Leading Your Team during the Pandemic
Educational institutions across the island have being closed since mid-March and online alternatives have taken on the forefront of how these institutions will be governed and maintained. Since the lockdown initiated due to the outbreak of COVID19, school administrators have being forced to work remotely to manage and lead their institutions and staff effectively. Directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information saw teachers islandwide joining the virtual world to continue the delivery of the curriculum to their students. This new scheme of teaching and learning sees administrators connecting with their staff through a variety of online platforms to do strategic planning for the well being of the school population, conduct surveys, and collect data.
From my understanding teachers have been responding to remote work differently for a variety of reasons. With the numerous challenges faced by our teachers which has spilled off from their students and parents I must reiterate the importance of leadership during this time. There are parents and their children who can’t be reached or gain access to the information presented online due to the lack of technological resources and internet connection. Likewise there are teachers who have no access to internet connection based on their geographical locations. All these negative factors affect their ability to do their jobs effectively. Some are feeling overwhelmed due to the shift in how their profession is perceived which may lead to anxiety and mental overload. So, how do school leaders fit into this new narrative? Leading their staff remotely may deter from the norm but it is most certainly required during this crisis; especially for those who are struggling with technological advances, limited resources or just going through the motions of anxiety. We are not in the positions to throw blame around but being assertive requires agility and adaptability in order to take on best practices done by others in the same field. In all major tabloids across the island and social media platforms we have seen the initiatives of principals in the western section of the island been lauded as they used modes of transportation to deliver work to students who are facing the challenges of receiving information online. It is by far one of the most thought provoking acts of No Child Left Behind chivalry and they should be rewarded accordingly. Now I’m not saying all principals and teachers should take on this task but we all need to have a strategic plan to reach those left out of the loop as well as provide the support and reassurance teachers require during these times. So here are some tips school leaders can emulate remotely and effectively.
📌Select a Communication Platform and Create a Schedule- Even though you are no longer in the physical space to conduct meetings, the virtual world provides platforms to effectively communicate with your staff. Selecting the best platform so that all members can be reached is also of importance. I highly recommend Zoom for conducting senior staff meetings, general staff meetings and grade meetings. It is also important to create a flexible schedule and stick to it so that everyone is readily available to access meetings at specific times. Zoom meetings alone won’t be enough so the continuation of phone calls, emails and text messages should remain as options depending on the persons you wish to reach and the level of information to be shared or discussed. School leaders are not alone and they have middle managers who should be taking on remote contact with their teams as well.. Similar to conducted common planning time sessions in a physical space, middle managers can use the said platform to meet with their teams on a one on one basis. This fosters cohesiveness where teaching and learning are concerned. It gives them the opportunity to analyze the virtual effects reached by their teams all at once and to formulate strategies to alleviate the pressures faced by these teachers and their students alike.
📌Provide Staff with Access to Relevant Professional Workshops- With the unprecedented role of virtual connections professional development workshops will be required for teachers who are basically stepping out of their comfort zones where their jobs are concerned. Providing links to workshops on how to cope during a pandemic, how to use online platforms for teaching are some of the ways in which school leaders can assist their staff during this pandemic. Yes our teachers are keeping abreast of the daily updates but reassurance and assistance from their leading administrators makes a whole lot of difference. Don’t take it for granted that they are doing the necessary research that they need. Reach out and offer support in these areas.
📌Strategize Work Distributions- It’s acknowledged that children across the island are faced with the challenges of accessing information due to lack of internet connections. School leaders and their staff can alleviate this disadvantage by creating a strategic distribution of work plan for these students. Teachers know the content to be received, they know the students who are not being reached so setting up this plan is of vital importance. The printing and or photocopying of work materials can be done at the school level and a system of distribution which fosters social distancing can be timetabled based on grade levels and the number of students affected. This is clearly linked to the way a staff communicates and the importance of data collation and analysis.
📌Plan for Reintegration of Students- So the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information has announced the reopening of schools in September, and while no one really knows when this pandemic will pass its only logical to say they are buying themselves time to reassess the Education system as time passes. But how will we approach the reopening of schools after such bizarre conditions faced by our students, parents and teachers? Are we prepared to address the mental overload these students and teachers will return with? or the regression levels teachers will have to deal with? If your answers are no, then a plan for reintegration should be mapped out in the earliest time possible. Planning ahead rids us of chaos when we return to school and provides a framework with which the staff will be sensitized to work with. Strategic planning for the impact of physical distancing; staggering recess hours and the conducting of general devotion within the confines of the classroom should be considered. Studies reveal that the Coronavirus might occur as a seasonal illness so preparedness is key. Working out logistics in order to provide feedback to the Ministry of Education when undoubtedly required should be incorporated into our School Improvement Plans.
