The journey from classroom teacher to school principal is a challenging yet incredibly rewarding one. It requires dedication, a commitment to lifelong learning, and a deep understanding of what it takes to build a thriving educational institution.

This isn’t just about moving up the ladder; it’s about expanding your sphere of influence to create a lasting, positive impact on an entire school community.

 When Leadership Calls: How to Become a School Principal

Picture a dedicated 5th-grade teacher named Sarah, who consistently went above and beyond for her students. She spearheaded a school-wide literacy program, mentored new teachers, and was always the first to volunteer for school improvement committees.

Over time, her colleagues and administrators began to see her not just as an excellent teacher, but as a natural leader. Sarah’s story isn’t unique; many successful principals begin their journey by demonstrating leadership within their teaching roles, often without even realizing they’re laying the groundwork for future administrative positions.

Laying the Foundation: Essential Steps to Becoming a Principal

So, what are the concrete steps to transition from the classroom to the principal’s office.

Master Your Craft: Excel as a Teacher

Before you can lead a school, you must first demonstrate excellence within the classroom. A strong foundation in teaching is paramount. This includes:

• Instructional Expertise: Deep understanding of curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment.
• Classroom Management: The ability to create a positive, productive, and well-managed learning environment.
• Student Achievement: A track record of helping students achieve academic growth.
• Professionalism: Consistently demonstrating ethical behavior, reliability, and a commitment to professional growth.

Your reputation as an outstanding educator will be a significant asset as you pursue leadership roles.

Earn Your stripes: Gain Leadership Experience (Even Without the Title)

You don’t need to be an assistant principal to gain valuable leadership experience. Seek out opportunities within your current school or district:

• Department Head or Team Lead: Take on responsibilities for curriculum development, team collaboration, and mentoring.
• Committee Participation: Join school improvement committees, curriculum development teams, or professional development committees.
• Mentor Teacher: Guide and support new teachers.
• Curriculum Writer: Contribute to the development or revision of school or district curricula.
• Extracurricular Advisor/Coach: Lead clubs, sports teams, or other student activities.
• Professional Development Facilitator: Lead workshops or training sessions for your colleagues.

These experiences demonstrate your initiative, collaboration skills, and ability to influence positive change.

Advance Your Education: The Principal’s Credential

To become a principal, you will almost certainly need to pursue advanced education. The specific requirements for principal jobs vary by state, but generally include:

• Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership or Administration: This is a common requirement and provides foundational knowledge in school law, finance, curriculum, supervision, and leadership theory. Look for programs that are accredited and align with your state’s licensure requirements.
• Administrator Licensure/Certification: Each state has its own specific requirements for principal licensure. This often involves:
  • Approved Program Completion: Completing a state-approved educational leadership program.
  • Praxis or Other State-Specific Exams: Passing standardized exams that assess your knowledge of educational leadership.
  • Experience Requirements: Most states require a certain number of years of teaching experience (typically 3-5 years) to be eligible for principal licensure.
  • Internship/Practicum: Many programs include a supervised administrative internship where you gain hands-on experience in a school leadership role.

Key Considerations for Your Educational Path

Accreditation: Ensure the program you choose is accredited by a recognized agency (e.g., CAEP – Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation).

Program Focus: Some programs offer specializations (e.g., K-12, elementary, secondary). Choose a program that aligns with your career aspirations.

Flexibility: Many universities offer online or hybrid programs, which can be beneficial for working professionals.

Network and Find Mentors: Build Your Professional Community

No one reaches the principal’s office alone. Building a strong professional network and finding mentors are crucial steps:

• Connect with Current Administrators: Reach out to principals, assistant principals, and district leaders in your area. Ask for informational interviews, observe them in action, and learn from their experiences.
• Join Professional Organizations: Organizations like the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) or the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) offer invaluable networking opportunities, professional development, and resources. State-level principal associations are also excellent resources.
• Seek Out Mentors: Find experienced principals who are willing to guide you, offer advice, and provide constructive feedback. A good mentor can share insights, help you navigate challenges, and open doors to opportunities.

