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Is it important for school leaders to teach?
Jun 29, 2012 10:02:40 AM - Marie O'Sullivan

Is it important for senior leaders, or the managers in your school, to teach?

My experiences have been in the UK, and things may well be different in other countries.  I’ve worked for head teachers who didn’t spend time in the classroom, and for those who did, and even for some who taught languages in my own department.

Clearly the demands of a head teacher mean they can’t have a full timetable, but do you think it would help if they had to teach each week?

I suppose what I’m asking is, do you feel like your managers really understand the day to day issues of teaching and if so, is this because they teach too?

I’d love to hear your experiences!

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leadership
2 comments
Joseph Favrin
Joseph Favrin - July 17, 2012 10:37:25 PM UTC

 I am a school Principal ( Head teacher) in Australia and I teach one class weekly of Year 9 French. I enjoy it  immensly ans it gets me out of my office and into the reality of the classroom. I have 1200 students in my secondary school but still manage to get into the classroom. Many of my colleague principals  do not teach and are surprised that I do. It is a question of balancing priorities and for myself I was a teacher first before I became a principal.I find that  the teaching staff in my Colege appreciate that i teach too and know something of the pressures and challenges they face daily in the classroom.

Marie O'Sullivan
Marie O'Sullivan - July 18, 2012 9:05:21 AM UTC

Thanks for taking the time to comment, Joseph.

Interesting, yet perhaps not unexpected, that other principals are surprised that you still make time for teaching! Yet it clearly keeps you firmly in touch with both colleagues and pupils.

We appreciate your thoughts - thanks!
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