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SALT LAKE CITY -- Usually the words, ‘Go to the principal's office," instill fear. But a new type of principal is moving into many Salt Lake District schools that are very different from what is usual.
The Salt Lake School district believes one of the best ways to help kids learn is to support their teachers. And that is the role of a new crop of principals now heading into schools.
Take a classroom teacher, add in the administative principal, combined with a coach and you've got a pretty good idea of Nicole Warren's new job.
"I am a partner in their teaching process. I'm not just an evaluator," Warren said.
"I am a partner in their teaching process. I'm not just an evaluator," Warren said.
She's the new "instructional leader" as they call it, for Rose Park Elemetnary. She won't operate behind a desk in her office. Her plan is to work side by side with teachers, coaching best practices.
"I am able to collaborate with them. Be in their classrooms or be a part of any of that process," she said.
She's the face of a trend in the salt lake district to focus less on administration and more on supporting teachers providing feedback and helping them bring about positive change in the classroom.
"They come in and teach alongside with you and teach you strategies," said first grade teacher Sarah Machol. "…and that's more powerful than just having someone talk to you about it in a class or watching a video. Having someone come in and work with you is really amazing and powerful."
In addition, teachers will be armed with more data than ever, which takes each students' progress into account.
For many of these teachers preparing their rooms for students, the change in focus offers a welcome change and an opportunity.
Deana anderson, reading specialist: "Sometimes it's really hard to talk to a principal," said reading specialist Deana Anderson. "It can be really intimidating because when they're coming in to critique you ...a lot of time your job can be on the line."
Some of the training for these positions came from federal stimulus dollars, but he district believes this is so important, they're prepared to pay for it once those funds dry up.