Hone Your Skills: Beyond the Classroom

While teaching skills are foundational, school leadership requires a broader range of competencies:

• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication is essential for interacting with students, staff, parents, and the community.
• Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: Principals face complex challenges daily and must make sound, ethical decisions.
• Financial Literacy: Understanding school budgets and resource allocation is a critical responsibility.
• Data Analysis: The ability to analyze data to inform instructional decisions and school improvement initiatives.
• Conflict Resolution: Effectively mediating conflicts among staff, students, or parents.
• Visionary Leadership: The capacity to articulate a clear vision for the school and inspire others to work towards it.
• Cultural Competency: Understanding and valuing the diverse backgrounds of students, families, and staff.

Seek out professional development opportunities that focus on these areas.

The Principal’s Role: What Does a Principal Actually Do?

It’s more than just sitting in an office! A principal’s day is incredibly dynamic and varied, encompassing a wide range of responsibilities:

• Instructional Leadership: Driving academic excellence, supporting teachers, and ensuring effective curriculum implementation.
• School Culture and Climate: Fostering a positive, inclusive, and safe learning environment for all.
• Staff Management: Hiring, evaluating, mentoring, and supporting teachers and staff.
• Community Engagement: Building strong relationships with parents, community organizations, and stakeholders.
• Budget and Operations: Managing school finances, facilities, and daily operations.
• Student Discipline: Overseeing student conduct and implementing fair disciplinary practices.
• Compliance and Regulations: Ensuring the school adheres to all local, state, and federal education laws.

The Journey Continues: Lifelong Learning for Leaders

Becoming a principal isn’t the end of the journey; it’s the beginning of a new chapter of continuous learning and growth. The educational landscape is constantly evolving, and effective principals are committed to staying current with best practices, educational research, and emerging technologies.

If you’re a teacher with a passion for shaping the future of education on a broader scale, the path to becoming a principal is within reach. It demands dedication, preparation, and a genuine desire to serve your school community.

By taking deliberate steps, investing in your professional development, and embracing leadership opportunities, you can transition from an exceptional teacher to an inspiring and impactful school leader. Your unique perspective from the classroom will be an invaluable asset in the principal’s office.

Educators never stop learning; check out our available graduate degree programs  to hone your skills and promote lifelong learning and academic excellence.

The post How to Become a Principal appeared first on Graduate Programs for Educators.

1. Leadership Pitfalls

Principals function both as the instructional and managerial leaders of a school. Often, when a new principal steps into the role, faculty and staff members may test the new administrator to determine their boundaries. This presents a delicate “tightrope” on which the new principal must walk.

While being personable and approachable is important, it is equally important to hold to school policies and draw a hard line against any violations.

The principal’s goal is not to be a dictator; however, it is their responsibility to ensure that contractual and policy-related obligations are met. As a result, new principals should develop a leadership style that enables them to connect with their faculty and staff members while also maintaining high standards of professionalism and compliance.

2. Instructional Missteps

Within the field of education there always seems to be a “next best thing.” Advertisements for new and improved textbooks, learning apps, websites, and manipulatives flood inboxes, and latest buzzwords are used repeatedly at professional meetings and conferences.

A common misstep new principals make is attempting to keep up with the latest new initiatives while not following through on ones that were started previously.

This is especially true for first-year principals. The first year primarily should be an exercise in observation. The new principal should take stock of what currently is being done throughout the school year and weigh the pros and cons.

The tale of a new principal who enters a new school and changes everything on the first day is extremely common, and it is a surefire way to lose credibility with faculty and staff members.

Instead of following the latest trends, new principals should carefully weigh any new initiatives from the perspective of what is best for their students and staff based on the needs of their specific geographic area.

3. Communication Challenges

One of the common mistakes new principals make revolves around communicating too much information at once. In most cases new principals are passionate about the success of their students and have invested significant time preparing for the transition to administration.

However, new principals must remember that just like students, adults learn best when information is chunked into smaller portions and shared over a period of time.

Principals who begin their tenures composing lengthy, multi-paragraph emails to their faculty and staff members every day soon will find that their emails go unread. This is not because the faculty and staff willingly disregard the emails but because they do not have the time during a busy school day to process copious amounts of information via email.

The same concept applies to faculty meetings. Agendas should be kept brief and limited only to critical information, especially for meetings after the school day.

People, in general, will “tune out” after more than 10-15 minutes of information, so principals should be sure to keep both spoken and written communications clear and concise. Otherwise, their messages will go unread or unheard.

