As a Principal, I seek to be sensitive to the timing of requests that I make of faculty.  Teaching is a tough job with many demands.  Some of these demands are driven by responsibilities scheduled on the calendar – reporting periods, extensive planning at the outset of the school year, parent-teacher conference days, and so on.  I find myself regularly considering what else is being asked of teachers when I initiate specific requests or plan learning opportunities.  Yet, as professional as teachers can be and as engaged as they are in their own learning, I often hear the common refrain – “It’s just a hard time of year”.  The implication being that engaging teachers in that dialogue or activity would be better done at another time of the year!  But, that time is tricky to find.

When is the best time?  Time is that elusive need for educators.  Time is what everyone would like to have more of every week.  The demands for planning, marking, meeting with students, meeting with colleagues and communicating with parents are significant.  Continue reading →