Karl E. Perry is the principal of Renaissance Academy and has decided to teach a class for the 2009-2010 school year while serving as the principal. Practically unheard of in the public schools.
Broad in stature and smooth in gait, Karl confidently glides into a weeklong graduate class for teachers of Advanced Placement courses. What I observed was a humble man who was there to blend as a teacher, to learn as a teacher. He exudes confidence but not the type of confidence in self, although that is not lacking. If you check his school’s website, you will not see his picture anywhere or his impressive credentials, but there is a picture of his students—undoubtedly his most impressive credentials. Contrast this with the typical principal who has her or his name and face plastered on everything, in the vein of teenagers whose first tattoo is of their own name. .jpg)
While Karl E. Perry is low key about himself, Renaissance Academy boasts a college acceptance rate last year of 92% he shared. In his school, graduation is not an option. Going to college is not an option either, apparently. And to help that along, he is expanding the Advanced Placement program in his school while stepping back into the role of teacher.
So, I felt compelled to sit down with a man who had and will undoubtedly retain street credibility to his teachers and all educators who comprehend what he is undertaking. We spoke on the beautiful campus of Goucher College to discuss why he, a principal, would choose to take on the added responsibility of teaching while still a principal. I will offer no post-interview commentary. Mr. Perry will have the last word.
What follows is our interview:
TS: How long have you been a principal, how long did you teach, and what subject did you teach?
Karl: I have been a principal for nine and a half years. I’ve been in the school system for seventeen years, and I was a classroom teacher for four years. I was a special educator. I was, uh, a kindergarten cop (laugh). When I first began, I taught primary. I taught in an intensity five school, and I just fell in love with it. It was the greatest experience I’ve ever had in my life.
TS: Why did you leave the classroom?
Karl: Because I found out that I could positively impact upon the lives of more children as an administrator. I noticed that when I was teaching at a middle school, that children would come pass my classroom, and I could influence them to do the right thing because we were on a section of the building where administration didn’t come down, and we can just talk to them and they would listen to us, and they would follow directions. It was to the point where I could leave my classroom door open—and I did a lot of music therapy, and I had my radio playing all day long, my CDs playing all day long—and noone ever came in to bother my classroom or anything like that. If people were put out of different classes, they would come down and become engaged in some of the activities that we were doing.
TS: So, you have decided to go back to the classroom, while serving as principal. Explain what went into your mind while making that decision.
Karl: We received an AP [Advanced Placement] expansion grant from the Gate’s Foundation, and we were looking at some of the classes that we wanted to expand. We originally offered chemistry, and we wanted to offer English, Government and a third additional class. The only options were Art or Calculus. We didn’t know that we were ready to offer Calculus, so I suggested, well, I was a Psychology Major—we will offer Psychology. I look forward to it because it gives me the opportunity to go back into the classroom and practice what I preach. I can’t say, “This his how you differentiate” unless I establish a model classroom so that everyone could come and see it. I also can’t say that, “You just don’t put a child out of your class if you do not reach out to him or her and meet their needs, not only educationally, but also socially as well.” You have to find out what’s going on with the child, know the child.
At this point, Karl recalls some naysaying, as if the conversation happened today.
Karl: Some people have said certain things, like “You won’t have problems because you are the principal.” I don’t feel as though I will have problems because I am going to instruct the children, meet them at their needs and bring them up—true differentiation. You know, being a special educator, I feel very comfortable in that.
TS: Do you think you’ll ever evoke your title as a principal to calm students down or to get them to focus at all?
Karl: I don’t even raise my voice as a principal.
TS: You don’t?
Karl: No, no need to. It’s amazing because the children notice that, and they’ll say, “Well, you know what: we can’t even stay mad because you will just come and talk to us. You’ll put your hand on our shoulders or something like that.” I don’t fuss . . . because that upsets me, so why fuss? A child will do what you allow a child to do, and they will raise their level to your expectations.
TS: So, will you recuse yourself from the disciplinary process, and let someone else handle it? Let’s say Johnny acts up in your class, will you say, “I’m going to give that to the assistant principal to deal with or someone else”?
Karl: I’m comfortable enough with my scholars to know that if Johnny is misbehaving, there is a reason, and it’s not because of anything I’ve done wrong. So, I am going to address Johnny’s needs inside the classroom because there’s no reason for me to put Johny out.
He takes it a bit further, getting to the heart of the concern of teachers.
Karl: I want some of the more challenging children. Not just the cream of the crop, but the more challenging children to take my AP Psych class so that I can demonstrate that they can be successful in a college level course and demonstrate to the staff that all of our children can be successful no matter where they are coming from, no matter what previous behaviors they may have demonstrated.
TS: Do you have any fears going back into the classroom or any thoughts like, “Oh my goodness; I hope this works”? Do you have any of those type of apprehensions?
Karl: No. No fears, no hesitations whatsoever. Logistics are my only concern. Part of me wants to stay near the main office so that I can operate the main office as well. I’m going to take my laptop, hook it up to the system so that if anything is pressing it could come through. Or, they could always reach me on my BlackBerry. And part of me wants to take the class away from the main office so that I can be more visible at that time. I want my staff to come in anytime they want to and have a seat and even get engaged and find out what is going on in the classroom. When I first became a principal, I remember the former CEO said to me, “What if you fail?” And I said, well I can’t fail because if I fail, I fail the child, and I can’t fail.
TS: Well, I’d like to end on that note because that was a strong note, but any final words or any encouragement you want to give to any principals out there who are really kind of wedded to the typical stereotype of a principal that stays in his or her office. . . . Any words of encouragement about this decision you are making about going back into the classroom? Or, do you think it’s too early, and you’d like to wait for a year?
Karl: I would just say, “Always remain an instructional leader.” And, I’ve always coined the phrase, “I am an educator for life.” So, if you are a true instructional leader and you have the experience and confidence in yourself, go for it. It’s going to take double work, but that’s what we do. That’s what we do.
Comments