Any new principal, worth their salt, goes into a school and asks three questions of staff.
What’s going well in the school?
If you could change something in the school what would it be?
Where do you want to get in your teaching?
This insight from staff enables the new principal to solidify their opinions of where the school might need to go. It enables them to get some runs on the board by solving some of the easier quick win needs identified. It also shows the people that they are working with that they are interested in the school but more importantly that they are interested in them as people.
So as we emerge from the Covid haze, why don’t all principals do this every year? Why do we assume we know where our staff are at? Even if you are insightful there are bound to be some key things you’re missing. The old saying “Leaders are the last to know” could be ringing true. Don’t put this off with the old excuse of being too busy doing the day to day management to meet with all staff. That’s bullshit! Doing this is doing your job.
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