My choice of reading for this week is the article Where’s the Ministry In Administration? Attending to the Souls of Our Schools by Paul Graseck. Graseck writes, “a wise school administrator discovers that those who say education has nothing to do with religion do not know what education means”. (Graseck, 2005, p.378) To listen, comfort, support, and inspire are critical elements of an administrator’s career, that is if they wish to be successful. A very miserable message or inference that can be given to a learning community from an administrator is “my job is more important than yours”. (Graseck, 2005, p.374) Once the proverbial wall has been erected the administrator loses all connection and ministerial obligations and their fate is directed towards lone survival.
A much more preferred choice is for the administrator to become the pastor of the school. One that does comfort and nurtures good feelings to the school congregation. The writing is not advocating that biblical or religious teachings become curriculum standards, but instead suggesting that “people are spiritual beings, seekers reaching beyond themselves”. (Graseck, 2005, p.374) The fact of the matter is that we are all very curious and inquisitive about our world and ourselves and rejoice in this spiritual uplifting. It is crucially important that administrators not divorce the classroom entirely. After all, they are still teachers by example and should remain so throughout their career. “Ideally, administrators will not abandon classroom teaching. Instead, they will, whenever possible, teach a class”. (Graseck, 2005, p.376)
The word administrator in its meaning is not defined as “Boss”. It is actually derived from the Latin administrare meaning to help or assist or in our context “to minister to”. “Imagine if school administrators saw themselves as ministering to teachers, if they saw their jobs as genuine caring for the teachers they supervise”. (Graseck, 2005, p.376) The administrator often offers a shoulder to cry on, a confident, softy spoken words, and friendship.
So exactly how do administrators become bosses rather than ministers? How is it that they are on occasion viewed as teacher enemy number one? The evidence is overwhelming in reference to the above statements. Just walk into the teachers’ lounge inside a school where the principal is considered “on the other side”. And, the comments you will hear are not without merit. Graseck tackles this phenomenon with three observations leading to the development of an ineffective leader. First, “Administrators sometimes become administrators to escape teaching”. Second, “Teachers who enter administration quickly forget the hardships of the teaching life”, and third, “Many teachers become administrators too early in their career”. (Graseck, 2005, p. 376) So in summary, good administrators should never forget the stresses inside the classroom and the many faces the classroom teacher must portray throughout the school day, and, all without a secretary!
seasoned, successful teachers”. (Graseck, 2005, p. 377) The viewing of administrators as ministers is not one of high popularity nor is it the status quo. We are all convinced somewhat that our monies are best spent on buildings, technology, and peripherals. The human factor that builds great communities has become a low prioritized necessity. If we cannot at least dream of doing things differently someday then we probably will not make change or do anything different whatsoever.
References:
Graseck, P. (2005). Where’s the ministry in administration? Attending to the souls of our schools. Phi Delta Kappan, 86(5), 373-378.
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