I never wanted to become an administrator, but I know many other teachers want to and even more aren’t sure.
Today’s post begins a series exploring this issue.
Impacting ‘School Culture’
Erica Buchanan-Rivera is an assistant professor in the Department of Leadership, Language, and Curriculum at DePaul University’s College of Education. She has served as an early-childhood teacher, an award-winning principal, director of curriculum, and a chief equity officer:
When I considered the switch from being a kindergarten teacher to an administrator, I thought about the impact I wanted to have on a school’s culture. As a teacher, I prioritized relationships with students, often conducting home visits and partnering with families to ensure academic success. I engaged students in inquiry-based learning opportunities that were a catalyst for growth as evidenced by data. There were initiatives and partnerships that I established in my classroom that I knew could benefit the larger school community.
Superintendents who recognized my efforts and nudged me into school leadership often encouraged me to document my impact on students and what was working in my practice. Additionally, supervising administrators challenged me to consider how I could scale my practices into specific action steps or a road map to transform instructional systems.
Therefore, I think it is critical for teachers to consider the practices and scholarship that informs their personal leadership playbook, prior to making the leap into administration. We should also consider our power and how it can be used to improve educational outcomes for all students.
My personal school experiences also prompted me to think about leadership. I considered the leader I wanted to be for students, specifically thinking about the leadership I needed to see as a child. Despite inclusive mission statements, my experiences as a Black student with mostly white school staff often showed a disconnect between stated values and actual practice. I was exposed to racial biases through the language of adults, and curricular content rarely centered my cultural experiences.
Since teachers and leaders were not equipped to have conversations about race or identity, the harm I experienced was continually dismissed rather than atoned. The injustices in schools compelled me to reflect on leadership and the educational rights of children. With power and a lens for justice, I viewed the principalship as a means to build a professional culture that is responsive to the identities, histories, and needs of all children. The transition into administration can be influence by personal experiences and our imagination of what schools could be.
As an administrator, I knew I would have the ability to shape professional learning experiences that centered the humanity of students. I valued the idea of coaching and supporting educators to improve student engagement, connections, and belonging. Students learn best in classroom conditions where they feel safe to be their authentic selves.
The shift into administration meant that I could help teachers build a lens of criticality, empowering them to consider their positionality, ideologies, and how they show up for students. Through the principalship, we can set the tone for teaching and learning and develop accountability systems to ensure practices take root in a school culture.
There are many other reasons why teachers should pursue educational leadership from the work of stewarding a vision to fostering intercultural engagement. Yet, the most important consideration is the mirror work that is needed to understand the construction of our leadership identity.
We need to consider the experiences or individuals who have shaped our understandings of leadership. We need to recognize the beliefs that drive our decisionmaking and actions. We need to identify biases that may hinder our ability to serve and connect with others. Our “why” for going into educational leadership is meaningless if we lead with harmful ideologies and refuse to honor the full humanity of those we serve. If you believe that certain children or communities and their cultural ways of being have no place in schools, the principalship is not for you.
During my tenure as a principal, I fostered introspective work among teachers that challenged them to look at their practices and the systems we were creating as a collective. The commitment to reflective practices generated a high-performing, award-winning school. Do not underestimate the power of mirror work. The work of changing educational systems is not solely about technical solutions but is rather about the beliefs we bring into our leadership. We need to commit to ongoing self-reflections prior to becoming an administrator and throughout our leadership journey.
‘For Solution-Oriented Doers’
Rose Hill is a middle school reading and language arts teacher with 10 years of classroom experience. She is also an “eduinfluencer” on social media under the name @PearlsOfPedagogy, where she shares no-nonsense teaching wisdom for educators and practical tips for parents.:
Not every teacher should be an administrator. Let’s just start there. If you’re happy in the classroom, and that’s where your gifts shine, stay there—we need excellent teachers who stay teachers. But if you’re the type who sees problems and immediately starts working on solutions—not just complaining—administration might be worth considering.