4. Financial Management Faux Pas

One of the roles of the principalship for which new principals often are unprepared is the aspect of managing a budget. The budgeting process varies from one school system to the next, but one element remains critical regardless of budgeting style: requisitions. All school systems require requisitions to be completed by staff members who wish to make purchases via the school budget.

During budget season, which usually runs from January through early spring, principals may encounter hundreds of requisition forms. Given the volume, simply signing requisitions without reading them can become a common faux pas.

Principals must be aware of how money is being spent within their buildings, and they are responsible for ensuring that the funds allotted to their buildings are spent wisely in a manner that benefits all school stakeholders.

Although it is a taxing process, the principal must review all budgetary requisitions beyond general school supplies and challenge them if necessary. Few things are worse than being questioned at a public meeting about money being spent in one’s building and not having an answer at the ready.

Being a principal is challenging, and financial matters often are placed on the back burner. This should not be the case, and new principals must build in the time necessary for monitoring the budget process within their schools.

5. Time Management Mayhem

Time management is perhaps the greatest challenge for new principals. The principal role requires individuals to think on their feet and move quickly from one thing to the next.

An example of this is a high school principal who, within an hour, may deal with student discipline issues, address sports-related matters, field phone calls from parents, make curricular decisions, and observe a classroom.

In the principal’s chair, everyone and everything seem to be clamoring for time. As a result, principals must set aside time before and after the school day to think, plan, and complete tasks that must be accomplished without distractions.

The job of a principal does not begin and end with the first and last bells of the school day. Consequently, new principals must be prepared to invest the time necessary to complete the job successfully.

Most importantly, new principals must reserve a window of time each day to decompress for the sake of their own mental health. This looks different from person to person, but principals must take the time to look out for their own wellbeing because it directly affects their interactions with their students and staff members.

A graduate degree in administration prepares you to lead as a school administrator and help shape the future for generations of students. Check out our available leadership and administration graduate degrees and get started today!

The post The New Principal’s Learning Curve: Avoiding Common Mistakes appeared first on Graduate Programs for Educators.

In our defense, it is not as crazy as a three-ring circus, but the analogy of three major arenas is worth discussing, and management of these components is the key. The three areas that almost everything falls into are operations, academics, and culture.

Operations

Mazlov’s Hierarchy of Needs applies directly to a school’s function, thus why operations and how a school functions leads off our three-ring Venn diagram. Before any learning can occur, distractions that can take away from learning must be minimized, and the people in the building need to be taken care of.

This begins and ends with the safety of the faculty and students in the building.
Any kind of perception or actual threat in or outside of the building will make teaching and learning difficult. The following question must be answered positively: Do our staff and students feel safe in the building? Principals must keep safety and security at the foremost something to be monitored.

Discipline will fall into this category and serve as an example of how some items span all three arenas. How well supported the teachers and even students feel when other students do clearly wrong things will impact the ease of learning. Quick, fair, and reasonable discipline will help run a school smoothly.

Another operation in the Mazlov’s hierarchy that must be monitored and the principal needs to attend to are the food service operations. Too many of our students today rely on the school as the most reliable place for two meals a day. Without this, many of our students will be hungry to learn their next timetable or write their next essay. This is a way that schools and administrators are meeting the needs of students.

Next is the simple cleanliness and temperature of the building. It distracts learning when rooms are not clean, and trash gets in the way. When the building is not cool enough or warm enough, it is a distraction that concentration in the classroom comes easy. Sometimes, the allergens in the air system can cause sickness or breathing issues. All of these things need to be running well and checked by the principal with the help of maintenance.

Three other operations that need to run well are pick-ups, dismissals, and the schedule for the day. Nothing can impact the community opinion of school more than how smoothly or inefficiently dropping off students and picking up students can be. Then nothing can impact staff more than how smoothly the transitions and switches will take place in the building. A principal has to make sure these operations are running smoothly.

Academics 

The foundation (operations) have been laid, now let’s start building the house with the principal as the instructional leader of the school.

The master schedule of the school is the number one academic matrix that a principal will deal with. Who teaches what, when, where, and how are we addressing our most pressing needs are all things that the master schedule will address. From here the principal gets to set up their strategic plan for the entire school. This will impact how the schools budget is spent.

