Take the Time to Listen

As a classroom teacher, sometimes I didn't feel like I was heard or even noticed by my administration on my campus.  And it's not that they weren't a great administration.  They WERE!  But they got so busy, sometimes I felt forgotten.

As an administrator myself now, I wanted to make sure I never made my team feel that way.  One thing that I've chosen to do as the Lead Learner is that once a month each team member will meet with me for about 5-15 minutes just to talk and get one on one time.

This week is our first week of school.  There's a LOT going on.  I didn't want them to get lost in the shuffle.  So for the last two days I've given up about 2 1/2 hours of my day to listen to each person during their conference time.  I am so glad I did.

I just asked them how the first days have been.  What's your biggest concern?  How can I better support you?  What do you need that you're not getting?

It was so wonderful just to sit and listen.  Were there a thousand things on my list that I needed to accomplish?  Of course.  But I'm so thankful I took the time.  I even spent over an hour after school each day meeting with my admin team to fill them in on what happened and how we can better support.

Sometimes as adults, we want nothing more then to be heard.  Then to know someone cares.  I love my team and never for a second want them to think I've forgotten about them.  I don't want to be that person who doesn't take the time to listen.  I just hope my staff knows how heavily they are on my heart.