times they had no content knowledge as they were gym teachers or education majors trying to talk down to people with technical knowledge and common sense that classroom misbehavior and violence should not be tolerated. If you want to make a real difference in the world it's not education. Teaching in the modern age without support is soul crushing.

The best support from admin I have seen is protecting us from crazy parents and poorly thought out central office initiatives. But almost never has there been decent support for my teaching. Support for student behavior is hit or miss and almost never very quick. Some admin like to run a tight ship (which I prefer) but most have little control of their school due to time/ability.

Anonymous wrote:The reality is that good admin are often very overworked and have little time to support staff individually besides the occasional hallway conversation or check-in during a monthly meeting. Bad admin hide in their offices and mostly send emails and make PowerPoints for meetings. Then complain that staff are not doing enough, “ building relationships”, or writing too many referrals that make admin look bad.

+1

The reality is that good admin are often very overworked and have little time to support staff individually besides the occasional hallway conversation or check-in during a monthly meeting. Bad admin hide in their offices and mostly send emails and make PowerPoints for meetings. Then complain that staff are not doing enough, “ building relationships”, or writing too many referrals that make admin look bad.

My principal is a human first. I felt sick yesterday after lunch and he covered my class for me. He even left me a note letting me know how they were.

How did your administration set you up for success this school year? How have they supported you during difficult times?