I don't envy middlemen. They have the greatest opportunity in the world to be a game-changer. However, they have even more opportunity to get it wrong. They have two parties they have to please in any given transaction. Think about the last time you bought something from Amazon that was actually being sold by a third party. Amazon was just the middleman in that transaction. Generally speaking, though, they do a great job at it and so we keep going back to them. But what about that time when a friend "knew a guy" that could hook you up? How'd that go over? More than likely, you were disappointed.
But where was your disappointment directed? At the other guy who couldn't deliver? At yourself? Or did you press your friend to find out why they couldn't deliver?
We've all heard the statistics about teachers that leave the classroom within the first few years and one of the most common reasons given relates to a "lack of support" during their time of employment. It seems many schools and systems have interpreted "support" to mean "training" or "professional development." And so they give you extra workshops to attend, more books to read, and check in on you frequently to see how things are going. This is their version of support.
What if "support" actually meant "resource-sharing"? What if teachers really need ideas for what to do with what appear to be gremlins in their classrooms? Why does the gray-haired teacher down the hall seem to have it all together and here I am busting my butt but only spinning my wheels? Perhaps more importantly, what if "support" meant "consistency"?
Maybe what teachers (no matter their experience level) really need is for those around them to just be consistent. When there are rules in place, we are all going to follow and enforce them. Imagine the difference in your school's culture when there are no gray areas as far as expectations are concerned. Now extend this idea up the food chain.
Enter the middleman. They have to balance the expectations of their bosses with the teachers they are over. The tricky spot, of course, is when those expectations aren't aligned. Or the signals get crossed. Or when a failure to take responsibility turns into finger-pointing. In a worst-case scenario, the middleman exerts their authority to deflect their own incompetence onto their subordinates. Suddenly, the middleman's failure becomes the teacher's fault.
This is a problem. This is an abuse of power and the exact kind of scenario that results in teachers complaining about a "lack of support." Consistency is key.
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