One thing I am worried about when I start teaching is having the support of my administrators As much as we have the ideas of coming into a school and wanting to implement new ideas into the system, we won't be able to do any of it without their support. I think it is very crucial when applying for jobs that we specifically look at who we will be working for and if they seem open to new creative ways to teach. I'm just afraid that I will get stuck in a school where my ideas are shot down and I'm miserable the entire year. Our first few years of teaching are going to be hard enough! What are some ways to help get the administrators on our side? Without them thinking we want to come in a change everything around. I don't want to be seen as the new teacher who "thinks she knows everything since she just got out of college". What are some ideas you have to balance between wanting administrators to support your new ideas and being supported period. Maybe I'm just being pessimistic about it, but it is something that has crossed my mind.

Here's the key to administrators and administration in general. They want the school to look good. That's all. It's that simple. The more worried an administrator is, or the more strict they may seem to be, the more obvious it will be that they want the school to look good. Some actually want the school to be good. Most likely you won't have a problem with those.

If you have a new idea the first thing you have to do is to figure out where it fits into the national standards as well as the school's mission statement. Like if you want students to have creative projects centered around any subject you simply find a way to mentally incorporate what you are doing into whatever it is the administration thinks it wants you to do.

For example if I had a class that I wanted to help with jazz improvisation though movement I would simply say that I was reinforcing National Standard 3 of instrumental Music level III (The learner will improvise melodies, variations, and accompaniments).

If the school's mission statement was to have confident and healthy students then I would also emphasize the way in which playing solos can help with personal expression which boosts confidence levels. That way my administration sees me as someone who is helping to boost the image of the school. It's all about what you show them, and how you present it as something that is valuable to their values system. Then you can pretty much do whatever you want as long as it is helpful for the students.

I think that there are good and bad administrators and there is no right or wrong way to approach some of them. I won't name school systems or anything but I have witnessed quite a few really good administrators and some not so good. One principal I know of cares way more about the school's reputation than he does the students and teachers. Several of the teachers have moved on to other school systems and several are trying to change things. I, personally, don't mind a strict administrator, what I'm worried about are the ones who don't care enough about the students and teachers to fix things that need to be fixed. Or the ones who think they are the only ones who graduated from college and have a degree so what they say goes. It only gets worse when that administrator is really good friends with the Superintendent.

I too am a little worried about the type of administrators I am going to be working for once I become a teacher. But then again who isn't scared of their boss? On the one hand, I think it would be great to have an administrator who enforces strict rules in order to ensure that all of the teachers are meeting the necessary requirements in their lesson plans.

However, I also think that it is important to work with an administrator that you can express your opinions openly with. Although the principal and administrators are the ones that run the school, teachers are in the classrooms with students everyday and therefore are the ones that know more than anybody what is best for their students. If you can't voice opinions to your administrator when you feel that changes need to be enforced in your school, then that administrator does not deserve you working for them. But that is just my opinion

Erin you make some good points. I just hope I find the right school system where my opinions will be listened to and at least considered. If I don't I know I won't be happy! When the time comes we will know what is best for the students no matter what the administration says.

I agree with both! I talked with my sister who is also in education and she said that you're not going to like everybody that you work for. It's just not that easy. But she said the best thing you can do is make sure you know what grounds your administrators stand on before accepting the job. And honestly, she said you will work way more with your advisor than directly with the principal....even though that position is very important.