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 DEDICATED TO           

 

 

 

 

           ACHARYA  SHREE   HARENDRASINH GOHIL SAHEB 

 

Chapter 1 FIVE Qualities of a Good School Principal

 

 

                                             5 Qualities of a Good School Principal

 

 

 

 

1. An effective principal must be a visionary. A good principal should have a clear vision. He should be a continuous learner and also adapt to new trends. By doing that, a good principal will stand out among his peers. It is is your job to see that teachers gets comfortable and also feel motivated to improve continuously.

2. An effective principal must exhibit leadership qualities.  Every principal must exhibit exemplary leadership qualities for others to follow, including staff and students alike. An effective leader should be responsible for the successes and the failures of his school. A good Principal should at all times find new ways to improve his schools no matter the difficulties at hand.

3. A principal must be an excellent listener.  An effective principal should be focused and attentive. He should always be prepared to deal with whatever situations may arise. One can disarm most difficult situations simply by showing care and willingness to hear them out.

4. An effective principal must be fair and consistent. An effective principal should be credible in handling situations.  Nothing can take away your credibility faster than being inconsistent in your judgment. While no two cases are exactly the same, a good principal should have a standard approach for how to handle similar situations.

5. An effective principal must be a bridge builder. A  good principal should be able to connect people together and find ways to earn their trust. Effective principals should be organized and focused. He or she should be able to deal with difficult situations by effectively connecting to many groups of people which includes teachers, students, parents and also proffering solutions to those situations.

No matter how prepared one is, being a school Principal can come with a lot of challenges. Get this free guide to School Admin:

 

CHAPTER 2 Characteristics of a Highly Effective School Principal

 

 

Characteristics of a Highly Effective School Principal

 

 

 

 

A school principal's job is balanced between being rewarding and challenging. It is a difficult job, and like any job, there are people who are not able to handle it. There are certain characteristics of a highly effective principal that some people do not possess.

Besides the obvious professional requirements needed to become a principal, there are several traits that good principals possess allowing them to

do their job successfully. These characteristics manifest themselves in the daily duties of a principal.

Leadership

The principal is the instructional leader of the building. A good leader has to take responsibility for the successes and failures of her school. A good leader puts the needs of others in front of her own. A good leader is always looking to improve her school and then figures out how to make those improvements regardless of how difficult it might be. Leadership defines how successful any school is. A school without a strong leader will likely fail, and a principal who is not a leader will find herself without a job quickly.

Adept at Building Relationships With People

If you don't like people you shouldn't be a principal. You have to be able to connect with each person you deal with on a daily basis. You have to find common ground and earn their trust. There are many groups of people that principals deal with daily including their superintendent, teachers, support staff, parents, students, and community members. Every group requires a different approach, and individuals within a group are unique in their own right.

You never know who is going to walk into your office next. People come in with a variety of emotions including happiness, sadness, and anger. You have to be able to deal with each of those situations effectively by connecting with the person and showing him that you care about his unique situation. He has to believe that you will do whatever you can to make his situation better.

Balance Tough Love With Earned Praise

This is especially true with your students and your teachers. You can't be a pushover, meaning that you let people get away with mediocrity. You have to set expectations high and hold those you are in charge of to those same standards. This means that there will be times when you have to reprimand people and likely hurt their feelings. It is a part of the job that isn't pleasant, but it is necessary if you want to run an effective school.

At the same time, you must offer praise when it is appropriate. Don't forget to tell those teachers who are doing an extraordinary job that you appreciate them. Remember to recognize students who excel in the areas of academics, leadership and/or citizenship. An outstanding principal can motivate using a combination of both of these approaches.

Fair and Consistent

Nothing can take away your credibility more quickly than being inconsistent in how you handle similar situations. While no two cases are exactly the same, you have to think about how you have handled other similar situations and continue on that same track. Students, in particular, know how you handle student discipline, and they make comparisons from one case to the next. If you are not fair and consistent, they will call you out on it.

However, it is understandable that history will influence a principal's decision. For example, if you have a student who has been in multiple fights and compare her to a student who has only had one fight, then you are justified in giving the student with multiple fights a longer suspension. Think all your decisions through, document your reasoning and be prepared when someone questions or disagrees with them.

Organized and Prepared

Each day presents a unique set of challenges and being organized and prepared is essential to meeting those challenges. You deal with so many variables as a principal that lack of organization will lead to ineffectiveness. No day is predictable. This makes being organized and prepared an essential quality. Each day you still have to come in with a plan or a to-do list with the understanding that you will probably only get about one-third of those things done.

You also have to be prepared for just about anything. When you are dealing with that many people, there are so many unplanned things that can occur. Having policies and procedures in place to deal with situations is part of the necessary planning and preparation to be effective. Organization and preparation will help reduce stress when you are dealing with difficult or unique situations.

Excellent Listener

You never know when an angry student, a disgruntled parent or an upset teacher is going to walk into your office. You have to be prepared to deal with those situations, and that starts with being an exceptional listener. You can disarm most difficult situations simply by showing them that you care enough to listen to what they want to say. When someone wants to meet with you because they feel wronged in some way, you need to hear them out.

This doesn't mean that you let them bash another person continuously. You can be firm on not letting them belittle a teacher or student, but allow them to vent without being disrespectful to another person. Be willing to go the next step in helping them resolve their issue. Sometimes that might be mediating between two students who have had a disagreement. Sometimes it might be having a discussion with a teacher to get his side of a story and then relaying that to the parent. It all begins with listening.

Visionary​

Education is ever-evolving. There is always something bigger and better available. If you are not attempting to improve your school, you are not doing your job. This will always be an ongoing process. Even if you have been at a school for 15 years, there are still things you can do to improve the overall quality of your school.

Each individual component is a working part of the larger framework of the school. Each of those components needs to be oiled every once in a while. You may have to replace a part that is not working. Occasionally you may even able to upgrade an existing part that was doing its job because something better was developed. You never want to be stale. Even your best teachers can get better. It is your job to see that no one gets comfortable and that everyone is working to improve continuously.

 

 

Chapter 3 TEN Things Great Principals Do Well

 

10 Things Great Principals Do Well

 

 

As we get ready to welcome students back to school, it seems like there is never enough time to get everything done. When I’m running around nonstop, sometimes it helps to have a quick checklist to help guide me through the day. Here are some of the key things I always try to remember as I strive to be the best principal I can be:

 

1. Great principals recognize the value of every person in the building, and they praise their staff members as often as possible.

 2. Great principals support their teachers at every turn—whether they are facing challenges with students, parents, or colleagues. They trust their teachers, have their backs, and always try to give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

 3. Great principals don’t spend much time in their offices. They are in the halls, in the classroom, at the bus stop, at the carpool, in the lunchroom, or wherever the action is. They engagewith those around them.

 4. Great principals do not try to do it alone. They involve others in the decision-making process whenever possible.

 

 5. Great principals pay attention to student achievement, and they spend a lot of time in classrooms. They promote strategic instruction and meaningful assessments. And, they ensure that data from those assessments inform teachers’ practice as they work to meet the academic needs of their students.

 6. Great principals intentionally foster a culture of collaboration in their school. They recognize that their teachers are stronger when they work together, so they create the conditions in the building that facilitate this process.

 

 7. Great principals are never content with the status quo. They have high expectations for themselves and everyone around them, articulating a bold visionfor their school and inspiring others to strive for more.

 8. Great principals understand the importance of staff morale and are intentional about creating good working conditions for their faculty.

 

 9. Great principals bring positive energy to work every day. They realize that positivity is a nonnegotiable quality when creating a school culture where students enjoy learning and adults enjoy working.

 10  .Great principals always make it about the kids. They work to build relationships with their students, and they ensure that the best interest of students drives every decision in the school.

 

 

As you get ready for a new school year, make it a habit to check this list at least once a day and ask yourself, “Which of these 10 tips will I make a priority today?”

 

 

 

Chapter 4 FIVE Essential But Overlooked Principal Responsibilities

 

5 Essential But Overlooked Principal Responsibilities 

 

 

 

 

 School Leaders

 

 

                            Reviewing lesson plans. Organizing school events. Making sure parents are happy. We principals have a lot of responsibilities, and it’s up to us to be able to manage them all efficiently. Here are five essential but overlooked school principal responsibilities you have to contend with to develop a successful school.

