A Mom's View by an Assistant Principal

As an assistant principal, a student, a teacher, and the mother of a teacher I think that I have a unique perspective on the business of school.  Today, Sarah got a less than terrific evaluation from her principal which is a shame because she’s one of the best young teachers that I know.  It caused me to reflect a bit on this time of year in schools and on some of the fundamental differences between Catholic and public schools. 

I have worked most of my teaching career in Catholic schools, specifically Archbishop O’Hara High School.  And, as most of us who have worked in Catholic schools have thought from time to time, I’ve wondered whether I sacrificed too much in terms of salary or teacher retirement in staying in one place for so long.   But today, again, I feel reaffirmed in my decision.  Sarah’s principal is a product of the public school mind set, as I have come to see it during my course work for my master’s.    Cultivating strong relationships, helping teachers to grow and improve, caring for the whole child…these appear not much a part of her agenda, nor of the agenda of many of the public school principals that I’ve interacted with over the past year. 

It’s too bad.  Sarah is a terrific teacher, and I don’t just say that because she is my daughter.  Her cooperating teacher at her student teaching assignment saw it, her professors at Creighton recognized it, and her evaluations by this principal have been strong, until today.  The summative evaluation that the principal filled out was undoubtedly influenced by the harpings of an older crowd of teachers who disapproved of Sarah’s methods and were probably jealous of her youth, enthusiasm and energy.  That a principal could be influenced by a cadre of cronies could happen in a Catholic school, but it seems less likely too.  Catholic school teachers that I know are not much threatened by innovation, energy, or enthusiasm…probably because they’re too busy teaching, cleaning the bathrooms, vacuuming, and doing all of the other myriad of tasks that parochial school teachers do as a matter of course.  I have to confess that as a Catholic school teacher I haven’t been regularly evaluated and yet I know because of my regular interaction with my principal and colleagues when I’ve done a good job and when I haven’t.  When problems arise, as they always do, I talk them out with a colleague or the principal and it’s been that way since I started at O’Hara.  The staff is congenial and there’s no jealously, or at least not much.    No one worries about tenure because it doesn’t exist for us.  Even when we’re mad or frustrated or angry, it’s like a family squabble.  No one worries much about politics. 

It’s no wonder that young teachers get discouraged in the impersonal, meat-grinder atmosphere of many public schools.  I know that it’s not that way in all schools, but in far too many, emphasis is on management, not teaching; regulation, not learning; control, not care.   My advice to all young teachers…hold on, stay tough, don’t let the older or embittered or bureaucratic wear you down.  You are important in the life of a child.  Remember and hold on to that and when you are a principal, or a department chair, remember to embrace the new teachers. . .encourage them. . .make them a part of your community.  Then, and only then, will education be improved in this country. . .unless, of course, public schools embrace the Catholic model.  Spoken like a Lasallian educator.