We are all impacted by this pandemic, how we move forward depends a great deal on what we do now. Leadership is having a compelling vision, a comprehensive plan, relentless implementation and talented people working with- Alan Mulally
From my understanding teachers have been responding to remote work differently for a variety of reasons. With the numerous challenges faced by our teachers which has spilled off from their students and parents I must reiterate the importance of leadership during this time. There are parents and their children who can’t be reached or gain access to the information presented online due to the lack of technological resources and internet connection. Likewise there are teachers who have no access to internet connection based on their geographical locations. All these negative factors affect their ability to do their jobs effectively. Some are feeling overwhelmed due to the shift in how their profession is perceived which may lead to anxiety and mental overload. So, how do school leaders fit into this new narrative? Leading their staff remotely may deter from the norm but it is most certainly required during this crisis; especially for those who are struggling with technological advances, limited resources or just going through the motions of anxiety. We are not in the positions to throw blame around but being assertive requires agility and adaptability in order to take on best practices done by others in the same field. In all major tabloids across the island and social media platforms we have seen the initiatives of principals in the western section of the island been lauded as they used modes of transportation to deliver work to students who are facing the challenges of receiving information online. It is by far one of the most thought provoking acts of No Child Left Behind chivalry and they should be rewarded accordingly. Now I’m not saying all principals and teachers should take on this task but we all need to have a strategic plan to reach those left out of the loop as well as provide the support and reassurance teachers require during these times. So here are some tips school leaders can emulate remotely and effectively.
📌Select a Communication Platform and Create a Schedule- Even though you are no longer in the physical space to conduct meetings, the virtual world provides platforms to effectively communicate with your staff. Selecting the best platform so that all members can be reached is also of importance. I highly recommend Zoom for conducting senior staff meetings, general staff meetings and grade meetings. It is also important to create a flexible schedule and stick to it so that everyone is readily available to access meetings at specific times. Zoom meetings alone won’t be enough so the continuation of phone calls, emails and text messages should remain as options depending on the persons you wish to reach and the level of information to be shared or discussed. School leaders are not alone and they have middle managers who should be taking on remote contact with their teams as well.. Similar to conducted common planning time sessions in a physical space, middle managers can use the said platform to meet with their teams on a one on one basis. This fosters cohesiveness where teaching and learning are concerned. It gives them the opportunity to analyze the virtual effects reached by their teams all at once and to formulate strategies to alleviate the pressures faced by these teachers and their students alike.
📌Provide Staff with Access to Relevant Professional Workshops- With the unprecedented role of virtual connections professional development workshops will be required for teachers who are basically stepping out of their comfort zones where their jobs are concerned. Providing links to workshops on how to cope during a pandemic, how to use online platforms for teaching are some of the ways in which school leaders can assist their staff during this pandemic. Yes our teachers are keeping abreast of the daily updates but reassurance and assistance from their leading administrators makes a whole lot of difference. Don’t take it for granted that they are doing the necessary research that they need. Reach out and offer support in these areas.
📌Strategize Work Distributions- It’s acknowledged that children across the island are faced with the challenges of accessing information due to lack of internet connections. School leaders and their staff can alleviate this disadvantage by creating a strategic distribution of work plan for these students. Teachers know the content to be received, they know the students who are not being reached so setting up this plan is of vital importance. The printing and or photocopying of work materials can be done at the school level and a system of distribution which fosters social distancing can be timetabled based on grade levels and the number of students affected. This is clearly linked to the way a staff communicates and the importance of data collation and analysis.
📌Plan for Reintegration of Students- So the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information has announced the reopening of schools in September, and while no one really knows when this pandemic will pass its only logical to say they are buying themselves time to reassess the Education system as time passes. But how will we approach the reopening of schools after such bizarre conditions faced by our students, parents and teachers? Are we prepared to address the mental overload these students and teachers will return with? or the regression levels teachers will have to deal with? If your answers are no, then a plan for reintegration should be mapped out in the earliest time possible. Planning ahead rids us of chaos when we return to school and provides a framework with which the staff will be sensitized to work with. Strategic planning for the impact of physical distancing; staggering recess hours and the conducting of general devotion within the confines of the classroom should be considered. Studies reveal that the Coronavirus might occur as a seasonal illness so preparedness is key. Working out logistics in order to provide feedback to the Ministry of Education when undoubtedly required should be incorporated into our School Improvement Plans.
We are all impacted by this pandemic, how we move forward depends a great deal on what we do now. Leadership is having a compelling vision, a comprehensive plan, relentless implementation and talented people working with- Alan Mulally
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