Dr. Joe Griffin is a former high school Principal in Meridian, Mississippi. Alongside his duties at the high school, he also continued to teach as an Adjunct Professor of English at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
For the past two decades, he has been teaching English and leading schools to create and implement programs for the holistic growth of the staff members and students. By practicing instructional leadership, he is successful in advancing the professional development of employees which leads to improved student and overall school performance.
Prior to becoming a school administrator, Joe was as an English teacher for levels K-12 and a high school sports coach.
During that time, he trained athletes and helped prepare them for both life and competitions. At Coahoma County Junior/Senior High School, he guided them to win the state championships for the first time in school history.
Following his successes as a teacher and coach, he became a Lead Teacher and delivered the duties of an assistant principal. And shortly after holding this position, his career in leading schools began.
Joe Griffin Meridian went from one district to another, using his leadership skills to help schools improve the quality of education they offer. Throughout the years, he has focused on improving student test scores, training teachers, implementing discipline to reduce fights, and running after-school tutoring programs.
Among his greatest achievements are leading Heidelberg Junior High towards a 60-point growth in a span of three years and raising Moss Point High from a D to a B status.
As an educator and leader, it is very important to make sure that students and staff members have the necessary resources and opportunities they need in order to be successful.
Joe said, “I strongly believe that if we provide people with a chance to learn, they will be able to accomplish great things. They will also grow as professionals who are prepared for life challenges whether it is education-related or not.”
At Meridian High School, he initiated the creation of programs aimed at helping students to achieve their full potential by providing them with academic courses, extracurricular activities, and social interactions which are crucial for overall development.
“We are dedicated to providing the right tools to help meet the standards we have set for our students,” he shared.
He also explained that if teachers are properly trained to provide extensive knowledge of their subjects to the students, they will perform well on exams. “There is a connection between the performance of teachers and students because we want to make sure that our kids do well on their exams,” he noted.
To help other schools administrators succeed in their roles, he shared some ways on how instructional leadership can inspire teachers and help promote quality education.
First, Dr. Joe Griffin Meridian starts by ensuring that his teachers are given the time to plan lessons. “Teachers need to have ample time in preparing their classes,” he said.
This is why he gives teachers a 5-day period in advance to prepare for their lectures. This means they will have more than enough days to create lesson plans, drafts, or even practice tests.
Doing this also gives teachers the time to update themselves by going over new ideas and current trends taking place in their respective fields. Thus, students are able to learn with the most updated materials presented by the best educators around.
“I want them to present new concepts and think of innovative forms on how they can reach out to their students,” he added. Apart from that, by showing his teachers that he trusts them, Joe empowers them to do their jobs and deliver the best education they can.
Second, he implements a comprehensive teacher training program. “Before I initiate a training program, I first observe teachers and ask them to tell me what they were taught about teaching their subjects. But most of the time, there is no right answer,” he said. After this observation, he talks with the administrators of other schools and asks them what causes poor student performance on standardized tests.
Answers to this inquiry will help him create a training program that suits the needs of the school. And to identify areas of improvement, he also requests teachers to provide feedback from the training.
Third, he encourages teachers to collaborate with each other. In order to be successful, teachers need to work in a team and provide each other with the necessary support during different times in their careers.
Joe likens a school’s faculty as a family unit that is working towards achieving the same goals. This family must have house rules for them to listen and follow what they are told by their parents.
With this example, teachers will understand that in order for the school to be successful in improving the quality of education, they need to follow specific rules and procedures set in place. Joe also suggests using an instructional leadership team meeting every month to share important updates about student learning.
Lastly, he encourages administrators and teachers to constantly communicate with each other.
“That’s why we have regular faculty meetings,” he added.
These meetings are important opportunities for you to get updates from the teachers on what they think will contribute to student learning. And, if possible, do your best to personally visit classrooms and observe how educators teach their subjects.
With these ways, he said that instructional leadership will help promote quality education because teachers are given the opportunities to improve their craft and become more effective.
“If you empower your teachers and give them reasons to do their best for the students, you can expect positive changes in your school,” he concluded.
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