Career Questions

Q:  My principal plays favorites to some of the more “popular” teachers at my school—the ones who are younger, more deferential, more tech-savvy. They’re assigned the best projects, and sometimes they even get to call the shots. This seems unfair, but maybe I should just get more involved. Should I say something?

A:  No, you should DO something. 

Most principals interested in implementing a new initiative go first to the people who can make it work.  If it’s a technology project, in all likelihood, the younger teachers will be more confident and eager to try something new.  They ARE more tech savvy, and they probably are more deferential given their youth and lack of seniority.

Instead of going to your principal to complain about her playing favorites,   tell her you’re really interested in getting involved in the next project.  If you feel you need to improve your tech skills, tell your principal you’d like to have more training in using technology in the classroom.

It’s likely that your principal hasn’t considered you as someone who wanted to be involved in a new project, so you need to work to change her opinion.  As a veteran administrator, I have to say that it’s interesting to me that your principal hasn’t tried to engage the veteran teachers in new projects because you are the people who bring credibility to a new initiative.  If you buy into it, a new project has a much better chance of lasting implementation.  Your principal may not be aware of the importance of involving all of her staff.  You may have the opportunity here to gently teach her something about the value of the veterans.