Sit down at the beginning of each week and create a to-do list for each day. It is import that you finish tasks before their deadlines and a to-do list helps you manage the small details. Add to your lists as new tasks show up to ensure they are completed.
Hold monthly department meetings and allow your teachers to express their concerns or desires. Making time to communicate with your department keeps your actions transparent and provides teachers with a healthy way to talk about frustrations or conflicts.
Conduct one-on-one meetings with each teacher in your department at least once a month. These meetings help you get to know your department members and their goals. Additionally, these meetings help you assess your teachers' competency levels and familiarity with the curriculum.
Set short- and long-term goals for your department. For example, a short-term goal for a science department could be raising funds for new equipment, while a long-term goal could be increasing student engagement in science topics.
Lead by example. Be fair in judgments and avoid participating in arguments or fights. Your staff will look at you as the primary example of how you expect people in your department to behave.
Make time to meet with your administration every week to follow up on department requests or issues. You will need to constantly monitor any pending decisions in order to push them through the administrative process.
Encourage the development of student organizations. Student organizations inspire kids to explore topics and provide teachers with more ways to connect. If you are running a music department, for example, a music club could meet each week to explore classical pieces, visit symphonies or talk about famous composers.
Understand the current situation of each of your teachers. Depending on your school's economics and location, you may have strong, experienced teachers or new teachers fresh out of college. Every teacher needs a custom approach if you want to maximize her effectiveness in the classroom.