Interruptions for Instruction?

He rarely smiles. He rarely speaks. His rakish suits and power ties seem to imply a need for attention and respect. And people suspect he’s reading a book on how to teach. He’s our assistant principal. He’s not my evaluator, but the stories have run throughout the building.

When observing teachers he would always say that the day’s objective must be written on the board. Doesn’t matter if the idea is to let students discover the purpose, or if the objective is long-term. No exceptions if you want the lesson deemed a “satisfactory” one. He wants to make us “better teachers.”

His next tactic was the use of sticky notes. He would enter a classroom unannounced, and the room would go absolutely silent. Once he enters no one will speak. Students stare at their desks, and all flow in the lesson is lost. After ten minutes he will walk right through the room, even if you are speaking to a student or if a student is speaking or if a presentation is being given, to place a sticky note on the board with his feedback.

And these are no ordinary sticky notes. They are carbon copy notes, so he can keep a copy and see if you are improving. Regardless, he will interrupt the lesson by walking up to the board and place his note. Throughout the duration of the lesson he never says a word. Not one. Not even any acknowledgment to you or any student. The he leaves. Then there are a number of sighs, and the room goes back to normal. Someone even laughs again!

For five months this was the repeated behavior. Then, last month a change occurred. No one got the comment to put the objective on the board.

“You need an anticipatory set” was the new comment so I’m told. No exceptions. Doesn’t matter if the lesson is a continuing from the previous day. Can’t just quickly summarize yesterday’s place in the text. You must have the anticipatory set.

Rumor is he’s on chapter two of his book.

————-

————-

Now to be fair I have only had limited interactions with him and all of these tales are from the teachers being observed, but I have no reason to doubt them.

He and I had a major disagreement a few months back, but other than that we rarely see one another. Generally, he only speaks about the attendance policy or calls my room to ask students to come to his office. He seems like he wants kids to be successful but does not appear interested in anyone outside of school and doesn’t seem to care if he builds a relationship with anyone. He just seems rigid and indifferent, aloof even. He’s a tough nut to crack, and it’s hard to feel sympathy for him.