5345 Human Resource Management Reflection

In this course I learned so much about probationary teaching, chronology of events by supervisors, and consensus building. You must document the removal of a probationary teacher. It is vital for an administrator to have documentation when removing any teacher due to the appeals process. “While the Texas Commissioner of Education declines to hear appeals from probationary contract employees whose contracts are terminated at the end of the year, the employee can  always file a grievance with the district or contract the EEOC or the TCHR to contest the action as illegally motivated” (Kemerer & Crain p.13). If the probationary teacher contests their removal the district will fall back on the documentation of the principal. The documentation will be very important even though the burden of proof will fall on the employee.

“Chronology of events assembled by a teacher’s supervisor should have been excluded from a nonrenewal hearing if hearsay” (p.2). Even though, the chronology of event are very important in any hearing it is the events that are what is most important. All evidence that is presented at hearing must be supported by documentation.

There were several key points in this week’s reading Consensus building: A key to school transformation, which is important in principal ship. “Consensus-based decision making can turn faculty meetings into meaningful and productive work sessions in which faculty members know that their input is respected and valued and important decisions are made” (Baron, p.56). The faculty members all take part in campus decision making, they must agree to disagree. Faculty members are allowed to ask questions and are given feedback. They listen carefully to explanations of the issues being discussed. If group consensus can’t be reached then the 80% rule is in effect: 80% of the faculty must be in agreement. So it may not be your way all the time but you agree to go along with the majority (80%). “Consensus-based decision making thrives when every decision that a school makes is viewed through the lens of shared beliefs and the vision and mission of the school” (p.57). Faculty members must be able to live with whatever decisions are made and support their colleagues. But if staff members can’t support consensus they are asked to come to the next meeting so that perhaps issues can be resolved.

References:

Baron, D. (2008). Consensus building: A key to school transformation. National Association of Secondary

       School Principals: NASSP Principal Leadership, 8(6), 56-58.

Kemerer, F., & Crain, J. (2012). Texas Documentation Handbook: Appraisal, Nonrenewal,  

      Termination. Austin, TX: Texas School Administrators’ Legal Digest.