Solutions + Action = Leadership
Early in my career, I noticed some colleagues were “idea people.” They could name every issue in the district but weren’t willing to roll up their sleeves to fix them. Administration isn’t for idea people alone—it’s for solution-oriented doers. If you’re the kind of teacher who not only identifies a challenge but also drafts an action plan, rallies support, and collaborates with others to make it happen, that’s leadership DNA. Schools need more of that at the decisionmaking table.
Bring a Board of Directors With You
I didn’t discover my passion for teaching until later in life. After a decade in corporate America, I transitioned into education and fell in love with it. One thing corporate culture did well was mentoring and building intentional networks. That’s where the concept of a “board of directors” comes in.
Every teacher who’s considering leadership should be intentional about surrounding themselves with people who are wiser, more experienced, and invested in their growth. This isn’t just about having a supportive family—it’s about building a team of mentors, colleagues, and role models who can guide you through the challenges of leadership. Because here’s the truth: You can have the drive, the ideas, and the work ethic, but if you don’t have wise counsel to steady you, burnout will find you fast.
Leadership Requires Balance
The hardest part of administration isn’t the meetings, the paperwork, or the evaluations—it’s carrying the weight of decisions that affect hundreds of kids, families, and staff members. Teachers who want to move up have to ask themselves: “Am I ready to put others first, even when it’s not popular? Am I willing to make decisions that serve the greater good, not just the loudest voices?”
If the answer is yes, administration may be your next step. But it requires humility and balance. You’ll need to remember where you came from—the classroom—and still be willing to listen to teachers in the trenches. If you lose that connection, you lose credibility.
It’s About Impact, Not Power
Too often, people assume administrators are chasing titles or paychecks. The truth? If that’s your only motivation, you won’t last. The best administrators are impact-driven. They step into the role because they know their leadership can create change on a broader scale—whether that’s building stronger teacher-support systems, pushing for equitable resources, or reshaping school culture to better serve kids.
The Bottom Line
Teachers should consider becoming administrators if they have three things:
- A solutions-first mindset paired with a willingness to act.
- A strong, intentional board of directors to lean on.
- A passion for impact that outweighs a hunger for position.
Leadership in education isn’t easy. But when the right teachers step up, it shifts everything—classrooms, schools, even entire communities.
So if you’ve got the heart for kids, the drive to solve problems, and the wisdom to surround yourself with support—don’t dismiss the call to lead. Schools need you at the table.
‘Your Voice Is Needed’
Rachel Edoho-Eket, Ed.D., is the author of The Principal’s Journey: Navigating the Path to School Leadership. She has served for 20 years in education as a highly regarded teacher and leader and currently serves as the principal of a National Blue Ribbon school in Maryland. She is also president-elect of the Maryland Association of Elementary School Principals:
I still remember the moment a teacher pulled me aside and said, “This is the first time in years I’ve felt excited to come to work.” It wasn’t because of a new curriculum or initiative, it was because of the culture our teachers and staff were building together at our school.
That conversation reminded me why I transitioned from teaching into school leadership: to make a broader impact, to help create conditions where great teaching can thrive, and to support educators so they always remember the joy that brought them into this work in the first place.
For those who’ve spent years in the classroom, the leap to administration might feel like a departure from the work you love most, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, I believe that teachers make some of the most effective and compassionate school leaders because they’ve lived the daily realities of the classroom. They know the magic that happens when students are engaged, supported, and challenged and they know what it feels like to juggle lesson planning, grading, parent communication, and student crises, sometimes all before noon.
Skilled teachers bring a wealth of experience, empathy, and instructional expertise to school leadership. That lived experience matters the most. When a principal has walked in a teacher’s shoes, their decisions carry a different kind of weight. They understand that instructional leadership isn’t only about increasing test scores, it’s about creating an excellent learning environment where teachers feel valued, where students feel seen, and where families feel connected to their school community.