1. Creating a positive school culture

School culture is nuanced; there are many levels and implications to it. Ideally, the school is a place for children to learn as well as somewhere parents feel comfortable. Inviting parents into the school is a first step toward excellent school culture. Parents should feel welcome and that the invitation is genuine. If principals create systematic, integrated opportunities across the whole school where parents can be involved, parental engagement increases within the school. On the other side of the coin, teacher home-visits create a level of trust within the teacher-parent relationship. It allows for humanization, viewing each other as a person instead of “the teacher” or “a parent.” Positive communication enhances school culture.

2. Creating a long-term plan for student academic success

Student success is the coveted benchmark that proves the effectiveness of our efforts. With a finite number of days to see progress, sometimes teachers can lose sight of long-term success, and it’s up to us to create opportunities to remind people that it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Vertical curriculum within the school ensures that the standards are aligned from grade-to-grade and that students will be receiving the same quality education over time. Student portfolios, data, and analytics are good ways to see student improvement over time. Additionally, when students transfer to new schools, they can take this information with them for their new school to use.

3. Cultivating leadership in others

Has anyone ever asked you what you would do if you could clone yourself? My clone would double my productivity or at least do the less fun tasks. Surely we could all benefit from having a replica to work alongside of us. The truth of the matter is that that just isn’t possible. We can’t be everywhere and help with everything. So, you need to cultivate other leaders within your school. The teachers that you work with are professionals; give them autonomy to make certain important decisions. Run problem-solving workshops that will allow them to be more independent and to take more professional development classes to gain a broader scope of knowledge.

4. Managing people, data, and processes

The crux of most problems within schools is time management—not in the conventional sense of time management, where teachers need to pay attention to how long they’re running their lessons, but more in the sense of managing work-life balance. Can we spend an extra five hours after school every day creating the best lesson plans, professional development activities, and assessment reports? Yes. Does anyone necessarily want to do that? Probably not. It’s our job, as principals, to make sure that we’re making life as easy as possible for teachers with whom we work. Tools like Illuminate, KlassData, and Moodle can automate a lot of what goes into assessment, grading papers, and lesson planning. Little efforts like these save teachers hours of time per week, which can have a positive effect on the quality the of work environment.

5. Improving School Leadership

Arguably, two of the most important determiners of school success are teacher efficacy followed by good school leadership. We’re there to support our teachers who are on the front line directly working with the students. Our job is to provide teachers with the right tools to better teach their students and the platform to better work with their students. We’ll be successful as long as we keep the mindset that we’re there not only to help teachers be successful but, more importantly, to help students be successful.

 

 

Chapter 5 What makes an effective principal?

 

What makes an effective principal?

 

As the custodians of the next generation’s education, principals have one of the most busy and important jobs there are, yet the time and material resources to support this mammoth responsibility are often lacking.

However, as evidenced by many principals’ tremendous teaching and learning outcomes, some have found a recipe for success, whether it’s of their own initiative or from a collaborative effort.

So, what makes an effective school principal?

Renowned Finnish author, speaker and education expert, Pasi Sahlberg, said great leaders are also leading learners.

“If leaders don’t learn, then the learning in the organisations they lead is not likely to flourish,” Sahlberg told The Educator.

“Effective school principals take risks when they learn and try out new ways to do things better. This means that good school leaders learn how to fail, learn from their mistakes, and continuously improve what they do based on their lessons from previous experiences.”

Sahlberg said effective school principals don’t operate in a vacuum but rather reflect the values, beliefs, traditions, and cultures embedded in their schools.

“It is no wonder, then, that leadership cultures in schools vary greatly from education system to another,” Sahlberg said.

“We have known for decades based on international research that school leadership is one of the most important in-school factors that explain how well students learn in school.”

However, Sahlberg pointed out that effectiveness of leadership is often overlooked when trying to explain why some school systems perform better than the rest.

“For example, since the early 2000s, most of the efforts to explain Finland’s educational success in international assessments have paid only marginal attention to educational leadership,” he said.

“I would argue, however, that Finland has a unique culture of leadership characterized by the abovementioned features, just like Australia, that deserves to be noted.”

‘Effective principals relish in their role’

Beth Blackwood is CEO of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools of Australia (AHISA), said effective principals are passionate about “human flourishing”.

“They relish their role in helping students become the best humans they can be,” Blackwood told The Educator.

However, she pointed out that moral and mental toughness are also pre-requisites of the job. 

“The health of a whole community may depend on a principal’s courage to stand by their values. Effective school leadership is only possible when Heads are guided by a strong moral compass,” she explained.

“Heads will often sum up their leadership style as servant leadership. An important attribute of servant leadership is the readiness to learn – from the ideas of others as much as from one’s own or others’ mistakes.”

Blackwood said that in independent schools this is seen as evident in innovations in curriculum and co-curriculum delivery, student and staff wellbeing programs, technological adaptation and in the built learning environment.

“Readiness to listen to and learn from others is an essential skill for building staff engagement and creating team building. And perhaps this is the secret to effective school leadership today,” she said.

“A principal may tick many of the boxes of good management, but without relational skills they will not be highly successful school leaders. For effective leadership of intensely human endeavours such as schools, EQ is just as important as IQ.”

‘Seeing the bigger picture’

To Andrew Pierpoint, president of the Australian Secondary Principals' Association (ASPA) president, there are five key characteristics that all effective secondary principals have.

“The first is that are purposeful, making a difference to young people’ futures. They demonstrate education gravitas,” Pierpoint told The Educator.

Secondly, says Pierpoint, they are strategic. “This involves bringing together challenge, complexity, problem solving and diversity. They see the big picture,” he said.

“Principals must also be edu-preneurial; that is, being creative, educative, imaginative, dynamic and have political acumen.”

The fourth key characteristic Pierpoint cites is the need for principals to be collaborative.

“Leaders must work together to create positive futures and strong communities through relational trust,” he said.

“Finally, they are inspirational – positively influencing others, giving joy and fulfilment.”

'The effective leader is not alone'

South Australian Primary Principals' Association (SAPPA) president, Angela Falkenberg, said the effective principal "knows what is important and holds the line on the things that matter."

"Every school context is different, and the effective leader understands this and attends to what is important," Falkenberg told The Educator.

Another important trait of effective leaders, says Falkenberg, is being aware that they not alone and leveraging the available support when they require it. 

"They have access to the support they need, when they need it, be it staff recruitment, wellbeing or in creating the culture where all can experience psychological and physical safety," she said.

"An effective school leader believes that things can be better and finds creative ways to do so; their mantra is 'as we know better, we do better'. They are an influencer and understand the power of effort in creating the learning that every child deserves."

‘A strong sense of purpose and stewardship’

NSW Secondary Principals’ Council president, Chris Presland, largely agrees with Pierpoint, saying an effective school leader embodies “a strong sense of purpose and stewardship”.

“Quality leadership is about having the knowledge, capabilities and processes necessary to explore and articulate a collaboratively developed sense of purpose,” Presland told The Educator.

“Good leaders are driven by a sense of stewardship and possess the capabilities to engender in others that same sense of personal responsibility and accountability for what happens in their own domain.”

Presland said the best school leaders are inspirational in that they inspire those around them to reach even higher capabilities and to be driven by a belief in the value of serving the needs of every child.

“These leaders constantly work to develop quality relationships at all levels, to build community, to embody the concept of service to others and to engage in a relentless pursuit of self and organisational improvement,” he said.

 

 

Chapter 6 Outstanding Qualities Of A Good School Principal

 

Outstanding Qualities Of A Good School Principal

 

 

School principals are the heads of various learning institutions. These professionals should possess all the qualities of being good leaders. These qualities help in determining whether they will be able to manage their people in school. The school heads are in charge of all the students as well as teaching and non-teaching staff. They are therefore required to possess the various qualities or extraordinary strengths; all these make them worthy leaders.

Principals who lack these qualities are more likely to fail in performing their functions and duties. On the other hand, school heads having exceptional qualities and skills ensures that the education system meets the required standards. They are known for producing excellent results. A leader, especially in educational institution possessing remarkable qualities, makes him or her superb among the other staff in an organization.

