Experience isn't just about what you bring to the table as the leader. It's about what you learn when you're there.
Lately, I have been thinking a great deal about my first few years as an administrator. It seems so long ago, although it has only been seven years. The truth is that I never wanted to be a school principal. As a public school educator, I wanted to be in the classroom with students. They have long referred to it as "in the trenches."
Principals were the ones who sat in their offices and dealt with parents. They disciplined students. They wore suits and had to attend administration meetings. It almost seemed as though they always had to see the worst part of people during the day. Whether it was upset teachers, angry parents, or misbehaved students. I wanted more out of my day.
In my pre-teaching classes, I learned that teachers should never send their students to the principal because it was a sign that the teacher lacked classroom management. I had many preconceived notions in my head when it came to school leaders, and felt as though I lacked the skill-set to run a building. School leaders