Meet Our Leaders: The Greene School Science Teacher Andy Smith

As we continue to highlight the voices and visions of our Instructional Leadership Community of Practice, our next spotlight is Andy Smith, a science teacher at The Greene School. With 24 years of military experience, Andy brings a leadership style rooted in humility, approachability, and credibility. He’s now transitioning into school leadership, driven by a deep commitment to coaching, mentoring, and supporting educators to thrive.

1. What inspired you to become an instructional leader, and how has your personal journey shaped your approach to education? 

I have always been drawn to leadership as a responsibility, whether in formal or informal roles. I enjoy sharing what I've learned with others and gaining knowledge and skills in the process. My time in the military focused on teaching, coaching, and mentoring our newer teammates, which made us good at our jobs.  I appreciate that educators have a similar culture, whereby professional practice means perpetual improvement; teaching, coaching, and mentoring are essential in that effort. 

2. Who has played a pivotal role in your career or personal life, and how has their influence helped shape your leadership style? Or alternatively, Which colleague has played a pivotal role in your life, and how has their influence helped shape your leadership style?

As I mentioned, my 24 years in the military before teaching gave me a tremendous amount of exposure to various leadership styles, so it would be difficult to distill my greatest influences down to one or two people. We had a mantra while I was an instructor pilot at the US Air Force Weapons School: Humble, Approachable, and Credible. Humility keeps you grounded and seeking better. Approachability is essential because you cannot be an effective instructor/leader if no one feels comfortable working with you. Credibility is important of course, since you need to know what you're coaching people on.

Since beginning my journey in education four years ago, I would have to highlight the leadership energies of my fellow science teacher, Lara, and my principal, Alex. They both bring so much passion for the work we do, and their leadership exhibits the best attributes I mentioned earlier. Their professional coaching and support have been so helpful in my development, and I seek to model their effectiveness. 

3. What core values or guiding principles inform your work as an instructional leader, and how do you integrate them into your daily practices?

Integrity, kids, team, and self-improvement. Integrity is non-negotiable; it is an imperative in any community, and even more so in the business of caring for children. The students and the team are next - this is who you're doing the job for and with.  An outward focus keeps the work fulfilling. Finally, you need to take care of yourself and your relationships with friends and family. Be reflective, acknowledge your mistakes and missteps, and recommit each day.  A friend of mine said it perfectly: we choose each day to do the work. Every day isn't our best, but we reaffirm our charge to improve. 

4. What motivated you to join the Instructional Leadership Community of Practice, and what do you hope to contribute or gain from being part of this dynamic network?

This CoP interested me because I am transitioning from teacher to aspiring principal. Instructional leadership is one of a principal's key roles (and arguably one of the most important), and this CoP has been very rewarding so far. The opportunity to work with dedicated educators, leaders, administrators, and coaches with far more experience has been extremely worthwhile. 

5. From your perspective, what are the most pressing challenges facing educators today, and how can strong instructional leadership help overcome these hurdles?

I think managing time is the greatest challenge for educators today. The mounting expectations for communication, collaborative planning, professional development, and meetings, while negotiating daily planning tasks and delivering high-quality instruction tailored for disparate learning needs, are extremely challenging. Add that to the emotional energy required to make thousands of micro-decisions throughout your day, and you can easily experience teacher burnout and issues with work-life balance.  I believe that instructional leadership can support teachers in meeting the demands of practice by coaching that focuses on making the most of their available time and on practices that make their instruction more effective. Encouragement is very important! Instructional Leadership can make a big difference by pointing out what teachers are getting right and highlighting that to the community.