The next academic aspect that the principal monitors is the actual academic progress of the school. This involves how data is being tracked toward student success and the school’s goals. This includes progress on state-mandated targets and a school’s own initiatives. Another critical aspect of this is the actual teaching and learning in the classroom. The evaluation and progress of staff in the art of teaching has to be one of the top priorities of a principal. A rising tide raises all ships, thus if there is improvement in those who are teaching, more student success can’t be far behind.

Another aspect that leads into teaching in the classroom is the support given to teachers.
This spans from technology in the classroom, to assisting in the accommodation needed for some students, etc. Is taking attendance easy, can showing a PowerPoint to students happen without distractions, is the internet running smoothly, and is there someone available to help read tests to students? All of these are examples of how the academic infrastructure needs to be monitored and, at times, addressed by the principal.

Culture

With the academics and operational foundation in place, the principal must make the building one where staff and students want to come daily.

How are relationships from teacher to teacher? Is there good professional collaboration taking place between staff so they are improving their craft? Is the principal providing time for staff to get to know each other personally and for relationships to grow. If relationships grow at the staff level, they will carry over from staff to students. A faculty that wants to teach, will lead to students who want to learn. How a principal addresses morale (the desire to charge the hill) will directly impact student success.

Another major aspect of culture that a principal needs to directly impact is how welcoming the community feels when they come to school. When someone walks in, how welcoming is the atmosphere? Do parents and guardians feel as if the school is an advocate or adversary for their student? This can range from the type of events held on campus to the frequency of events.

Lastly, especially in higher grade levels, how a principal encourages and supports students in extracurricular activities can impact the culture of a campus. Many secondary students academics take a back seat (no, it should not) to their extracurricular activities, but either way, it still brings them to school; that is the most important thing!

So, what does a principal do? It is a tightrope of items to focus on from making sure the campus is a place where learning can take place to making sure learning is taking place to making sure the school is a place where stakeholders want to come and learn every day. Some days, operations will be the focus. Some days, academics will be the focus, and some days all three items will be addressed multiple times. Balancing this three-ring circus is the primary thing that principals do every day.

A graduate degree in administration prepares you to lead as a principal, superintendent or other school administrator and help shape the future for generations of students. Check out our available leadership and administration graduate degrees and get started today!

The post What Does a School Principal Do? appeared first on Graduate Programs for Educators.

As a result, we have scoured the internet and talked to many principals to compile a list of essential apps that every school principal should have to help streamline communication, increase productivity, and enhance student engagement.

From learning management systems to communication tools, these apps and edtech apps can help school principals stay organized, efficient, and effective in their role as a leader.

Why You Should Use Apps as a School Principal

Apps can provide numerous benefits in your daily work. They can help you be more efficient and productive by providing tools that automate tasks.

They can help you stay organized by providing a centralized location for all your documents, as well as help you to communicate more quickly and efficiently by allowing you to send messages and announcements to multiple people at once.

Apps to Help School Principals Communicate

Remind

The Remind app is a messaging app that allows school administrators to communicate with teachers, staff, and parents via text messages. It’s a secure platform that enables you to send announcements, updates, and reminders to multiple people at once making it an efficient way to communicate with large groups of people.

A key feature that many school principals love is the ability to schedule messages in advance, ensuring that important information is delivered at the right time.

ClassDojo

ClassDojo is a classroom communication app that allows school administrators to stay connected with parents, share updates and announcements, and track student progress.

Similar to the Remind app, ClassDojo provides a secure platform for communication, enabling school administrators to send messages, photos, and videos to parents. A key feature of this app is its behavior management system.

This unique system allows school principals to track student behavior as well as provide positive reinforcement for good behavior. It also allows you to engage with parents and keep them informed about what’s happening in the classroom.

Slack

Slack is another application that provides a convenient and efficient way for school principals to communicate with their staff and teachers.

One of its many useful features is the ability to create channels for different topics such as professional development, school announcements, etc. It also allows users to send and receive direct messages, as well as share files and documents which is useful when collaborating on projects or lesson plans.

Apps to Help School Principals be More Productive

Calendly

As a school principal, you have many tasks to manage. Automating some of these tasks can help you save time and focus on more important work.