The required qualities of a school head are as follows:

Transparency

Being a leader, school principals need to be transparent when performing their duties. They should have a clean conscience. This will enable them to face all the situations with honesty. Such principals will be in a better position in bringing back that value of honesty and good ethics since they will be a role model of these essential virtues.

The adage states that ” honesty is the best policy.” This saying should be posted in all the classrooms to cascade honesty as virtue starting from the school leader to all the students. This means that transparency is the aftermath of honesty and it should be possessed by each and every school leader.

Good visionary

A good principal should be in a position of visualizing the school’s future. This is considered to be an exceptional quality since not all people have the gift of being good when it comes to visions. Such a leader is a good fortune-teller, and he or she can project or guess what is likely to happen shortly or any years to come.

 

Risk taker

A good leader should be a risk taker of both himself and for all his constituents. Such a leader is in a better position of seeing what lies beyond the current situation. A good leader should possess this exceptional skill. These are the individuals who have the courage and are brave to risk their jobs just to improve the welfare of their school and their constituents. Such leaders end up being very successful in their careers.

 

 

 

Chapter 7 Vital Traits of a Successful Principal

 

Vital Traits of a Successful Principal

The word ‘Principal’ is not just a noun; it is more than that.  It is a paragon to professionalism, integrity, disciple and intelligence. However as a profession, it is full of challenges. Being a principal is not at all easy. It is a high stress job which requires top-notch calibre to execute the given responsibilities in a precise and result-oriented manner.

However when it comes to perform, not all do justice to their profession. While some perform abysmally and lost in the race while others use innovative methods to make a mark in the industry. It is thus important to know what a successful principal does that makes him/her a legend in the educational space.

Students Remain their Focal Point

Successful principals always keep students at the centre of their every manoeuvre and never lose sight from students’ welfare.  For them, students are the first priority and all their actions and policies are directed towards the overall development of students whether it is related to students’ safety, academic growth, personality development or any other thing. Each of their decision is meticulously planned which creates a profound effect on the student’s learning curve. Such principals always focus to nurture, counsel, and educate each students while keeping the highest standards and discipline in place.

Open Door Policy

Principals have busy schedules attending guest lectures, conferences, seminars and other important meetings with top authorities and school personnel. These things are important as it provides special inputs to the principal for crafting further educational reforms. But not finding enough time to meet with teachers, staff members, parents and most importantly the students keep lose your grip from the ground reality. Successful principals understand the importance of maintaining dialogue with every stakeholder and always have an open door policy where everyone is welcomed to discuss their grievances in a swift manner. Moreover, apart from making yourself available, having good listening skills can help create a long lasting impression with others.

Always in Search of Long-term Solutions

Principals are the premier decision-making authority that always in search of solution of their existing problems. Sometimes quick fix works but it does not be a substitute for a permanent solution. Successful principals are many steps ahead with their peers and play smartly in every scenario. Such principals use a temporary solution in dearth of a permanent one and help avoid the deadlock over the situation. They always look into any problem with a minute level and simultaneously search for a sustainable permanent solution by looking at the broader picture. They understand that by taking cognizance of smaller issues ultimately the road towards reaching solution of bigger problem will become clear. And thus help save both money and precious time.

Source of Knowledge

Principals are the epitomes of wisdom. They should have proficiency in many vital areas including content and policy. Successful principals are the treasure of knowledge and should always be updated with the latest happening around research, technology, education and government policies. Ultimately, they are the ones whom everyone will tilt towards for asking suggestions if arises any queries. Both teachers and students admire a principal who understand the nitty-gritty every course that has been taught in the school. Moreover, good principals always offer tips, strategies and share their profound knowledge to enhance the learning environment at school.

Draft and Implement Policies

A nation runs through constitution and school runs through its policy. Therefore, every principal should be an adept policy writer who can craft policies keeping the school’s broader vision and mission in mind.

In a school, children from diverse community, ethnicity, religion and socio-economic status come to study. It is thus the responsibility for the management to provide equal accessibility to all vital resources to all its students.  By framing a policy which provides equality, discipline, and creative environment can lead students towards the path of ultimate enlightenment. Successful principals are proactive in their approach. They understand local situations, students, faculty and bigger objectives and problems much better than others and thus accordingly draft the rule book for the school. Moreover, they also stringently enforce policies in timely manner with keeping strong vigil on its implementation.

Believe in Delegation

A principal is always loaded with lots of work. Though, it is true that the best person should execute any particular task but it is not always possible for the principal to execute each operation. Successful principals believe in the idea of delegating. By distributing work, principals do get many benefits. First, they find time to look towards much bigger vision concerning the growth of school community. And second they find the potential of their junior sub-ordinates in handling critical tasks. Moreover, it also empowers the junior staff and make them feel valued and trusted. Delegation also gives a hint towards the person who can become your successor and also keeps your stress level to minimum.

Principal is the leader-in-charge of an institution. Every person closely watches the demeanour of principal in their school premises and tries to imbibe the good qualities out of them. It is thus important to absorb good qualities and that can help set an ideal example which people admire. Be the first one to arrive and last one to leave. Keep a smiling face and handle every adversity with grit and perseverance. Ultimately your reputation and success is in your hand.

 

Chapter 8 What makes a great principal?

 

 

What makes a great principal?

 

 

 

The classroom teacher is the most visible person in your child’s life at school, but it is the principal who is responsible for providing a high- quality education for all students there.

What makes a great principal?  Principals vary in strategy, temperament, and leadership style, but the great ones have four characteristics in common:

1. Great principals take responsibility for school success.
2. Great principals lead teaching and learning.
3. Great principals hire, develop and retain excellent teachers.
4. Great principals build a strong school community.

GreatSchools.org talked to several San Francisco public school principals who illustrate these qualities. The principals spoke about leadership and how they meet the real-life challenges of their jobs.

Great principals take responsibility for school success

Great principals believe that the problems of the school are their problems, and they never stop trying to solve them. If a student is having trouble learning, a successful principal knows it is her job to figure out why, whether it is a learning disability, trouble with attendance, or gang involvement. Great principals are also creative in their problem-solving and approach challenges with an entrepreneurial attitude. They find ways to implement good ideas, rather than accepting the status quo.

Questions to ask at your school

1. Ask your principal: What challenges does the school face?
2. Ask your principal: What is the plan to meet those challenges?
3. Ask your child’s teacher: How does the principal get involved when a student is having trouble?

For example, most schools today have very limited budgets, making it difficult to pay for innovative new programs. When Margaret Chiu, principal of Galileo High School, finds a new program she thinks will benefit her students, she doesn’t waste time lamenting the lack of funding. She gets busy. She immediately begins thinking of who in the community she can ask to help support and pay for the program. She has created partnerships with businesses, local colleges, and health care professionals that help enrich her school’s curriculum.

Whatever challenges they face, great principals don’t make excuses for why their schools can’t succeed. Instead they make it their top priority to figure out how their schools can excel, and do everything they can to make that happen.

Great principals lead teaching and learning at their schools

Principals at successful schools understand the strengths and needs of their students and they know what is happening in the classrooms at their schools. These principals play an active role in planning and supporting instruction that is appropriate for their students, and they ensure that school time and resources are focused on student achievement.

Questions to ask at your school

1. Ask your principal: What are our school’s main academic goals?
2. Ask your prinicipal: What steps are being taken to achieve those goals?
3. Look up your school’s achievement data on GreatSchools.org and ask your principal: How is the school addressing weaknesses or gaps in student achievement?

Nearly 60 percent of Moscone Elementary School’s students are English language learners, but Principal Patty Martel is determined that all of her students will be proficient in reading in English by the time they move on to middle school. In support of this goal, she allocates money from her limited school budget to pay for an early intervention literacy program as soon as a student begins struggling with reading. She also requires that all programs at her school include an element of literacy. Reading and writing are integrated into art, science, and everything else the students do.

Principals must also understand what test scores and other data say about their students’ learning and use the information to help teachers set goals and improve instruction.

When test scores at Alvarado Elementary School showed that some groups of students were not reading and writing as well as others, Principal David Weiner helped teachers develop a new plan. Teachers across the school coordinated their reading and writing instruction, so that struggling students could receive direct instruction from a literacy specialist in addition to the classroom teacher.

Successful principals must constantly evaluate what is working and what is not, and use that information to make improvements.

