Do You Remember Special Visitors in Your Classrooms? The Value of Superintendent Visits
Each time I lost to a student in Math Knockout in Ms. O’Reilly’s classroom, I got closer and closer to the ground - then I fell over
As the Superintendent of Schools, I have a vast array of responsibilities and duties, but today I had the privilege of undertaking what I believe to be one of the most vital roles of my position: visiting classrooms during instruction. Alongside Mr. LaBossiere, I walked the Taft Early Learning Center and, before that, the Whitin Intermediate School, directly engaging with students and participating in the wonderfully diverse lessons of reading, mathematics, and Social Studies. On my way in, I also got in a little basketball, football, and GaGa Ball at the Whitin. These interactions are not simply box-checking exercises but invaluable opportunities that underline the importance of an immersive educational leadership role.
There are several reasons why these classroom visits are essential. Here are some of my observations from today.
Creating a Shared Experience
I hope to create a shared experience with our educators and students by stepping into classrooms during instruction. These interactions provide an in-depth understanding of the unique challenges and victories during learning. Today, I witnessed the triumph in a student's eyes when she finally solved a complex math problem and the engaging group discussion about a new concept in Social Studies – where Ms. Frayne’s students were reading, then using critical thinking skills to problem solve. These are the moments that truly exemplify our educational mission.
Mrs. Wenci let me take over a reading/social studies lesson about the War of 1812
Direct Understanding of Classroom Dynamics
Observing instruction in action is a powerful method of understanding the dynamics of a classroom. It helps me understand how our curriculum translates into daily lessons and how our teachers' pedagogical techniques are applied. I can witness firsthand the level of student engagement, the variety of teaching methods employed, and the classroom environment. I regularly provide professional development on the classroom setting and its impact on instruction, student engagement, and well-being. I was so impressed with what I saw today in so many classrooms.
Building Relationships
Visiting classrooms also presents an invaluable opportunity to build relationships. Students and teachers must see their superintendent not as a distant figure but as an accessible, invested, and interested participant in their learning journey. When a boy named Oliver came up to me on the basketball court with Mrs. Dhosi to show me that he performed in the 99th percentile in growth in math, we both celebrated. I then visited his teacher, Mrs. Fraine, to tell her how impressive this was! Today, I sat with students, engaged in their tasks, and experienced our wonderful educators' teaching methods. These interactions helped reinforce trust and open communication within our educational community.
Modeling Lifelong Learning
Superintendents aren't just leaders; we are learners, too. By actively participating in lessons, we model the essence of lifelong learning. Today, as I participated in a game of multiplication war and was gladly beaten in another mathematical competition, I was involved in reading activities and complex math problems. I experienced our curriculum first-hand and underscored the importance of how much fun we can have when we are engaged in learning activities with meaningful adults.
Feedback and Improvement
Finally, classroom visits help inform policy and improvement strategies. They provide a reality check against which we can measure the effectiveness of our academic programs and institutional strategy. When coupled with data, these observations can lead to meaningful changes that directly impact our educational goals.
Today’s visits to Taft Early Learning Center and Whitin Intermediate School were enriching experiences, but they were more than that. They were a vital part of my role as a superintendent. They allowed me to understand our educational system better, build stronger relationships, reinforce the ethos of lifelong learning, and ultimately improve our practices for the betterment of our students.