Teacher Succession Planning - Would it Work?

The journey to the airport last week passed with my husband l explaining succession planning in his business to me. I wonder how much this happens in education. I know I’ve never been involved in anything like that - but it sounds like powerful stuff. Imagine teacher leaders sharing talent they recognize with each other and focusing on how to grow success. 

The way he put it was that all the staff collectively talked about strengths and who they saw as a leader. I imagined small groups discussing and thinking about great furniture for their peers.  Collaborating collectively to recognize success. 

Perhaps with possibilities in front of them, career paths, job descriptions. 

Then the lowest level of staff was dismissed and then the next group would look at who was discussed and talk about potential and prospects and start the planning process for individual futures. 

Then the next level dropped off … and so on until only the two or three at the top were left. The leadership team as it were. 

This struck me as eminently sensible. Do our administrators really know who the leaders are?  Do they honestly know what happens in the classroom or hallways when they aren’t there?  I think that they have a pretty good idea, to be fair - they are smart people who know the job - but they can’t always be there & their focus isn’t always on the nuances that make a leader - even less the type of leader for different situations.  The teacher who is a pedagogical leader is different from the teacher who is an organizational leader and so forth. 

But we know.  

We know the teacher who admin think is dependable because that’s the pictures he/she paints…but we see a different picture. 

We know the teacher who leads the way through courageous teaching, always trying what’s new and sharing their findings and resources with anyone who asks.

We know the teacher we respect enough to listen to - even if we don’t particularly ‘like’ them, we know who does the job and does it well.  Envy is one thing, respecting prowess is another.

We know. 

And then the teacher leaders know who is a friend or is going to say great things about that teacher. They can consider what’s been shared and discuss the potential of individuals from their perspective. And on. All the way up.

It feels right. It feels as if it would help all concerned. It would increase leadership opportunities for all, rather than just relying on popularity contests or the assumption of value.  I can see more community support as teachers are involved.  I can see more thought going into each other’s strengths and more interest in each other’s needs and futures.  

Teacher succession plans. Why not? 🤔

Leaving the Kids - Teaching is a Strange Job!

Teaching is such a strange job. As a second career teacher, I’ve been in several environments. There isn’t one other job that I would have felt teary at leaving.  In fact, there is normally massive excitement at a break ahead. But teaching is weird.

Here we are. The day I leave for the UK. The day FMLA starts & I wing myself over to the UK to look after Mum. She’s excited & desperate for her daughter to be there. She doesn’t always remember that I’m coming, but the reaction is the same every time I remind her. Happy tears. Being 90, living alone, facing Alzheimer's, and knowing that you need help - it must be scary. There are times she's cognizant of the facts but forgets that I am coming to take care of her future.  There are times that she pleads for help and is delighted when I let her know that I will be there.  Hearing your own mother - a strong, independent woman - scared and alone is heartbreaking.

But I'm on my way.

Yesterday was my last day. A day filled with surprises and emotions. One class threw a ‘British tea party’ for me - adorable - with a list of who was bringing what - highly organized. The other seemed to be completely unaware but then stunned me with a surprise party - designer cake and all. Both groups showered me with gifts and made me feel incredibly special and loved.

I've never quite felt that way as a teacher, and now I’m a mix of emotions. I’ve taught most of these kids for two years. I have become a huge proponent of looping after this experience - I've been a better teacher, and my students have been better learners. We became a team as we grew together. We accomplished things we might never have done without that trust and those relationships in place. But that makes leaving them even harder. So hard.

These kids have truly embraced my investment and 'crazy' ideas. They have reflected, learned, and (I like to think) grown as people. If nothing else, they love ELA - and that's a WIN in my book.

The kids will be just fine without me. I haven’t done my job if they aren’t independent, reflective learners by now. I’ll see them as I start my new role in August and they begin 8th grade.  The bottom line is that Mum needs me. As a single Mum, she gave up so much to care for me…now it’s my turn to be there for her.  

She deserves it.

Cheers!