Making the transition into administration also opens up many new opportunities to mentor others and influence systems that impact student outcomes. As a principal, I get to help teachers grow, develop teams that work collaboratively, and build structures that prioritize both well being and academic success. While I still miss the days of my daily teacher life, I’ve found a different kind of fulfillment in helping others succeed and in knowing that our shared leadership helps to multiply the great things happening in every corner of our school.
But let’s be honest: Leadership isn’t easy. It comes with tough decisions, many hours, and the pressing weight of responsibility. That’s why mentorship matters so much. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the people who believed in me, challenged me, and walked beside me when I doubted myself. One of the most powerful things we can do as school leaders is talent-spot teachers and tap them on the shoulder, saying, “You have what it takes to be a school leader.” Sometimes, that nudge is all it takes to spark a new chapter in someone’s career, just like it did in mine.
To any teacher considering the transition into leadership: Your voice is needed. Your perspective is powerful and your experience is exactly what our schools need to thrive, now more than ever. You don’t have to have it all figured out on day one. You just need a willingness to learn, a passion for people, and the courage to keep growing as a leader.
Leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about creating the conditions for others to shine, and since you’re already doing that in your classroom, you’re well on your way!
‘Many Upsides’
Sarah Cooper teaches 8th grade U.S. history and civics and is the associate head of school at Flintridge Preparatory in La Canada, Calif. She is the author of two books, Creating Citizens: Teaching Civics and Current Events in the History Classroom (Routledge) and Making History Mine (Stenhouse):
Full disclosure: I’ve been an academic administrator for 15 years, but I still get to teach two sections of 8th U.S. history and civics. I realize that this balance is not possible for many administrators, especially in public schools, and I wouldn’t do administration if I couldn’t teach in some way. Being in the classroom fuels me and also keeps me honest, because I’m dealing with the same report card deadlines and squirrely behaviors as everyone else.
On its own, serving as an administrator still has many upsides, on the days you don’t feel stuck in the permafreeze of constant and insufficient triage. Here are some reasons that keep me coming back each day:
- I can take things off teachers’ plates to make it easier for them to do their job. Difficult parent or student conversation? We’ll sit in the room with you or even take it for you. We’ve got your back.
- I can provide a mirror to the impact teachers are having on students. Observing transformative teaching is one of the best parts of the job and gives me incredible energy I can reflect back.
- I can dream big for curricular programs and visions that affect students far beyond the walls of my own classroom.
- I’ve learned how to problem-solve in ways I had not imagined, gaining wisdom and calm that can help my colleagues and students. Before becoming an administrator (sort of like before becoming a parent), I had the misguided idea that there was more of a rule book to fixing issues. The reality is that you learn most of these skills on the job because they’re human skills, and you get better with practice and generous mentoring (which I’ve been grateful for from so many people). You’re also able to pay it forward by mentoring emerging leaders.
- Being an administrator has reminded me that we never achieve great things alone. Without collaborating with my administrative and teaching colleagues, I would be talking to myself a lot more and getting a lot less done.
Finally, I remember when first becoming a teacher that I was strangely glad, as a recovering perfectionist, that I would never feel like I’d had a perfect day, let alone an ideal class period. Doing administration multiplies this feeling of happy inadequacy because there are so many variables. If there were a clear-cut answer, the problem probably would not have landed with you, and so you’re making decisions through omnipresent shades of gray.
But this very ambiguity is what makes the job interesting. There’s rarely a perfect answer. There’s generally another try tomorrow. Amid it all, we’re human beings, muddling through the best we can, in this important work of creating communities where our students and teachers can become the people they’re meant to be.
Thanks to Erica, Rose, Rachel, and Sarah for contributing their thoughts.
Responses today answered this question:
Why should a teacher consider becoming an administrator —if you think they should consider making the switch?
Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at lferlazzo@epe.org. When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind.
You can also contact me on X at @Larryferlazzo or on Bluesky at @larryferlazzo.bsky.social
Just a reminder; you can subscribe and receive updates from this blog via email. And if you missed any of the highlights from the first 13 years of this blog, you can see a categorized list here.
