You Are Worth My Time 

Mrs. Chana Kashi

Many years ago, when I was a young, naive teacher in my first year of teaching at Magen David Yeshivah in Brooklyn, NY, I felt I had found my calling. I loved teaching the wide-eyed students about the human body. I got a thrill every time the students completed a long-division problem accurately. I relished the authority to lead my own class. Still in education, it is that sense of calling that keeps me here.  

Looking back, I wonder: Was I lucky to make it in the teaching world? What happened to all my friends who were in college with me and were also pursuing their dreams in education? Did they end up teaching for years, getting their master’s, advancing their careers in education? The answer is no. Many of them didn’t end up staying in education. Some found higher-paying jobs with less work. Others couldn’t deal with the stress of the classroom. So why was I so lucky to continue teaching year after year?  

It was my first principal, Mrs. Arielle Jolovitz. She was the one who believed in me, coached me, told me the truth, the way it was, and had unlimited time for me. I sensed that the new first-year teacher—yours truly—was her top priority. She taught me to understand the curriculum, how to read a “read-aloud” book, how to dress appropriately for parent-teacher conferences, and prepped me with answers to any questions that might come my way. Looking back, it was her support in those early days that is the reason I stayed in teaching and built my confidence as an educator. 

For so many young teachers leaving school after a year or two for other fields, I believe the primary reason behind their departure is that they weren’t supported enough. Now, as an elementary school principal myself, the one task I do not delegate is new teacher support and training. School leaders have so much on their plates, and many need to learn to delegate more. But to ensure teacher continuity, investing in teachers who will stay in the long run, leaders should not delegate teacher relationships.  

There is a saying: “Everyone and everything can be replaced, except being a wife and a mom.” These are jobs that no one else can do. To this, I would add: No one can invest in and build connections with teachers better than you, the principal/school leader. In the five important areas I will explain below, the job of the principal is to train, supervise, and support teachers.  

Curriculum 

Making sure teachers are prepared for the classroom they are teaching is key. They should know what is expected of them, be given the resources necessary to prepare, and be provided with subscriptions to supplemental materials and past years’ student work. It is the principal’s responsibility to make sure it gets done. Department chairs may be able to help with this, but, ultimately, the school leader is the glue that holds everything together.  

Modeling 

In my first year as a teacher, the principal, Mrs. Jolovitz, came into my classroom to do a “read-aloud.” I thought I already knew how to read a book (!), but she asked me what time worked for me, then came into my classroom and modeled a book walk. She showed the cover to the students, focused on the vocabulary words the author used, and even worked with them on some graphic organizers. She showed me how to make a hook for my lesson and then weave the learning objectives in.  

The whole lesson was actually for me, but she did it in the kindest way possible. I was in the room as the teacher, but at that moment, I was also the student. I learned more from this than I learned in any of my college courses. I sometimes imagine how things would have turned out for me had she been too busy doing other very important tasks that school principals do. Taking the time to model for the struggling or new teachers is game-changing. Besides teaching them how to do specific things, it builds confidence and gives the message: “I’ve got your back.” “You are worth my time.” 

Observation and Feedback 

Scheduling quick five-minute pop-ins to the classroom is beneficial for everyone involved. The principals get to know their students, and teachers have concrete feedback about their lessons and classroom management. It’s not just an opportunity for criticism; I see it as a way to build up the teachers in their students’ eyes. “Wow, you are so lucky to have this teacher; what a great science experiment that is!”  

One day, I popped into a middle school classroom, and I saw a full jar of homemade cookies on the desk. When I asked what the cookies were for, the teacher said, “Today is ELA testing, and I bake for my students on test day!” Wow! The teacher isn’t the type to share all the extra things she does for her students, so I wouldn’t have known about the test-day cookies. I observed that the cookies made the students less anxious during the test. Plus, the cookies looked delicious!  

Becoming a familiar figure in the classroom helps build rapport with students, but, more importantly, with teachers. It provides an opening for safe conversations about what they might need help with, what they are struggling with, what they need more support with, or what their strengths are. 

In-Person Meetings 

Don’t underestimate the power of your smile, warmth, and people-personality that led you to become a school leader. Sure, you can send out emails and WhatsApps (if that is part of your school culture), but having set weekly or even monthly meetings is so important for cultivating relationships with teachers on your team. It allows you to get to know them personally and learn about their families and what they are going through.  

One of my star teachers told me one year that she wouldn’t be coming back the following year. My mind started racing as I panicked. “What?! I had invested so much in her. I supported her. She seemed to be so happy in the classroom…” Then I asked her why she would be leaving. She told me that her daughters were starting at a new school that ended 45 minutes before ours, and she wanted to be home for them when they got home. She is a real professional, so she didn’t think it would be appropriate to ask for permission to miss the last period every day and instead decided to leave our school.  

The problem-solving part of my brain kicked in, and I asked her to reconsider. I suggested that we could move “specials,” like art, STEM, and music, to the last period.  She said yes!  

This kind of solution can only work if teachers are comfortable having open conversations with the principal. When you think about it, we always speak about differentiating for students. Shouldn’t we differentiate for our teachers too? Since we were able to work it out together, she is still teaching today (and her kids’ schedules eventually went back to sync with hers!). 

Creating a Culture of Sharing  

Teachers are the best coaches for each other. So often, the materials they create for their classes are excellent and can provide tremendous value to everyone in the school community. By creating a culture of sharing, we set everyone up for success. As a new teacher, I sensed a culture of sharing and began printing a few extra copies of the worksheets I created to share with my fellow teachers in parallel classes. There was no sense of competition. It felt like we were a family, all in it together. I was applauded by my principal, and eventually everyone came around and began to do this. It became cool to share. It is old-fashioned to keep things only for your class or yourself. Principals are in a position tofacilitate this kind of sharing and create this culture by praising such behavior among colleagues.  

A few months ago, as I was reflecting upon my leadership journey, I tracked down the phone number of Mrs. Jolovitz’s son, who helped me get in touch with her. “You changed my life!” I told her. And in her gracious, hallmark personality, she responded, “No, Chana, it was all you.”  Still, after all these years, she gave me the respect and self-worth that she had planted years ago. And that’s our power as school leaders: to support our students, our communities, and, definitely, our teachers who are on the frontline. Principals wear many hats, but their favorite hat should say, “I’ve got your back!” 

Chana Kashi is the principal of Magen Israel Elementary School in Great Neck, NY. For over 20 years, she has been educating young students in an atmosphere of warmth and care, infusing in them an excitement and joy for learning. As principal, Mrs. Kashi’s approach to children’s education is to maximize every opportunity of the day to teach the children in a positive, loving way, while building close relationships with the students and parents alike. She also has a passion for teaching principals and helping them evolve in their roles as school leaders for the next generation. She can be reached at ChanaK@MagenIsraelCenter.com 

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