Great principals hire, develop, and retain excellent teachers

One of a principal’s most important roles is ensuring that every student is taught by an excellent teacher. Although it can be time-consuming, principals must actively recruit good teachers to their schools. Principals can visit teacher education classes to find promising new teachers; they can open their schools to student teachers and try to hire the good ones; and they can talk to teachers and other principals to find quality experienced teachers who might be looking for new positions.

Principals must also support and develop the teachers they have. Research shows that principal leadership is a key factor in a teacher’s decision to stay at a particular school. Much of a principal’s time should be spent in classrooms observing teachers, complimenting their strengths, and offering specific suggestions for improvement. If a teacher is struggling with a particular issue or group of kids, the principal should be in the classroom as often as possible, watching and helping the teacher develop more successful strategies.

Patricia Gray, principal at Balboa High School, says that she spent two to three hours a day observing in classrooms and talking with teachers during her first several years as principal. Principal Weiner notes that many teachers initially objected to the hours he spent observing in classrooms at Alvarado, but he quickly found that the best teachers were eager to work with him to improve their teaching.

Questions to ask at your school

1. Ask your principal: How do you recruit new teachers when there is an opening?
2. Ask your child’s teacher: How much time does the principal spend oberserving in your classroom?
3. Ask your principal: How are great teachers at our school recognized or rewarded?

Providing meaningful opportunities for professional development is another way principals can help teachers improve instruction. The principal should make sure that workshops and other development activities are related to the goals of the school and will help teachers better serve their students.

Marcia Parrott, principal at Miraloma Elementary School, pulled her staff out of a time-consuming teacher training program that was not meeting their needs. The techniques taught in the training program were not compatible with the reading program used at the school and the program instructors were not able to help the teachers integrate the two programs. Although she had to defend her decision to the school district, she was adamant that her teachers not spend their time on a program they could not use to help students.

Principals must keep good teachers professionally satisfied by showing them that their efforts are valued and supported by the principal and other teachers. Principal Martel joked that she keeps teachers at Moscone by doing all the yard duty herself. Although her comment was lighthearted, it reflects the respect she has for teachers and her recognition that the teachers at her school work hard.

Providing time to plan with other teachers is another way principals can support their teachers and treat them as professionals. One of the first changes Principal Chiu made at Galileo was to change the school day schedule to allow time each week for teachers to meet and plan together. Adelina Aramburo, former principal at Daniel Webster Elementary School, made sure her school’s tight budget included a few hours of extra pay each month for teachers. She believes this showed teachers that the time they spent meeting and planning together outside their official work day was recognized and appreciated.

Great principals build a strong school community

For a school to be successful, the administration, teachers, parents, students and support staff must work as a team. Principals

must work with the staff to make school a welcoming place for all students and their families.

Principal Parrott at Miraloma holds a monthly parent-principal chat, an informal time when parents can come to ask questions and give input. She also schedules meetings and events at times when parents are already at the school picking up their children, for example, when the after-school program closes for the day.

Questions to ask at your school

1. Ask your child: Do you feel safe at school?
2. Ask your child: Do you think school rules and consequences are clear?  Are all kids treated fairly?
3. Ask your principal: How can I get involved at the school?

A great school community is one where students feel safe and know they will be treated fairly. It is the principal’s job to create that safe atmosphere where children can learn. The first year she was at Balboa High School, Principal Gray was concerned about a gang presence at the school. Although it meant she had to work many evenings and weekends, she met personally with the parents of every single student who got in trouble that year. Principal Gray believes her action sent a strong message about her commitment to creating a safe learning community at Balboa.

 

 

Chapter 9 Top 10 qualities of top principals

 

Top 10 qualities of top principals

 

The principal is the single most powerful person in a school district. Their leadership makes the weather for staff and students, and the culture they create is tangible. It follows that top principals tend to have similar positive qualities. Here are ten that top my list:

1. They understand service leadership. They understand that their job is to help teachers, staff, and students to do theirs.
2. They bring out the best in people. Principals who do this spend less time battling the worst in people.
3. They are independent thinkers. Great principals answer to their own principles before administration, staff, or parents.
4. They are current on almost everything. The best principals read and learn a lot about technology, teaching, research, and society.
5. They are relationship builders. They are welcome in any setting because they are seen as a teammate, not an enemy.
6. They treat all students like they treat their own children. They are advocates, and own the responsibility to help kids succeed.
7. They expect great teaching, and know how to cultivate and motivate to get it. They do not allow mediocrity.
8. They ask lots of questions, and reflect genuinely on the answers. They are great listeners.
9. They know how to leverage what already works, not re-invent the wheel.
10. They are personable, and garner respect through professionalism and kindness.

Are these the people we have leading our schools? If so, education can only improve. If not, there is little doubt why schools struggle. Leadership matters.

 

 

Chapter 10 FIVE Great Characteristics of a School Principal

 

5 Great Characteristics of a School Principal

• Excellent Communication
• Critical-thinking Skills
• Rapid Decision-making Skills
• Problem-solving Capabilities
• Strong Interpersonal Skills

In order to be a success, there are several key characteristics of a school principal that are essential. School principals deal with a variety of urgent situations and need to be ready to respond at a moment’s notice. When hiring a principal, keep these top five characteristics in mind.

1. Excellent Communication

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, one of the top characteristics of a school principal is excellent communication skills. The principal must be able to communicate in a way that everyone can understand. Some of the students and parents at the school may speak English as a second language. Principals should recognize topics as well as particular words or phrases that might be offensive and avoid them. A school principal must be equipped to communicate effectively through writing and speaking. People should feel like the principal listens to them when they talk. This is true whether the person is a kindergarten student or the school board president.

1. Critical-thinking Skills

Principals are often rated on how well the students at the school perform on particular standardized tests. They should be able to review test scores and work to make improvements. School principals need to be able to evaluate the overall learning process and make changes in order to improve it. For example, the principal of an elementary school might institute a reading buddy system so that emerging readers can develop their skills.

1. Rapid Decision-making Skills

School principals must be able to make sound decisions about urgent situations in a minimum amount of time. For example, a school principal might need to decide whether or not to close the building when the weather is unfavorable. They will also need to have strong decision-making skills for long-term concerns. A lot of factors may go into the long-term decisions, and a principal should feel comfortable with gathering input, evaluating it and making a decision that is best for the whole.

1. Problem-solving Capabilities

All kinds of problems come up in a school. From students who experience disciplinary issues to facilities management needs, a principal needs to be able to solve a wide variety of problems. The principal should be able to efficiently analyze the problem, develop an appropriate solution and implement it with the available resources. The principal should also be able to work with others in order to solve problems. For example, a school principal may need to work with the school’s police resource officer in order to handle disciplinary and criminal concerns.

Related Resource: 50 Most Affordable Online Master’s in Education Administration

1. Strong Interpersonal Skills

Strong interpersonal skills are also important characteristics of a school principal. A school principal has to be comfortable working with teachers, administrative staff, the school board, the state department of education, parents, students and the community. Within these groups, there may be people from a variety of cultural backgrounds who have different opinions on how the school should operate. The principal needs to take everyone’s input into account in order to establish positive working relationships.

People who have all five of these traits, as well as the necessary education, experience and passion for the job, will do well at being school principals. These qualities are good signs that a person is ready to handle this important and often stressful type of work. Keep in mind that these are not the only characteristics of a school principal, but they are essential to success at doing the job.

 

Chapter 11 TEN Traits of Successful School Leaders

 

10 Traits of Successful School Leaders

 

Educational leaders play a pivotal role in affecting the climate, attitude and reputation of their schools. They are the cornerstone on which learning communities function and grow. With successful school leadership, schools become effective incubators of learning, places where students are not only educated but challenged, nurtured and encouraged.

On the other hand, poor or absent school leadership can undermine the goals of an educational system. When schools lack a strong foundation and direction, learning is compromised, and students suffer. According to a Wallace Foundation study, “Leadership is second only to classroom instruction as an influence on student learning.”

The Makings of a Successful School Leader

But what makes a successful school leader? How do you become truly effective as a principal or in a leadership position? While there is no one solution to successful school leadership, there are certain strategies, skills, traits and beliefs that many of the most effective school leaders share.

The following traits are common among the most successful school leaders.

