School Visits

On Wednesday, April 2, the Vice Principals visited three different independent schools in Nashville, Tennessee.

After the visits, the ladies met as a group and listed what they noticed or learned during the visits.

-       Trust is vital in the schools we visited. Administrators trust teachers and students. Teachers trust administrators and students. Students trust teachers and administrators.

-       Culture is incredibly important. Students know the culture and have a sense of belonging. They feel committed.

-       In order to create culture, you have to have trust.

-       We need to create activities to push the personal character. We need to help the kids have confidence. They should be able to introduce themselves and what they are learning.

-       The principal of Montgomery Bell Academy teaches one class a day.

-       I did not see special techniques such as differentiation, but the teachers were still teaching, and the students were still learning. In Abu Dhabi, we don’t have soul – the passion. In the schools we visited, the administrators trust the teachers to do a good job. They don’t monitor as much as we do. It makes me wonder about all the paperwork we require.

-       We asked the students, “How often do you go to the administrators to complain?” They said, “We don’t have to. If we have complaints, we go to teachers and advisors.”

-       The periods at Harpeth Hall (girls’ school) are longer than the periods at Montgomery Bell (boys’ school). Students at both schools appreciate sports and other extracurricular activities. They have so many. Maybe we have to change our mentality about how many periods we have in a day so the students can participate in extracurricular activities.

-       We need more autonomy. If we can’t get good teachers, we cannot go far. We need to be able to set high expectations.

-       One thing at Harpeth Hall – the student’s voice is heard. At our schools, Student Council is not enough. We need more student voice.

-       I liked the school environment and the advisor system. We wish to build more trust in the schools.

-       What I like about the schools – Everything is controlled. Parents are proud to bring their children. They extend the culture of trust from parents on.

-       The students have a feeling of belonging.

-       We asked the students, “Why do you come every day?” We found that the children come to be with their friends and play. How can we make our students come to the school?

-       The schools had fun extracurricular activities for everyone. They have advisors at their schools. In Abu Dhabi, we have teachers and administrators.