What Are My Duties & Responsibilities to My Administrator?

Nick Uwarow, Ed.D.

Today in many circles, comments such as the following are often heard: "Well, he is management and he does not understand those of us in the trenches." "He doesn’t really know what goes on here." "I just work here; I don’t make any decisions." "The only time we hear from him is when we’ve done something wrong." The administrator can, of course, address and prevent some of the aforementioned problems or perceptions. The administrator, in order to be effective, must be a caring, knowledgeable, decisive, and able leader who knows what goes on in his school and to a great extent influences the direction, activities, and attitudes of his institution.

Putting aside the administrator’s responsibilities, however, let us focus instead on the responsibilities and duties of the teachers. What should teachers do to enjoy a harmonious, effective, Bible-based relationship with their administrator? How does each member of "the body" contribute its fullest so that "the body" profits (I Cor. 12)? What is my role as a part of "this body"? What can I do to strengthen "the body"? What can I do to encourage the administrator? What behaviors and attitudes should I abandon or correct?

Submission

As a Christian teacher, I need to be submissive to the administrator whom God, through the wisdom and work of a pastor and/or school board, has placed in that position. Regardless of my personal or professional opinion of the administrator, I must remember that he is in a position of authority over me. In most cases, he is ultimately responsible for the success and/or failure of the school. The "buck stops" at his office. The scope of his responsibilities is considerably broader than mine; consequently, he is often called upon to make decisions that are influenced by multiple factors, many of which I am not aware. He must examine the bigger picture, not just the small part that may affect me or my problem. When he makes a decision, he makes it with the entire ministry in mind. That he is human and capable of making poor decisions is undeniable; nonetheless, he is the one who has been appointed to that position and is thus accountable to his authority, to the parents whom he serves, and ultimately to God. The Scriptures command me to submit to my master, not only when he is kind and considerate, but also when he is "froward."

My submission is apparent to the students, parents, colleagues, and the administrator. As a teacher, I well know that a great amount of my teaching is done by the positive or negative example that I set–my academic preparation, my "with-it-ness," my submission, etc. Many a teacher has totally negated well-planned and effectively delivered lessons on submission to authority by his/her failure to exhibit an attitude of submission. Students notice everything a teacher does. A teacher who, for example, on the weekend is seen at the mall wearing attire which is clearly prohibited for students to wear off campus is sending a clear message to his students: "I don’t need to submit," or "I don’t agree; therefore, I’ll wear what I want to wear." At other times, lack of submission may be expressed in the classroom without uttering a single word. An announcement is made over the intercom, or a policy is questioned by a student, and the look in my eyes or the tone of my voice reveals to the student my disagreement with the action or policy. Teachers are professionals and are endowed with the ability to think, to analyze, to be creative, and to form opinions; and there will be times when disagreement and divergent opinions will result. There is a proper time and place to share those with the administrator. In front of impressionable young students is not one of them.

Lack of submission may be seen as well in my contact with parents who may question the value, reasonableness, or equal enforcement of a policy or practice. My silence or evasive comments often communicate to them that I am in disagreement with the policy and that I merely tolerate it. I may indeed disagree with the policy, but if I work for the school, I must help enforce that policy. There are legitimate means to change a policy. If changes cannot be effected and I continue to have difficulty working under such policy, the best course of action is for me to resign. It is counterproductive and ultimately destructive for me to continue receiving a salary from an administrator of whom I am greatly critical and to whom I am unwilling to submit. It is also dishonest and unchristian. In most cases, however, severing ties should be reserved for matters involving scriptural or deeply held philosophical convictions, not for mere differences of opinion regarding procedures or policies.

Loyalty

Besides submission, I owe my administrator loyalty. Yes, generally that loyalty is "earned" by the administrator–by his attitude and actions. While that is true to a certain extent, it still is my duty to be loyal. One cannot think of loyalty without thinking of David’s men risking their lives to secure for him water from the well at Bethlehem (II Samuel 23:15-17). His mere mention of desiring water from that well caused his men to risk their very lives to provide for their leader’s wish. In many circles today, loyalty is a rare commodity. It should not be so in a Christian organization. If I am loyal to my administrator, I will not gossip behind his back, nor will I allow others to do so–be they colleagues, students, parents, or others in the church or the community. I am an integral part of the team, and I will exhibit loyalty to my superior. If a problem regarding my administrator needs to be addressed, I need to follow the principles laid out by Christ in Matthew 18 and enjoin others to do the same.

Faithfulness

My relationship with my administrator is greatly enhanced when I exhibit faithfulness. The Scriptures command me as a steward "to be found faithful" (I Cor. 4:2). What a help and encouragement I would be to my administrator if I were faithful in the major responsibilities, as well as in the small, seemingly insignificant ones. I demonstrate my faithfulness to my major responsibilities by being thoroughly prepared for my classes, by teaching them enthusiastically and effectively, and by employing both preventive and corrective discipline measures. A danger I must guard against is the subtle complacency that seems to set in after a person has taught for a number of years. I know the material. My quizzes, tests, handouts, and appropriate jokes and illustrations are in place. I don’t need to prepare.

How about the little things? The various reports that are due. The information that the administrator wants in his office by 3 p.m. today. Yes, he asked for it at noon, but he needs it so that he can be better informed for the 4 p.m. conference he has scheduled with a parent. I can show my faithfulness to him by the promptness and thoroughness of the report. I can likewise show my lack of faithfulness by submitting the report late or at the last minute and done in a hastily and thoughtlessly prepared fashion.

Communication

Most organizations experience difficulties in communication. Employers and employees attend various seminars and conferences where they are taught how to be better communicators. I, as a teacher, need to communicate with my administrator. He, of course, paves the way for effective communication to occur. His statement regarding having an open-door policy must be practiced and not be mere lip service. I need to inform my administrator (or his appointee) of problems I am having with certain students, parents, equipment, etc. I need to keep him informed of potential problems in academics and discipline, as well as student failures, frustrations, blessings, etc. At the proper time when my opinion is asked, I should give it honestly and, if applicable, substantiated with hard facts. My input may be beneficial, or it may be totally disregarded. My duty is to give my opinion when asked. Whether or not it is implemented or considered is not my concern. I do not know all the factors the administrator must review/consider when making a decision. Without clear, consistent communication from me, however, he cannot correct things I may think need to be corrected. It is considerably more difficult to take needed action without adequate information.

In the Scriptures, God compares the Church to a body. The body has many members, and each has a specific function. The interdependence and interrelatedness of the parts illustrate how an organization can operate at its maximum potential when each part is willingly and effectively contributing its share. Though the part of the body for which I am responsible may seem small and insignificant, I must do that job faithfully and fervently, remembering that it is God Who, according to His wisdom and will, gives me the talents and opportunities in a way in which I can best utilize them for His honor and glory. I must do the best with my share so that the body as a whole prospers, caring not who receives the credit. Philippians 2 reminds us to "esteem others better than [ourselves] and to look not every man on his own things, but…also on the things of others." The same passage also admonishes us to have the mind of Christ, Who willingly and deliberately "took upon Him the form of a servant…and became obedient unto death."

What a testimony (and stark contrast with the institutions of the world) it would be if the teachers at our Christian schools were characterized by a Christlike relationship with their administrators. Submission, loyalty, faithfulness, and clear, consistent communication are but a few of the vital elements needed to ensure such a harmonious, team-building, and Christ-honoring relationship.

Reprinted from Balance, a publication of the School of Education, Bob Jones University. Used with permission of Bob Jones University. Please write BJU Press, for permission to reproduce this article.