1. They Understand the Importance of Building Community

Effective school leaders build and sustain reciprocal family and community partnerships and leverage those partnerships to cultivate inclusive, caring and culturally responsive school communities. To build these community networks it is essential that school leaders are visible in their schools and community, develop trust and create a sense of transparency and shared purpose with parents, staff, community members and students.

Megan Tschannen-Moran, author and professor of educational leadership at the College of William and Mary, discusses the importance that trust plays in building communities in her book, “Trust Matters: Leadership for Successful Schools.”

Tschannen-Moran explains, “In schools with high levels of trust:

• Teachers are motivated and willing to try new strategies because they trust leaders to support them.
• Students are motivated and connected to the school because they trust their teachers.
• Families are supportive because the principal and teachers have built trusting relationships with them.”

1. They Empower Teachers and Cultivate Leadership Skills

Great school leaders know that they are not running a one-man show; that they cannot do it all alone. They know that they must surround themselves with great teachers and colleagues and, not only that, they must fully support teachers and staff by encouraging them to continually learn, develop and, perhaps most important, become leaders themselves.

It is no secret that when people are fulfilled and given opportunity for career growth, as well as autonomy and control over their careers, they are more productive, more engaged and more effective overall. In a recent Gallup poll, it was discovered that 33 percent of U.S. teachers are engaged in their work, while 51 percent are not engaged and 16 percent are actively disengaged. These statistics are startling to say the least.

Through offering professional development opportunities and support services to teachers, as well as by creating an environment where teachers are able to experiment, innovate and lead, principals can ensure a healthy environment for educators that will have positive repercussions for students. Another Gallup study found that “highly talented principals on Gallup’s Principal Insight assessment were 2.6 times more likely to have above average employee engagement at the schools they lead three years later.” Gallup has studied the issue closely, even issuing a report titled “Six Things the Most Engaged Schools Do Differently.”

In his book, “What Great Principals Do Differently,” education author and researcher Todd Whitaker wrote: “Great principals focus on improving the quality of the teachers within their buildings. By carefully hiring the best teachers, by supporting their efforts and their ambitions, by holding all staff members to high expectations, and by working to carefully support the individual development of each professional, principals impact student achievement.”

1. They Utilize Data and Resources

Successful school leaders use data, including standardized and school-based assessments, to drive continuous improvement through site-based decision-making for the express purpose of promoting equitable and culturally responsive opportunities for all students. The opportunities that data present are many and the most effective leaders are able to leverage that data to make strategic decisions to benefit their students.

According to educational technology company Illuminate Education, “building a foundation for data-driven decision making” is the first of “Six Steps for School Leaders to Use Data Effectively.”

A report from the Wallace Foundation asserts that: “When it comes to data, effective principals try to draw the most from statistics and evidence, having ‘learned to ask useful questions’ of the information, to display it in ways that tell ‘compelling stories’ and to use it to promote ‘collaborative inquiry among teachers.’ They view data as a means not only to pinpoint problems but to understand their nature and causes.”

 

 

 

1. They Have a Vision and a Plan

The very best leaders are also visionaries. They have a goal that they can unite a team around and a plan to help them get there. Not just that, but they are able to clearly articulate their school vision and goals.

Vision is perhaps one of the most important qualities a leader can have as it provides momentum and direction, not just for the team leader but for each and every team member. Of course, in order for leaders to be successful in pursuing their vision and enacting their plan, they must pair their vision with unrelenting passion. Vision and passion from an effective leader should generate inspiration, motivation and excitement that permeates throughout the school.

According to a “Successful School Leadership” report published by UK-based Education Development Trust, “Effective headteachers provide a clear vision and sense of direction for the school. They prioritize. They focus the attention of staff on what is important and do not let them get diverted and sidetracked with initiatives that will have little impact on the work of the students.”

1. They Create Collaborative, Inclusive Learning Environments

Inclusive learning provides all students with access to flexible learning choices and effective paths for achieving educational goals in spaces where they experience a sense of belonging. The best educators know this and prioritize inclusivity, creating safe learning environments that nurture every student. Leaders that prioritize inclusive learning also typically believe that every person can contribute to the greater learning community and therefore they encourage collaboration between faculty as well as students.

“Perhaps the most critical role in successful inclusive schools is the role of the principal,” wrote the Inclusive Schools Network. “The school principal’s active participation is the single most important predictor of success in implementing change, improving services, or setting a new course. The school principal is central to facilitating systemic change and leading faculty to adopt new attitudes and new practices.”

1. They Are Passionate About Their Work

Passion is a critical ingredient for nearly anyone who wants to be successful and happy in their job. But passion is especially important for school leaders, who typically have a great influence on their school’s climate and culture.

Passionate people have a contagious energy that can greatly affect teacher satisfaction and drive as well as student performance. “All the knowledge in the world can’t make a good leader: It’s the care for the work and the people who collaborate with you that makes the difference,” wrote Forbes. “This is in large part because people want to follow a passionate leader. Someone who cares about not only the cause for which he or she is working, but also the other people who are involved in the effort. Passion for the projects, for the company and for the people involved are key to successful leadership.”

1. They Encourage Risk-Taking

What most educators already know is that failure can be the greatest teacher. Just as teachers should encourage risk-taking amongst their students in order to spur growth, truly effective leaders encourage risk-taking amongst their subordinates and colleagues by creating a supportive environment that rewards not just successful ideas or initiatives but effort as well, no matter the outcome.

“Failure is required for learning, but our relentless pursuit of results can also discourage employees from taking chances. To resolve this conflict, leaders must create a culture that supports risk-taking,” wrote the Harvard Business Review. “One way of doing this is to use controlled experiments — think A/B testing — that allow for small failures and require rapid feedback and correction. This provides a platform for building collective intelligence so that employees learn from each other’s mistakes, too.”

1. They Lead by Example

We’ve all heard the saying, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Of course, the irony is that actions are much more telling than words. Leaders who lead by example position themselves as tremendous role models for not only the students in their school or district but for colleagues and parents as well. A leader that leads by example almost always receives respect and admiration, without which he or she will find little luck in leadership. As philosopher and physician Albert Schweitzer once said, “Example is not the main thing in influencing others; it is the only thing.”

1. They Persevere – Staying with a School for at Least Five Years

Change, while good, can also be disruptive when it occurs too frequently. In the case of school leadership, it has been documented that frequent turnover results in a negative school climate, which in turn has a negative effect on student performance.

“Committed and effective principals who remain in their schools are associated with improved schoolwide student achievement. As a corollary, principal turnover is associated with lower gains in student achievement,” reported the Learning Policy Institute. “Principal turnover has a more significant negative effect in high-poverty, low-achieving schools — the very schools in which students most rely on their education for future success. The negative effect of principal turnover suggests that principals need time to make meaningful improvements in their schools. One study found that it takes, on average, 5 years of a new principal leading a school for the school’s performance to rebound to the pre-turnover level.”

The best leaders, therefore, are willing to commit to a school and persevere despite the obstacles or challenges. After all, realizing a vision doesn’t happen overnight; true transformation takes time. A leader’s commitment displays not only passion but dedication, which can have a tremendously positive effect on school culture.

1. They Are Lifelong Learners

Perhaps the most important of all qualities that a school leader can possess is the unquenchable thirst for knowledge. As John F. Kennedy said, “leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” The best leaders, no matter what industry they work in, know they will never know it all. They are humble in their knowledge yet confident in their abilities. They’re endlessly curious individuals who never stop questioning, and learning.

The Harvard Business Review put it perfectly when they said: “It takes a real sense of personal commitment, especially after you’ve arrived at a position of power and responsibility, to push yourself to grow and challenge conventional wisdom. Which is why two of the most important questions leaders face are as simple as they are profound: Are you learning, as an organization and as an individual, as fast as the world is changing? Are you as determined to stay interested as to be interesting? Remember, it’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”

The report also quotes the noted writer and professor John Gardner, who observed, “The best leaders I’ve gotten to know aren’t just the boldest thinkers; they are the most insatiable learners.”

“LEADERSHIP AND LEARNING ARE INDISPENSABLE TO EACH OTHER” —JOHN F. KENNEDY

It is hard to think of an industry where constant learning is more applicable than education.

To be a successful and effective leader is no easy feat. Yet, effective school leaders are desperately needed in thousands of schools and educational institutions across this country and around the world.