The Calendly app is a scheduling app that can help you streamline your scheduling process and in turn save you time. For example, all you have to do is create a Calendry link and share it with parents to schedule conferences, staff to schedule meetings or classroom observations, or prospective teachers to schedule an interview.

This app can help you save time and reduce the need for any back-and-forth emails or phone calls to schedule appointments.

Evernote

Evernote is another productivity app that many administrators find to be quite helpful. This note-taking app allows school principals to capture and organize their ideas, to-do lists, and notes all in one place.

It provides a searchable database of notes, making it easier to find and retrieve important information quickly. It has just the right tools to capture information and graphics from the internet, as well as the ability to take a photo, write a text note, or grab a screenshot.

Its user-friendly interface allows you to post and access notes from anywhere. With Evernote, taking notes during meetings becomes unnecessary, as everything is saved and organized in one place.

Google Workspace

Google Workspace (formally G Suite) is a cloud-based productivity app from Google that can help school principals be more productive in communication, collaboration, and organization.

Features include Gmail, an email service, Google Meet, a video conferencing service, Google Drive, a cloud-based storage solution for all of your documents and files, and Google Calendar, to help you manage your schedule and appointments more effectively.

Apps to Help School Principals Stay Organized

Google Drive

Google Drive is a cloud-based storage app that allows you to access all of your files from a computer, tablet, or smartphone.

You also can allow others to view, edit, or leave comments on any of the documents in the drive. The great thing about this app is that if you already have a Google email, then you have Google Drive. You can create Google docs and spreadsheets and store and share from whatever device you want, at any time.

It’s an excellent way to track workflow and update content. Items are easy to retrieve, and educators love how easy it is to communicate and stay up to date with all of their faculty.

Trello

Trello is an effective project management application that school principals can use to visually track tasks and projects. It also provides a centralized location to organize and prioritize tasks, as well as simplifies managing multiple projects and deadlines. With Trello, you can easily stay on top of your tasks by creating a fluid organizational system using lists on a board.

Todoits

Todoist is a task management app that can help you stay organized by allowing you to create to-do lists, set due dates, and track progress.

As a school principal, you must manage and keep track of a wide range of tasks. This organizational app will help you create a to-do list and categorize your tasks by project, priority, or due date. Other features include the ability to set reminders, share tasks and projects with others, as well as track your progress on specific tasks.

As a school principal, your time and energy are precious. These apps can help you streamline your workload, communicate more efficiently, and make the most of your workday.

A graduate degree in administration prepares you to lead as a principal, superintendent or other school administrator and help shape the future for generations of students. Check out our available leadership and administration graduate degrees and get started today!

The post Apps Every School Principal Should Have appeared first on Graduate Programs for Educators.

What Changes From the Pandemic Do We Still See in Principal Jobs Today?

Mental Health

Possibly the largest shift deals with the mental health of both students and adults, specifically faculty members. An increase in anxiety for numerous reasons is a significant factor in the school community. While teachers were hailed early on as heroes, a reversal took place that focused on the fact that they were not doing enough to combat learning loss supposedly occurring in the students.

Principals have added roles of not only influencing students in a positive way to improve mental health and combat the potential loss of education they need to be successful but transitioning the teachers through affirmation and support. A different normal has been established and teachers are so used to the control of their environment, it has become a difficult change in their worlds. And successful leaders of schoolwork with and communicate through emotional relationships. Therefore, it automatically becomes the responsibility of the principal to take on the emotional well-being concerns for all stakeholders in order to move the school community forward. In some cases, mental health liaisons are being hired for adults, not just children, in schools to help support this new issue.

Technology

Another avenue that opened up with the technological focus on remote education is that some of those doors never closed. While the majority of teachers went back to a classroom of students, the students didn’t necessarily welcome that pathway back. Cyber schooling, remote learning, blended learning, and even homeschooling took on a more relevant role than ever before during education.

Principals now have even more channels to monitor, including the communication with these students who have chosen blended and adapted schedules. Those at home are not as exposed in the social atmosphere, which always poses a challenge, and they aren’t necessarily receiving the same communications and updates as those attending regularly. While parents are happier with the flexibility, these different pathways provide not only the technological difficulties of implementing softwares and hardwares for teachers, students, and parents, but monitoring each and every student no longer physically accounted for within the school building.

