Classroom Management & Discipline Discipline Virtual Learning
Tina Miller has been in education for 21 years—including the last five years as principal of Howe Elementary in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin—and was recently named the 2021 Wisconsin Elementary School Principal of the Year by the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators. Center for Responsive Schools spoke with Principal Miller about the ongoing challenges school leaders face, what she has learned from them, and how she applies that learning to create a thriving school community.
One key strategy Miller uses to build a strong staff culture is creating adult guidelines at the start of every school year. She holds an annual all-staff gathering in which everyone comes together to discuss and ultimately agree on the guidelines. As Miller explains, “Being proactive at the start of the year with adult guidelines sets us up for when the tough times happen.”
This collaborative process builds teacher investment in the expectations, making it easier to address concerns directly and constructively when they arise. That way, when a teacher comes to her with an issue regarding a colleague, Miller can respond, “Have you talked to that person yet? Is this something you’re sharing with me because you want coaching as to what to say? And then, after you’ve done that, if it continues to be a problem, I absolutely can step in.”
Miller looks for other opportunities to create a school culture in which everyone “leans in to open and honest communication” by employing Responsive Classroom practices at staff meetings. One of her go-to strategies at the end of meetings is the exit ticket. The payoff for her is that “I appreciate knowing what they’re thinking, and I want to give them opportunities to share and just be honest with me.”
Another Responsive Classroom practice Miller turns to often is circle charts, found in Energize Your Meetings. For example, staff members might brainstorm ideas on a particular topic—such as how to make recess run more smoothly—and then sort the ideas into categories such as teacher responsibilities, student practices, and written guidelines. This process ensures that everyone’s voice is heard and that solutions are practical and actionable.
Of the many changes and innovations Miller and her staff have implemented during her time at Howe Elementary, some have been so effective that they’ve become permanent parts of the school’s culture. For instance, Miller records videos a few days before staff meetings where she shares the important details that would otherwise be opening announcements. Sending these videos out to the staff a few days ahead of the meeting means that the actual meeting becomes “a time to talk, ask questions, and pose ideas.” This idea was inspired by the understanding that “We know that learning floats on the sea of talk. So, how do I facilitate those opportunities for educators to really talk together when they’re so busy during the day they can barely say hi in the hallways?”
Similarly, Howe Elementary began staggering their lunch periods so fewer students are in the cafeteria at one time. The calmer environment allows students to find more success in the lunchroom. Extending the lunch period requires an increased budget for lunchtime staff (Miller calls them lunch teachers because she wants to “ensure that everybody is seen as a teacher” and “lunch teachers are showing us how to be appropriate in the lunchroom”), but Miller believes it is worth the investment, as every adult in the building plays a role in teaching and modeling appropriate behavior.
For Miller and her staff, these practices are part of an ongoing effort to strengthen relationships, build community, and ensure that both students and educators have the space, support, and time they need to thrive.