As noted educational leadership expert Professor Kenneth Leithwood stated in a Hechinger Report article, “Indeed, there are virtually no documented instances of troubled schools being turned around without intervention by a powerful leader.”

For those interested in following their passion for the topics discussed above in a top-notch academic program, School Leadership is one of five specializations offered as part of the University of San Diego’s online Master of Education degree program.

 

Chapter 12 Qualities of a Good School Principal

 

Qualities of a Good School Principal

 

Principals have difficult jobs. As the face and head of the school, they are responsible for the education each student under their care receives, and they set the tone of the school. They decide on staffing decisions and student discipline issues.

Provides Support

Good teachers need to feel supported. They need to believe that when they have an issue in their classroom, they will get the help they need. According to a survey of the Detroit Federation of Teachers, a third of the more than 300 teachers who resigned in 1997–98 did so due to lack of administrative support. This situation has not changed much in the past two decades. This is not to say that principals should blindly back teachers without using their judgment. Teachers are human beings who make mistakes, too. Nonetheless, the overall feeling from the principal should be one of belief and support.

 

Highly Visible

A good principal must be seen. They must be out in the hallways, interacting with students, participating in pep rallies, and attending sports matches. Their presence must be such that students know who they are and also feel comfortable approaching and interacting with them.

 

 

Effective Listener

Much of a principal's time is spent listening to others: assistant principals, teachers, students, parents, and staff. Therefore, they need to learn and practice active listening skills every single day. They need to be present in each conversation despite the other hundred or so things that are calling for their attention. They also need to hear what is being said to them before coming up with their response.

 

 

Problem-Solver

Problem-solving is the core of the principal's job. In many cases, new principals are brought into a school because it is facing tough issues. It might be that the school's test scores are low, that it has a high number of discipline issues, or that it is facing financial issues due to poor leadership by the previous administrator. New or established, any principal will be asked to help with many difficult and challenging situations. Therefore, they need to hone their problem-solving skills by learning to prioritize and provide concrete steps to solve the issues at hand.

 

Empowers Others

A good principal, just like a good CEO or another executive, should want to give their employees a sense of empowerment. Business management classes in college often point to companies like Harley-Davidson and Toyota who empower their employees to offer solutions to problems and even stop line production if a quality issue is noted. While teachers are typically in charge of their individual classrooms, many feel powerless to affect the ethos of the entire school. Principals need to be open and responsive to teacher suggestions for school improvement.

 

 

Has a Clear Vision

A principal is the leader of the school. Ultimately, they have the responsibility for everything that goes on there. Their attitude and vision need to be loud and clear. They might find it useful to create their own vision statement which they post for all to see and must consistently enforce their own educational philosophy into the school setting.

One principal described his first day on the job at a low-performing school: He walked into the office and waited a few minutes to see what the receptionist staff located behind a high counter would do. It took quite a bit of time for them to even acknowledge his presence. Right then, he decided that his first act as principal would be to remove that high counter. His vision was one of an open environment where students and parents felt invited in, part of the community. Removing that counter was an important first step toward achieving this vision.

 

 

Fair and Consistent

Just like an effective teacher, principals must be fair and consistent. They need to have the same rules and procedures for all staff and students. They cannot show favoritism. They cannot allow their personal feelings or loyalties to cloud their judgment.

 

 

Discreet

Administrators must be discreet. They deal with sensitive issues each day including:

• Health issues of students and staff
• Difficult home situations for students
• Hiring and firing decisions
• Teacher evaluations
• Disciplinary issues with staff

 

 

Dedicated

A good administrator must be dedicated to the school and the belief that all decisions must be made in terms of the best interests of the students. A principal needs to embody school spirit. Just like being highly visible, it needs to be obvious to students that the principal loves the school and has their best interests at heart. Principals should normally be the first to arrive and the last to leave the school. This type of dedication can be difficult to maintain but pays enormous dividends with staff, students, and society at large.

 

Chapter 13 Top 10 Characteristics of Successful 21st Century School Leaders

 

Top 10 Characteristics of Successful 21st Century School Leaders

 

 

Good schools are driven by teachers, Principals and Heads of School who are passionate about making a difference to the lives of the children in their care. However, the challenges of 21st Century global and technological advances have placed school leaders under more pressure than ever before.

How can you be a successful School Leader? Here are the characteristics I believe you need to thrive in the 21st Century.

 Honesty and Integrity

As a leader you need to know yourself and your values. Find a school that aligns with your values and then model your values and the school’s values to all in your community. Make a personal commitment to be honest with yourself and your team at all times. Be transparent. Nurture honesty and integrity in your faculty and students. If you make a mistake, admit it, take responsibility for it, resolve it and learn from it. Always uphold your word and your promises.

Ability to Trust and Empower

Listen to your teachers and students. Learn their talents, interests and passions and then delegate accordingly. Empower them to take responsibility for tasks and projects. Be there to coach them and make sure you praise them for what they achieve.

Communicative, Collaborative and Connected

Openly seek and share information and knowledge. Seek to be understood and to understand others. Connect with the world via blogging and social media. Collaborate with others virtually and face-to-face to ensure the best decisions are made.

Positive Energy

Always present a positive, pro-active and caring approach. Make the time to speak with students, teachers and parents. Get to know and value them by developing authentic relationships. Make sure you manage your health, well being and energy levels.

 Confidence 

Be confident and approachable. Be visible, ask questions, value what you see and give praise for effective teaching and learning practices. As a leader you will be faced with difficult situations. In these situations, always stay calm and confident to maintain morale in the school community. Ensure your focus always returns to your strategic goals. The key objective is to keep everyone working and moving ahead.

 Commitment

Displaying genuine commitment and dedication is such a motivator to your teachers and students. Make sure you create short term and long term plans based on 21st Century strategic visioning.  Be 100% committed to the achievement of your the goals. 

Willingness to Learn, Unlearn and Relearn

Never stop learning! The opportunities and possibilities of the 21st Century are exciting and empowering for you and your school community. Be open to it and adopt a growth mindset. Seth Godin says, “If you’re not doing the things that scare you, you’re not really learning.” Attend workshops and conferences to learn from great 21st Century leaders.

 

 

 

Chapter 14 PERSONAL CHARACTER OF THE PRINCIPAL

 

 

PERSONAL CHARACTER OF THE PRINCIPAL 

 

 

 

Excellent Administrator Leadership Qualities

Professional organizations for education leaders put forth school leadership definitions that articulate key performance indicators. For example, the National Policy Board for Educational Administration describes excellent administrators as “… tenacious change agents who are creative, inspirational and willing to weather the potential risks, uncertainties and political fall-out to make their schools places where each student thrives.” Leadership qualities of a good educational administrator further include determination, self-confidence and high emotional intelligence.

Embraces Mission and Vision

An excellent school starts with a well-defined mission and vision statement developed in collaboration with key stakeholders, including teachers, parents, students and community members. An excellent administrator articulates and institutionalizes the school’s mission and vision. Excellent school leaders ensure that opportunity exists for each child to receive a top-notch education along with preparation for college or a vocation.

Nimble administrators understand that mission and vision should be revisited periodically to keep pace with the changing needs and expectations of students and schools. Above all, high-performing school administrators must personally embrace and role model an authentic commitment to student success. Multiple measurements are used to evaluate effort, achievement and progress.

Possesses Ethical and Moral Core

Ethics, integrity and basic human decency are important personal characteristics of excellent administrators. Without a moral compass, leaders can turn into cult figures or evil dictators like Adolf Hitler. School leaders must be honest, fair, trustworthy and transparent.

Similarly, an excellent administrator is a good steward of the school’s budget and appropriately allocates funds. Resources are properly used, managed and monitored. Record keeping and accounting are above reproach. School leaders with a solid reputation earn public trust, which is needed to gain support for school-funding referendums.

Promotes Equity and Inclusion

Excellent administrators embrace diversity and welcome students from all backgrounds. Curriculum is taught from a culturally inclusive lens that makes lessons meaningful to diverse students. Respect and tolerance permeate the culture of the school. Students feel safe and secure when an effective leader is at the helm.

Excellent administrators ensure that student disciplinary codes are consistently enforced with an emphasis on positive behavioral supports. Strong leaders have the courage to confront institutional bias or marginalization of certain student groups. Teachers and staff must demonstrate cultural sensitivity and unbiased treatment of students as a condition of continued employment.

