nically against the rules) and drop his supplemental math class, mandated
as he had not yet passed the required exit examination in mathematics. Ms.
Niles-Perry personally reprogrammed the student to meet his requests and
then had the program office implement these changes. A principal creates
procedures to permit the school to operate smoothly and address the needs
of most of the students and staff. However, every person in the school is
an individual and sometimes the principal needs to modify her own rules to
provide a student or staff member with the help he needs.
A school leader will help students in myriads of other ways, such as
opening a classroom after the school day for the student who left her book
bag or handbag or gym clothes in the room. Minding these details is often
more satisfying than many other more “important” aspects of the job, for
it allows her to work with students one-on-one.
Sometimes minding the details means not handling them. Sometimes the
best decision is no decision. A newly assigned school leader has a ten-
dency is to deal with every issue right away. She wants to demonstrate
that she is a leader who can handle matters in a timely fashion. She will
learn that addressing some issues too quickly could mean doing work un-
necessarily. Sometimes the requests from the district sent today are same
ones cancelled tomorrow, and waiting a day or two before responding
may save time and effort.
This also applies to issues brought by staff members. It is not unusual
for a staff member to complain to the school leader about a colleague—
“He hogs the desk space.” “She is dismissing her class late, and I cannot
get my lesson started on time.” “He never erases the white board.” “I need
to use this text, but my colleague has not yet collected copies from his
class.” The school leader should listen carefully. This, in itself, will calm
the teacher. She should promise to look into the issue and get back to the
teacher in a day or two.
The school leader should not act on this promise immediately, for to do
so will mean that she will have to tell a staff member that a colleague had
complained about him to the administration. The school leader will find
that in most cases, the teacher will see her again the next day to tell her
not to bother. He had resolved the matter himself.
After the initial sense of indignation had worn off, the teacher spoke to
the colleague as a fellow professional and resolved the problem. Teach-
Mind the Details 167