Special education leaders share advice for aspiring administrators

特殊教育领导者为有抱负的管理者分享建议

BALTIMORE — The decision to leave teaching and student support roles for administrator positions can be a difficult one for special educators. But, current and former special education directors say, doing so became easier when they realized they could have positive impacts on both adults and students.

巴尔的摩——对于特殊教育教师来说，离开教学和学生支持岗位去转而担任管理职位的决定可能是一个艰难的决定。但现任和前任特殊教育管理委员会主任说，当他们意识到这样做能够对对成人和学生产生积极影响时，做出这一决定就变得更容易了。

"I did it because what happens when you take this job is you begin to have influence in a way that you never anticipated. And a large part of our job is creating the environment in which adults are successful so that kids are successful," said Eric Hoppstock, superintendent of Berrien Regional Education Service Agency in Berrien Springs, Michigan.

“我之所以这样做，是因为当你接受这份工作时，你开始以一种你从未预料到的方式产生影响力。我们工作的很大一部分是创造成年人成功的环境，从而让孩子们取得成功，”密歇根州贝林斯普林斯市贝林地区教育服务机构督导埃里克·霍普斯托克(Eric Hoppstock)说。

Hoppstock, who began his career as a school psychologist, said he still keeps the note from his former supervisor promising him that he could have his former position back if he didn't like administration. He said he stayed in administration, however, because the job opened opportunities for different roles and responsibilities that have positive impacts for students.

霍普斯托克曾以学校心理学家身份开启职业生涯，他说，他至今仍然保留着前上司的便条，上面向他承诺，如果他不喜欢行政管理，随时可以恢复以前的职位。然而，他表示最终留在了行政部门，因为这份工作带来了承担不同的角色和责任的机会，而这些角色和责任能对学生产生积极影响。

Hoppstock and other administrators shared their career journeys — and advice for aspiring and current administrators — during a March 14 session at the Council for Exceptional Children's convention.

3 月 14 日，在美国特殊儿童委员会（Council for Exceptional Children）的年度大会上，霍普斯托克与其他教育管理者分享了他们的职业历程，并为怀揣抱负的未来管理者及现任同行提供了建议。

Keep the connection to the classroom

保持与课堂的联结

In order to ensure she spent time in classrooms in the midst of administrative duties, Zabrina Cannady, a former director of student services for Georgia's Houston County School District, said she would block off two hours every week for classroom visits.

佐治亚州休斯顿县学区前学生服务主任扎布丽娜・坎纳迪（Zabrina Cannady）如今担任特殊教育管理者委员会（Council of Administrators of Special Education）的专业学习主任。她表示，为了在行政事务中保留走进课堂的时间，自己每周都会专门留出两小时用于课堂走访。

"Because if it's not on your calendar, it's not going to happen," said Cannady, who is now the director of professional learning for the Council of Administrators of Special Education. "It will keep you focused on the main thing — those kids."

“因为如果不把这件事写进日程表，它就永远不会发生，” 现任特殊教育管理委员会专业学习主任的坎纳迪说，“课堂会让你始终聚焦于核心 —— 那些孩子。”

Tina Kauffmann, director of exceptional student services at Arizona's Littleton Elementary School District, says she meets with principals at their schools every six weeks. Before those meetings, she'll schedule time to spend in classrooms. On some campuses, she'll conduct "walk and talks" where she and the principal will talk business while walking around the school and between visits to classrooms.

亚利桑那州利特尔顿小学学区特殊学生服务主任蒂娜·考夫曼表示，她每六周会前往各学校与校长会面。会面之前，她总会特意安排时间走进教室。在一些校园里，她会进行 “边走边谈”—— 与校长在校园内漫步、穿梭于教室之间的同时，讨论工作事务。

Kauffmann, president of the Arizona chapter of CASE, also recommends doing desk work in a classroom and attending school events, such as curriculum nights. "That way you can stay in connection with your families," Kauffmann said.

作为特殊教育管理者委员会（CASE）亚利桑那州分会的会长，考夫曼还建议管理者在教室里处理案头工作，并参与课程说明会等学校活动。“这样你就能与学生家庭保持紧密联系，” 她说道。

Stay calm and flexible

保持冷静，灵活应对

The current downsizing of the U.S. Department of Education and other local, state and national changes in education policies can fuel discourse and add stress and strain to education leaders' roles. The speakers recommended focusing on what can be controlled and prioritizing student needs.