Values Professional Development

High-performing school leaders consistently strive for greatness and don’t allow excuses for why improvements aren’t possible. They affirmatively recruit, hire, mentor and support teachers and staff. Professional development is strongly encouraged to help teachers stay abreast of emerging technologies and pedagogy.

Qualities of a good educational administrator also include a passion for lifelong learning. Teachers aspiring to senior school leadership jobs pursue graduate education, such as a specialist credential, master’s degree or doctorate in education. Other learning activities include membership in professional organizations and participation in educational conferences each year.

Cultivates a Collaborative Workplace

Teachers and professional staff appreciate an excellent administrator who creates an interesting, fun and nurturing work environment. High-performing schools are typically run by a school administrator who strives for outstanding teaching, learning and innovation. Teachers are encouraged to work collaboratively.

Under the leadership of an excellent administrator, relationships between co-workers, teachers, students and parents are warm, trusting and open. Problems are identified and resolved productively. School staff see themselves as valuable members of a team.

Engages Parents and Community Members

School leaders with a reputation for excellence are approachable, friendly and accessible. They are highly visible at school functions and are active in the larger community. They seek out opportunities to personally meet and greet students and their families. An open-door policy welcomes anyone who has a concern or suggestion, even angry or upset parents.

Parents are treated as partners in their students' educational progress. Families are kept well informed of school happenings and are invited to volunteer. Regular updates are sent to parents noting attendance, test scores and missing assignments.

Exceeds Job Expectations

Excellent school administrators go above and beyond when executing their duties. They strive for maximum efficiency, high productivity and ongoing improvements in curriculum, equipment and facilities. Every effort is made to follow proposed changes to local, state or federal laws that may affect school policy or funding allocations.

Gains in student achievement are often tied to initiatives spearheaded by top leadership. For instance, new programs to narrow the performance gap among students from different socioeconomic backgrounds can level the playing field as students prepare for college. Exemplary leadership performance can bring recognition such as the National School Principal of the Year award by the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Exudes Passion and Commitment

Exceptional administrators share a passion for providing a quality education to all students attending the school. “Passion is the ardor or the fire to develop and maintain an excellent school,” as defined by the National School Boards Association. Top administrators inspire others to get on board and achieve stretch goals. Motivation runs deeper than a desire to simply comply with state or federal testing benchmarks.

Commitment is evident in long hours spent attending school board meetings, speaking at school functions, attending conferences, following up on major incidents and keeping up with professional literature. Some principals and superintendents see their role as a calling to serve others. Balancing endless job responsibilities with their own personal and family commitments requires exceptional time management and personal sacrifice.

Strives for Innovation

Effective educational leaders are analytical thinkers who base decisions on research, theory, evidence and best practices. Time and money is not wasted on programs that are not impactful. Stakeholders are brought into the strategic-planning process to analyze data, discuss emerging trends and forecast future needs. Assessment is an ongoing process that provides immediate feedback on what students are learning and how they learn best.

Teachers and staff are encouraged to be leaders and innovators in their discipline. Hard work is expected but is also recognized and rewarded. Innovation and professional networking is encouraged. Quantifiable goals and objectives consistently aim for above-average outcomes.

Makes Tough Decisions

Excellent principals and superintendents have the courage and wisdom to make tough decisions when it comes to balancing the budget, investing in new initiatives, managing a teachers’ strike, responding to a lawsuit against the school and other challenging circumstances. Diplomacy, tact and decisiveness are essential personal characteristics when it comes to handling heated issues. Other important qualities are empathy, patience, willingness to listen and fair mindedness.

An excellent school leader maintains composure and provides direction in times of a crisis or a serious weather emergency. If a tragedy occurs at school, an excellent administrator possesses the confidence and composure to assess the situation, intervene and share frequent updates. An exceptional administrator is comfortable speaking to the media and law enforcement after an incident on school grounds.

 

Chapter 15 Top 10 Skills Every School Principal Must Have

 

 

Top 10 Skills Every School Principal Must Have 

 

 

TK-12 principals must be some of the most effective leaders in the world to be successful. It’s no surprise to educators when you tell them that an average day in the life of a K-12 principal is filled with last-minute student emergencies, faculty challenges, and angry parents all before most people wake up to start their days. At times, the job can be a thankless one, but principals push through with one common goal; make it possible for the kids they support to have the best possible education that can be provided. Below are the Top 10 skills every school principal must have for running an efficient school.

The job of a principal can get out of hand fast, but skilled principals around the world all share some common traits.

10) Managing Risk

Principals must make split-second decisions while weighing the costs and benefits. They have to calculate differing possibilities and prospective outcomes. Successful Principals are always looking ahead for both risks and opportunities that affect their schools.

 

 

 

9) Active Listening

This means being able to hear/see things beyond your point of view and checking your own understanding of things. Successful Principals intentionally focus on listening and understanding things from another person’s perspective. Active listening is one of the best skills that a principal can cultivate and use.

8) Priority Management

It is easy to spend significant amounts of time and energy on tasks that are unimportant if you do not have clear priorities. The better a principal can prioritize the things that have to be done, the better they can focus their efforts on the things that matter to their students and faculty most.

7) Empower Others

Successful principals see the greatness in others and do what they can to bring that greatness out of them. Faculty and staff grow as leaders when they get ownership of their decisions, hold themselves accountable for the decisions they make and outcomes that result, and have firsthand experience on the consequences of their actions. Ask a strong principal and s/he will tell you that it is part of their job as a leader to help their people develop into top performers.

 

 

 

6) Delegate More Tasks

By nature, strong leaders tend to lead by example, with a tendency of wanting to do things by themselves, but it is important to learn how to delegate. The benefits of delegating include better controlling your workload, develop your staff’s core skills, and enables your team to meet their goals faster, produce the best results, and help you accomplish more tasks than you would on your own.

5) Act Decisively

Effective principals take time to ensure that they have a complete understanding of the problems that they face and respond by taking strong decisive action without over questioning themselves. This skill can be achieved by balancing a) impulses that come from being impatient (reacting without thinking) and b) overthinking and delaying action.

4) Motivate Change

The fastest way to create a school where faculty and staff are stagnant and stuck is by fostering an environment that believes in the mantra “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. A key role in the life of a principal is to be persistent in constantly motivating change. This means change for the school, faculty, students, parents, and neighboring communities.

 

 

 

3) Communicate Clearly

Nothing makes performance suffer more than unclear communication. It doesn’t matter if it’s a staff member, faculty, parent, or student, they will not be able to do what you need them to do if they don’t know what you are trying to communicate. Strong communication is one of the top foundational elements to being a successful principal.

2) Promote Your Vision

School Principal skills are unique. Make your vision clear, not only to your staff, parents, and students but also to yourself. Create and promote a clear and defined vision for where you want your school to go and have it presented to your team daily. When this is achieved, not only is everyone more motivated, but also more effective since their responsibilities stay connected with your strategic goals and vision.

1) Educator First / Administrator Second

It’s easy to focus on career goals, day to day responsibilities, school budgets, and much, much more. As a principal, you are responsible for many things but don’t forget, you are an educator first. Successful principals keep their focus on their student success. Students depend on you, their parents depend on you, and the community (both inside and outside the school) depend on you. You cannot grow into a strong principal if you do not keep your focus on your students.

When you develop these skills on a daily basis, you will not only become an effective end-user of School principal skills but more than likely, a successful one as well.

 

 

 

 

Chapter 16 Top 10 Characteristics of Awesome 21st Century School Leaders

 

Top 10 Characteristics of Awesome 21st Century School Leaders

 

Good schools are driven by teachers, Principals and Heads of School who are passionate about making a difference to the lives of the children in their care. However, the challenges of 21st Century global and technological advances have placed school leaders and teachers under more pressure than ever before.

How can you be a successful School Leader or and promote international school leadership? Here are the characteristics I believe you need to develop to thrive in the 21st Century.

 

Honesty and Integrity

As a leader you need to know yourself and your values. Find a school that aligns with your values and then model your values and the school’s values to all in your community. Make a personal commitment to be honest with yourself and your team at all times. Be transparent. Nurture honesty and integrity in your faculty and students. If you make a mistake, admit it, take responsibility for it, resolve it and learn from it. Always uphold your word and your promises.

