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Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Principles about principals
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Now that the school year is up and running I’m spending a lot more time in schools. In my years covering education I’ve noticed that every school considered good or improving has a strong principal.
The effective principals I’ve met all have similar qualities. They constantly ask, “Will it help the children?” They’re never in their offices, instead they’re wandering the halls talking with students and teachers. Their desks are cluttered and messy. They grant parents and the media access to all parts of their buildings and they don’t require teachers to make appointments to see them.
But it seems as though a lot of principals are failing. The reasons are many. In some cases, it’s a lack of training and support from the central office. For others, it’s the principal’s failure to come up with a long-term plan and implement it correctly.
What training should districts give principals?
Maybe the problem is systems are not hiring the right people. What qualities and skills should district leaders look for when they’re hiring principals?
