Educational Leadership - October 2010

decision. “Your decisions” are those
made by teachers. “Our decisions” are
made collaboratively by teachers and
administrators. And sometimes I make
the call: It’s “My decision.”
Using the phrase “your decision, our
decision, my decision” with my staff
makes it easier for them to understand
who’s responsible for what, and this
knowledge helps us work more effec-
tively and efficiently. I note that ped-
agogy is a “your decision,” for example.

When we seek
consensus, we may
only allow 20 or

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even only 10 percent
of the group to veto
any change.

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I need to be informed and be part of the discussion, but teachers decide. Student assignments are our decision; we work together. My decisions are those for which I am responsible. I raise trial balloons and elicit input, but it’s my call. Teacher evaluations fall here.

Thinking about who decides what also helps me understand when I should work for consensus and when I should not. Which decisions fall where at your school, and when is seeking consensus not appropriate? EL

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Thomas R. Hoerr is head of school at the New City School, 5209 Waterman Ave., St. Louis, MO 63108; trhoerr@ newcityschool.org. He is the author of The Art of School Leadership (ASCD, 2005) and School Leadership for the Future (NAIS Press, 2008).