Page 12 - EdViewptsSpring2020

In Their Shoes: What It’s Really

Like to Be a Student

By Heather Schwarz, Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Testing,
Hazlet Township Public Schools

“How many of you really 12. Do I really know what it’s like being Director of Curriculum, Instruction and
know what it is like to be a a student in any of them? The answer Testing, they offered their full support.
was “NO!” I had no idea what it’s like
In hopes of getting a wide variety of
student in your school?” being a student in the Hazlet Township experiences, I asked the principals from
In a workshop entitled, Leading School District. However, that was all each school to select students for me to
with Questions: How to Use a about to change. shadow. Once chosen, a formal letter
Shared Inquiry Process to Improve Turning a Thought Into a was sent home to each child’s parent/
Schools, at the 2019 NJPSA Fall guardian explaining the project and
Conference, Dr. Tracey Severns Reality asking for written permission to shadow
asked her stakeholders to consider When I returned to my district, I asked their child. Of the 14 responses, 13
this. I listened closely, participated in permission from my Superintendent and came back “yes” while one was returned
meaningful conversations and took Assistant Superintendent to shadow “no.” In speaking to that parent over the
notes about other topics mentioned a student from each grade level, phone, she loved the idea of shadowing
in her workshop, but I couldn’t stop preschool through 12, for their entire students but felt school in general was
thinking about that question in day. Thinking this was a little “out of a distraction for her child. This would
particular. I work in a district with eight one’s tree” but recognizing how valuable just be too much. So I went back to the
schools that include close to 3,000 this would be for me as the district’s principal for another name.
students in Grades preschool through

Educational Viewpoints -10- Spring 2020