This week’s tip: Do You Manage the Management?
Most SAM teams look at their Dashboard each day to examine instructional time and next steps. Did you know your Dashboard also shows your time spent on management tasks? Use the options menu at the top of the dashboard to switch to management time used.
Reviewing how you are spending time on management issues can provide insight on how to improve your First Responder system and determine if you have all of your school’s management bases covered. One SAM team in Atlanta reported that a review of their management time revealed that they were not using their First Responders tasked with community use of the school facilities effectively. This led to the SAM retraining the office staff to direct building use requests to the First Responder, rather than the principal.
A SAM team in New York reviewed their management time and determined the principal needed to spend more time on the school’s student safety plan. The SAM began specifically scheduling time for the leader to do this work. Importantly, the SAM asked during the Daily Meeting what follow-up was necessary every time the leader spent time on the safety plan.
Management is not a bad thing. A SAM team must manage the management in order to do the instructional work that moves teacher practice and student learning forward. There are many management tasks a principal needs to do and will not be able to give to a First Responder. The key is making sure thought if given to how time is used so instructional time becomes the majority of the school leader’s day.
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