Advice for Principals After School Mergers: Avoid an "Us and Them" Mindset
Listen to the story
After a wave of school mergers, experts have given advice to school principals on how to lead their new, combined schools.
The main advice is to avoid an "us and them" mindset. This means principals should not let teachers or students feel divided into separate groups from before the merger.
Instead, staff and students from the merged schools should be treated as one community. Principals are encouraged to help everyone feel united under the new school.
The advice comes as areas prepare for the new school year. In Phu Xuan district, preparations are being made urgently because the merger happened close to the start of term.
Long Dien commune is also getting ready for its new school year. Both places went through school mergers and now must organize classes, teachers, and students under the new school structure.
Mergers can be difficult for schools because staff from different backgrounds must work together. Students may also come from different schools with different habits and friend groups.
Experts say that if principals do not handle this well, it can cause problems between staff and students. Good leadership can help everyone adjust more easily.
The advice highlights the importance of communication and fairness. Principals are encouraged to treat all staff and students equally, no matter which original school they came from.
Vocabulary10 words
- merger
- when two organizations join to become one
- principal
- the head of a school
- mindset
- a way of thinking
- community
- a group of people who share a place or purpose
- urgently
- needing to be done very quickly
- commune
- a small local administrative area
- district
- an area with its own local government
- leadership
- the act of guiding a group of people
- adjust
- to change to fit a new situation
- fairness
- treating people equally and justly
Quiz
Answer key
1. Avoid an "us and them" mindset 2. Because the merger happened close to the start of term 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
After a wave of school _____, experts have given advice to school principals.
The main advice is to avoid an "us and them" _____.
Staff and students from the merged schools should be treated as one _____.
Principals are encouraged to help everyone feel _____ under the new school.
In Phu Xuan district, preparations are being made _____ because the merger happened close to the start of term.
Long Dien _____ is also getting ready for its new school year.
Students may also come from different schools with different habits and friend _____.
Experts say that if principals do not handle this well, it can cause problems between staff and _____.
Good _____ can help everyone adjust more easily.
Principals are encouraged to treat all staff and students equally, no matter which original school they came _____.
Discussion questions
- Why might students or teachers feel divided after a school merger?
- What could a principal do to help everyone feel like one community?
- Do you think mergers are generally good or bad for schools? Why?
- Have you ever experienced joining a new group where you felt like an outsider at first?