Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

What a Principal Learned from Shadowing His Students (Alex Shultz)

By Larry Cuban

June 8, 2025

“What a Principal Learned from Shadowing His Students” by Alex Shultz (featured on Larry Cuban’s blog)

Original article: https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2025/06/08/what-a-principal-learne...

In a compelling case for empathy-driven leadership, Alex Shultz profiles Principal Matthew Sloane’s student shadowing initiative at Middleburgh Junior/Senior High School in New York. By regularly stepping into the shoes of his students—literally donning a hoodie, jeans, and a baseball cap—Sloane has transformed how he understands student experience and sparked systemic improvements in teaching, learning, and school culture.

Since becoming principal in 2018, Sloane has refined his practice of randomly selecting a student and following them throughout a full school day. This includes sitting through all classes, walking the same halls, taking notes, and sometimes even joining students for lunch. His approach is informal and humanizing. Rather than evaluating instruction, he immerses himself as a learner alongside students, earning their trust and experiencing firsthand the demands and inconsistencies of a typical school day.

This initiative is now embedded in the school’s culture, earning Sloane recognition as New York State’s 2024 Principal of the Year. Staff and students have become comfortable with his presence in classrooms, allowing for more authentic insights. Teachers and support staff are notified ahead of time via weekly emails, while selected students receive only brief notice. The purpose is to build an unfiltered understanding of student life, including how they transition between classes, engage with varying teaching styles, and navigate the emotional and cognitive load of shifting vocabulary, expectations, and social cues.

The impact of shadowing has been significant. Sloane’s observations have led to tangible changes. For example, after experiencing the discomfort of the school’s outdated chairs, he initiated a switch to ergonomic seating. Recognizing students’ long gaps between meals, he worked with the cafeteria to offer morning snacks and extend access hours. More broadly, he noted the cognitive dissonance students experience moving between classrooms with inconsistent expectations. In response, he collaborated with faculty to streamline classroom language, homework policies, and behavioral standards to foster continuity and reduce student stress.

Crucially, shadowing isn’t just diagnostic—it highlights strengths. Sloane recognized the value of field trips in helping students connect classroom learning with real-world experiences. These excursions—two to three per year—reinforce experiential learning and place knowledge in tangible contexts, addressing a frequent gap in student engagement.

Initially, there was skepticism from teachers worried that shadowing might resemble formal observation. Sloane addressed this by emphasizing transparency, sharing non-evaluative findings with staff, and thanking them individually. His commitment to building trust led to greater openness over time. One pivotal moment came after shadowing a student named Cody, whose parents later shared how much their son appreciated the experience and felt seen by his principal, an outcome that exemplified Sloane’s student-centered philosophy.

The success of the practice encouraged expansion. Beginning in the 2024–25 school year, teachers are now required to shadow a student for at least a half-day. Importantly, they must observe a grade level they don’t teach, ensuring neutrality and broadening perspective. A substitute covers their class while they walk through the day with a student, learning not only how students experience school but also how their colleagues teach. This has proven to be a powerful form of professional development, helping educators better understand student dynamics and discover peer strategies in pedagogy and classroom management.

Feedback from staff has been overwhelmingly positive. Teachers report renewed empathy for students and valuable insights into cross-curricular alignment and instructional delivery. While some initially resisted the idea, Sloane continues to encourage full participation, confident in its long-term benefits.

In Sloane’s words, “I don’t think I could offer a better professional development to a teacher.” His leadership reflects a deep belief that to transform education, leaders and teachers must truly live the student experience—if only for a day.

Source: Shultz, A. (2025, April 2). What a Principal Learned from Shadowing His Students. Featured on Larry Cuban’s blog, June 8, 2025. https://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2025/06/08/what-a-principal-learne...

Original Article

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com