美国教育部当前的裁员举措，以及地方、州和国家层面教育政策的一系列变化，可能会引发热议，并给教育领导者的工作增添压力。发言者建议，专注于可控之事，将学生需求置于首位。

"Some of the stuff that's swirling around us is unknown, and so that's where candor comes in," by communicating what you don't know, Hoppstock said. He emphasized that leaders should model calmness as well as flexibility to adjust to change.

霍普斯托克说：“我们周围有些纷扰尚不明朗，这正是需要坦诚的时候——坦然承认自己不清楚的事情。”他强调，领导者应树立冷静的榜样，并以灵活的态度适应变化。

"There's a lot of things to be nervous about, and that's been true through my entire career. This is just what is in front of us today," Hoppstock said.

霍普斯托克说：“有很多事情会让人感到紧张，在我的整个职业生涯中都是如此。而眼前的挑战不过是当下需要面对的现实而已。”

Cannady said leaders should stay knowledgeable about proposed policy changes but that their work should center on students, families and staff. "You focus on what is under your control, and then remind your staff at all times, we have to look at what we are able to impact. We have to keep the main thing the main thing, and that is serving our students and our families."

坎纳迪指出，领导者应当持续了解拟议中的政策变化，但工作核心必须围绕学生、家庭和员工。“你要专注于自己能够掌控的事，还要随时提醒员工：我们必须清楚自己能够影响什么。我们要始终将核心事务放在首位——那就是为学生和他们的家庭服务。”

She also advised leaders to keep in mind that not everyone shares their same philosophies. "People can be respectful of that — that while we might not agree on everything, that's OK. We can disagree, and that's the basis of democracy."

她还建议领导者牢记，并非所有人都秉持相同的理念。“人们可以尊重这一点——虽然我们可能并非在所有事情上都意见一致，但这无妨。我们可以有不同意见，而这正是民主的基础。”

Balance work, life and self-care

平衡工作、生活和自我关怀

Kindel Mason, director of support services for Twin Falls School District in Idaho, said education administration roles can be stressful, and people can burn out if they don't take care of themselves.

爱达荷州双瀑学区支持服务主任金德尔·梅森（Kindel Mason）表示，教育管理岗位压力较大，若不注重自我关怀，很容易让人累垮。

Cannady echoed Mason's message about the importance of self-care.

坎纳迪呼应了梅森关于自我关怀重要性的观点。

"You don't go into this profession because you're self-centered, right?" Cannady said. "We are all helpers. We're servants. And so the person that we tend to not take such good care of is ourselves, because we're so busy taking care of everyone else. You have to be mindful of that."

坎纳迪说：“选择投身这个职业的人，本就不是以自我为中心的，对吧？我们都是帮助者，是服务者。正因如此，我们往往不太会照顾自己——因为我们太忙于照顾别人了。你必须留意这一点。”

She recommends making time to connect with friends, family and other professionals and to not abandon favorite hobbies. "There's a weekend for a reason, and you need to take time and do not feel guilty about it," Cannady said.

她建议抽时间与朋友、家人及其他专业人士交流，不要放弃自己喜爱的爱好。“周末存在是有原因的，你需要给自己留出时间，并且不必为此感到内疚，”她说。

Kauffmann said she has a goal of going out to lunch twice a week to socialize with people. She also tries to leave early from the office or come in late once a month. "I try to be very mindful of how I utilize my time so I'm not working 14 hours every day," Kauffmann said.

考夫曼表示，她给自己设定了每周出去吃两次午餐的目标，以便与他人社交。她还尝试每月一次提前下班或推迟上班。“我努力有意识地规划时间，避免每天工作14个小时，”考夫曼说。

Hoppstock said part of managing his time is about setting expectations for messages. He and his co-workers agreed that there would be no texts after 8 p.m. or before 6 a.m.

霍普斯托克表示，管理时间的一部分在于设定消息回复的预期。他和同事约定，晚上8点后至早上6点前不互发短信。

"Make some agreements with the staff that you supervise how communication will work," he said.

他说：“与你所管理的员工就沟通方式达成一些约定。”