Ok, I hit my breaking point today. After years of hints, suggestions and recommendations, I’m done. So Principals, pay attention. You and your office staff, stay off of the DAMN intercom during the school day.
Teachers have more to teach, to student body of more diverse abilities, with greater accountability than ever before. Every time someone gets on the intercom to make an announcement, it disrupts the education process and makes the difficult job of teaching even more so.
Today, I was on a campus that during a single 47-minute class period, there were 5 separate general announcements. That is leadership malpractice.
Here is what you should do.
1. Have a single, 3-minute general announcement to students and staff either 1st or 2nd period. Extend that period by the three minutes you will take from instructional time.
2. Do not allow anyone to use the intercom to make an announcement, (unless it relates to safety, security, or a significant emergency) without your direct permission.
3. Don’t give permission to use the intercom.
If there is a message that needs to be relayed to a particular class, send an actual person from the office to that class. Because no matter what is going on in the office, it’s not as important as teaching and learning.
But what about the (insert sport) team that needs to be called to the bus to go to a game. That is poor planning. The team should go to the bus at a regular class break. And, repeat after me… Getting the team to the bus is less important than the instruction being delivered to ALL OF THE OTHER STUDENTS.
Think. Work. Achieve. Your turn…
- Call Jo at (832) 477-LEAD to order your campus set of “The Fundamental 5: The Formula for Quality Instruction.” Individual copies available on Amazon.com! http://tinyurl.com/Fundamental5
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