‘STEP teachers come to us with a strong foundation of knowing how to support collaborative learning, facilitate real-world experiences and develop a growth mindset in young people.’
Being a high school principal is a job that is never boring. Being a high school principal for a San Francisco public high school serving students from 24 different countries who speak 18 different languages is nothing short of mind-blowing. My students teach me so much about what it means to act with empathy, to support one another, to be a learner in the world, and to be open to other perspectives. Graduating from the Stanford Graduate School of Education program in International Education Administration and Policy Analysis led me toward this work.
At this moment in our nation where immigrant communities feel unwanted and disconnected, my role at San Francisco International High School feels particularly vital. As the leader of a school serving immigrant communities, my work is about more than supporting students academically. It is also about teaching students to be self-reliant, to be allies for each other and to actively engage in changing and supporting their communities. I am humbled each day by the immense power of our students.
With such a focus on collective learning, it is no wonder we recruit so heavily from the Stanford Teacher Education Program. STEP teachers come to us with a strong foundation of knowing how to support collaborative learning, facilitate real-world experiences and develop a growth mindset in young people. We can serve our young people best by teaching them to be leaders, helpers and mentors in one another’s lives, and STEP teachers come to us ready to do this work.
Julie Kessler earned her MA in International Education Administration and Policy Analysis in 2008. She is principal of San Francisco International High School.