 

 

 

Ability to Trust and Empower

Listen to your teachers and students. Learn their talents, interests and passions and then delegate accordingly. Empower them to take responsibility for tasks and projects. Be there to coach them and make sure you praise them for what they achieve.

 

Communicative, Collaborative and Connected

Openly seek and share information and knowledge. Seek to be understood and to understand others. Connect with the world via blogging and social media, and follow organisations relating to INTO international education. Collaborate with others virtually and face-to-face to ensure the best decisions are made.

 

Positive Energy

Always present a positive, pro-active and caring approach. Make the time to speak with students, teachers and parents. Get to know and value them by developing authentic relationships. Make sure you manage your health, well being and energy levels.

 

 

 

 

Confidence 

Be confident and approachable, even if this is your first principalship or international school leadership role and you are feeling overwhelmed. Be visible, ask questions, value what you see and give praise for effective teaching and learning practices. As a leader you will be faced with difficult situations. In these situations, always stay calm and confident to maintain morale and confidence in the school community. Ensure your focus always returns to your strategic goals. The key objective is to keep everyone working and moving ahead.

 

Commitment and Persistence

Displaying genuine commitment and dedication is such a motivator to your teachers and students. Make sure you create short term and long term plans based on 21st Century strategic visioning.  Be 100% committed to the achievement of the school improvement goals. Adapt when unforeseen situations occur and then persist till the important goals are achieved. Never give up!

 

Willingness to Learn, Unlearn and Relearn

Never stop learning! The opportunities and possibilities of the 21st Century are exciting and empowering for you and your school community. Be open to it and adopt a growth mindset. Seth Godin says, “If you’re not doing the things that scare you, you’re not really learning.” Attend workshops and conferences to learn from great 21st Century leaders.

 

Entrepreneurial, Creative and Innovative

The ability to think outside the box is powerful. Creativity and innovation are great ways to manage the disruptions and complexities of the 21st Century. Empower students and teachers to be resourceful, flexible, creative, to think like entrepreneurs and develop global partners and resources to succeed in our ever-changing world. Develop the school as an entrepreneurial organisation.

 

Intuitive

Learn to trust your instincts. Recent research shows that we can successfully solve problems intuitively.  Listen to the voice within you; it comes from a wise and good place.

 

Ability to Inspire

Be inspiring! Address teachers, students and parents with speeches about noble 21st century educational possibilities, highlighting the school’s vision and mission. Create an enthusiasm and optimism to work together in creating future directions for the school. Continue this focus all through your tenure. For some inspiration to motivate your team,

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 17 The 21st Century Principal

 

The 21st Century Principal

 

Recently, I wrote about what shapes my learning..  I have tied my own learning into our eportfolio vision and how it will be beneficial to students having opportunities for deep learning.  As I have thought about this, I wanted to talk about how these characteristics tie into what makes an effective, 21st century principal.

• Creative – An effective administrator looks at different angles to solve problems.  Sometimes meeting the needs of all students takes different approaches that have not been used before, and we have to critically think on how we can do these things.  Things such as traditional professional development plans need to be readjusted and updated to meet the needs of staff.  Continuously doing what we have always done will  yield the same results.  We have to be innovative in our practices.
• Communicator – An effective administrator not only communicates by sharing information through several mediums, but also is an effective listener.  It is essential that we  work to be effective communicators with all stakeholders to do what is best for kids.
• Critical Thinker – Many ideas come our way that seem great at first glance, or maybe not so great.  We have to look at these ideas and evaluate the long term impact on our schools and students, and how they will ultimately benefit them.  One of my mentors said to me, “there are very few emergencies” when discussing how some feel they need answers immediately.  It is essential as administrators we take all information and really think about all decisions that are made in our schools.
• Creates Challenge- This is not meant to mean we provide roadblocks to our staff and community (we need to do the opposite).  This is about continuously pushing forward for the sake of our students and providing ways for our staff to be continuous learners.  Once the challenge is gone from our job, are we still actively engaged? The same “flow theory” that we can use for students, should be used for our entire community.
• Builds Community – How do we connect others and share their strengths?  Community is not about connecting everyone, but it is connecting those to the right people.  For example, how do we build opportunities for staff to connect with others to help further their learning?  It is essential that we not only develop leaders in our school, but we give opportunities for others to see their leadership.
• Visionary – An effective principal has a vision of where we want our school to go to best prepare our students for their future.  It is not only essential that we are able to develop this vision, but that we are able to effectively share it with our community.
• Caring – Without this, none of the others matter.  Students and staff need to know that they are cared for as people and that we will do our best to look out for their best interests.  This is the foundation our schools need to be built upon.

Through my continuous learning, I see that many of the qualities we are trying to instill in our students for their future, we must instill in ourselves now.

Chapter 18 NINE Essential 21st Century Leadership Skills

 

9 Essential  21st Century Leadership Skills

 

 

 

Educators around the world have been grappling with the concept of 21st Century Education and international school leadership for the past 20 years! Some are earnest, some are cynical and some are overwhelmed with the whole notion.

 

How are you dealing with the changes we need to make in schools to meet the needs of 21st Century Learners?  Do you have a clear vision of your way forward into an international education and collaborative mindset? Do you have the skills to get there? Are you feeling confused, frustrated or overwhelmed? Or are you just too damn busy to even think about it?

 

I understand how you feel! As a passionate educational leader for over 20 years I have recently carved out some time to research 21st Century Learning and 21st Century Leadership because I was feeling confused, frustrated and overwhelmed.

 

I don’t have all the answers but I now have a much clearer understanding of what we should be doing as 21st Century School Leaders and I’d like to share it with you.

Here’s a snapshot of my thinking to date.

 

1.  21st Century School Leaders are visionary. They …

• Want the world to be a better place
• Want to make a difference
• Believe in collective genius
• See now and the future as collaborative

 

1.  21st Century School Leaders are emotionally intelligent. They …

• Lead from the heart, align vision with passion and unite people
• Use a distributed leadership model
• Empower others and unleash passions
• Actively seek and promote Talent Development in their teams
• Use an abundance not scarcity mindset
• Recruit smarter more creative people than themselves
• Think ‘Yes’ and then work out ‘How?’ and encourage others to adopt this approach
• Are supportive, authentic and sincere
• Do not use a ‘blame’ approach and ultimately take responsibility for everything that happens in the school or organization
• When necessary, hold people accountable to the vision and their individual responsibilities

 

1.  21st Century School Leaders master self-leadership. They …

• Are driven by purpose, not ego, power or money
• Have grit and commit to see tasks through
• Develop ‘Focus’ as a 21st Century Skill and simplify wherever possible
• See their work as joy, creating their own happiness and making a difference to the lives of others
• See failure as a growth point, an iteration and ask what have I/we learnt from this and plan next steps
• Are courageous and conquer their fears and limiting thoughts
• Manage their well-being

 

1.  21st Century School Leaders embrace change and innovation. They …

• See opportunities and possibilities in everything
• Are Change Agents and Change Advocates
• Understand how to manage organizational change
• Nurture a desire to innovate in their teams

 

1.  21st Century School Leaders welcome and value diversity. They …

• Seek different perspectives and empower others
• Are compassionate, responsible Global Citizens
• Empathize and adjust communication and styles of collaboration across cultures and generations

 

1.  21st Century School Leaders develop a 21st Century Mindset. They …

• Have a growth mindset
• Have a positive attitude
• Think outside the box
• Think strategically
• Are solution-oriented, proactive and non-reactive
• Use data analysis to inform decision-making
• Seek constant improvement for themselves and the organization they are leading, pushing themselves outside their comfort zone

 

1.  21st Century School Leaders are learners. They …

• Focus on learning for themselves and the organization
• Use systems thinking, design thinking, innovation and disruption to create Learning Organizations
• Are reflective lead learners
• Are Instructional Leaders
• Are learning partners with students and teachers
• Seek different perspectives about the future of learning

 

1.  21st Century School Leaders are connected with the world. They …

• Develop fluency with digital and social media
• Develop agile and flexible partnerships with others
• Are intercultural and Intergenerational savvy
• Understand that Sustainability must be embedded into the curriculum

 

1.  21st Century School Leaders take action. They …

• Operate with a strong results focus
• Emphasize the importance of efficiency, productivity and priorities
• Solve problems effectively
• Create the future.

 

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 09.08.2020

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