Relationships are everything in successful systems, and connections are
cultivated by our actions and our words. Within our words, we contain
the power to build relationships or bury them. Those who look for
opportunities to converse on significant issues sustain and prosper.
However, often times these conversations are cut short by our inability
to discover the hidden meanings behind our chosen responses. In today's
school systems, educational clichés are ending essential dialogue when
they should begin and maintain it. Messages like "That's why you make
the big bucks" or "It is what it is" hinder our capacity to construct
critical connections with each other. The focus of Clichés,
Conversations and Culture: Cultivating Relations Between Teachers and
Administrators is to unveil these clichés and explore alternatives that
will foster connectedness. By improving our dialogue, we will be able to
nurture a more viable culture for our building and bridge the gap that
historically exists between administrators and teachers.