respondin'

This is a response blog. In a previous post, I talked about some of the issues I am dealing with as I work towards my admin credential. Polski3 offered a comment, and instead of having my response follow in thread, I'm blogging it fresh.

My aspiration as I go through this process is to be the kind of administrator who works for the interests of the teachers and students. I've never been much of a political type, and kissing ass doesn't sit well with me. I've no aspirations for a superindendency, so I should be ok in that regard.
I truly believe that the right administrator can make a huge difference in a school, much the same way the wrong administrator can destroy morale and student success... Getting the admin credential doesn't have to mean selling your soul (I actually had an instructor in my credential progam describe it that way). It doesn't have to be an "US vs THEM" situation. Administrators can provide leadership without dominating, crushing creativity, or writing a script for every word spoken in the classroom.
The reality here for me, though, is that I'm looking for a key to open doors in the future. I don't see myself in the classroom 5 years from now. I already have a master's degree, so I'm as far over on the pay scale as I can get. I'm not doing this for the money. But if an opportunity arises, I want to have the papers necessary to try for it.
I think it's really unfortunate that so many teachers have had such negative experiences with their administrators that they have turned against the entire class of professionals. There are good administrators out there, and if more teachers were willing to become the type of administrator they want to work for,instead of just complaining about the one they have, the problem would go away.