Tyrese Graham
Principal, Uplift High School
The Partnership: Tell us about your leadership journey.
Tyrese Graham: I grew up in a single-parent household and my mother worked really hard to ensure I had the best education possible and shelter me from a lot of the things young black men experience. Growing up, I never wanted to become a teacher; I actually wanted to become a physician and went on to earn a B.S. in Biology from Loyola University Chicago in an attempt to achieve that goal. In my senior year of college, I got a job working for Teach For America in Atlanta. It wasn't until then that I fully became aware that students that looked like me were often not provided the same educational opportunities as other students and my experience was the exception and not the rule. I knew that by being a teacher I could help change that for the students that I served. I joined the Chicago Teaching Fellows and earned my MS in Education and Social Policy from Northwestern University while teaching in CPS. I quickly assumed the role of Life and Physical Sciences department chair and grade-level lead Teacher and realized that my influence over the educational experience of students that I served, from my classroom to an entire grade level, could be expanded to more positively impact their outcomes. I eventually became a resident principal, assistant principal and principal in CPS. When I was a teacher leader, I knew that a passion and unrelenting persistence to disrupt the opportunity gap for students was critical, but I learned the science of school improvement when completing my doctorate at the University of Illinois at Chicago. My career has taught me that passion, persistence and science are all required to improve the institutional and professional practices that can change the lives of our students.
TP: How do you set up your Uplift leadership team for success?
TG: The most important thing that I've done in setting up my leadership team for success is surrounding myself with people who know more than I do. It is important for leaders to know what they don't know and have a good understanding of their skillset and areas of growth and surround themselves with people who have those talents and skills. Leadership is about humility. It is about knowing that you don't always have the answers, but empowering those around you to come up with solutions to the organization's problems and push back on you when they see flaws in your plans or execution.
TP: You are leading the Learn to Lead PLC this year. What has it been like to work with a cohort of aspiring leaders in this environment?
TG: This has been rejuvenating for me! I'm in my seventh year of school leadership and it is important to not only share with others the lessons I've learned, but to learn from new leaders about their experience. To see the passion and desire that the aspiring leaders have to do the work helps me refocus my perspective on the possibilities of the role.
TP: What is one thing every aspiring Chicago principal should know if they plan to enter their first principal job during the pandemic?
TG: Communication is always important, but now it is critical. You'll need to have a good communication structure in place for your community. Everyone is stressed right now and people will be looking to you for clear and consistent information about what to expect. They'll expect you to project calm and confidence that whatever school structure- remote learning, hybrid instruction or in-peron instruction- that you'll ensure that their children receive the best possible education.