Principals have taken on roles as these types of mental health liaisons, technology leaders, and varying bureaucrats of emotional role models, rather than focusing on the typical curriculum, assessment and instructional leaders that existed as the pre-pandemic norm (not to say these elements didn’t exist; they just were as much at the forefront as they are currently).

Regulatory Functioning of Schools

Another major source of stress is the regulatory functioning of the schools. Principals have accepted the idea that they need to jump in everywhere in order to keep the school running, while educators, community members, politicians, etc., all are questioning this new world normalcy. Principals are the ones who are now directing traffic, filling in for the nurses, monitoring the Student Assistance Programs (SAP), and covering for custodians. Early on they were involved in the contact tracing and sending out of multiple communications in order to keep the public up to date with its covid numbers and maintaining schools being open.

Those responsibilities have not changed. With the shortage of teachers and workers, principals are expected to return to their previous placement while continuing to handle these new expectations. Scheduling and covering are being restarted daily, with numerous principals stepping back into the classrooms as substitutes when they can’t cover classes. Can you imagine trying to run a school and plan lessons knowing you can’t be in two places at once?

Positive Changes

Due to the idea that administration is covering varying positions, it has given more opportunity for principals to interact with students in different roles. Showing students that they will help in any position, from mopping up or cleaning tables during lunch to covering for secretaries in the front office, students get to view the humanity of administrators. They are able to build relationships in a different form.

Another advantage is the opportunity for transformation regarding curriculum, assessment, and instruction. Remote learning provided a new way of looking at how education could be delivered to students who could not attend school; in some cases, the hybrid of remote and in-person was a new challenge that allowed access for all, which helped with absences and truancy regarding excuses and medical leave.

Instruction took on a whole new look and principals had the chance to observe in a different fashion, sometimes with only the teacher in the room. But it leads to stronger discussions about the importance of applying specific strategies to instruct students in a remote fashion. More focused and personal discussions have occurred in these veins.

A whole new review of the ways in which assessments were delivered is another favorable effect generated. Principals had to support teachers in their technological knowledge but also could take leadership roles in reviewing and redesigning assessments. It has become an opportunity to departmentally and individually focus on providing testing questions and scenarios that students could apply to their lives, rather than with some of the traditional depth of knowledge level one questions.

While the world of education was upended with the pandemic, both positive and negative aspects have changed the roles and responsibilities of the principals, affecting a massive change in ideologies.

A graduate degree in administration prepares you to lead as a principal, superintendent or other school administrator and help shape the future for generations of students. Check out our available administration and leadership graduate degrees and get started today!

The post How the Pandemic Has Changed Principal Jobs appeared first on Graduate Programs for Educators.

These observations can be as simple as a five-minute administrator walkthrough or more formal as an observation for teacher evaluation or renewal for a professional license. Regardless of the type of observation, it is important to note that positive growth is the goal for the teacher, students, and building administrator.

According to the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET), to make classroom observations count as much as possible there are four focus areas to review continuously. These areas are instruction, planning, environment, and professionalism.

When considering classroom observations, these four areas will foster growth in the teacher and focus on the needs of students. To further understand these four areas, it is essential to understand the return on investment in teacher knowledge, confidence in delivering instruction, and student academic growth.

Focusing on these areas allows for an effective guide to continuous growth and development. This allows for a rubric to be used to guide teacher expectations and school administrator and state department accountability for staff. One such example of this is the South Carolina Teaching Standards 4.0 Rubric adopted from the NIET.

Instruction

Classroom instruction should be research-based, differentiated to student learning abilities and styles, and project-based. When optimizing the learning experience of students, the teacher needs to consider how the teaching standards and objectives can be translated to the level of the students.

Furthermore, how instructional content is presented and finding ways to motivate students in their learning process is vital to understanding how to grow students’ and teachers’ ability to impact academic and social success. When focusing on positive growth in the classroom, it is important to think about ways to gather academic feedback from students to check for understanding and facilitate lessons that focus on problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Today’s students need teachers and administrators who have access to professional development for 21st century teaching skills and applications to real-world practical experiences. For more information on engaging students through technology in the classroom, consider pursuing a grad degree in educational technology. This and degrees in curriculum and instruction and educational leadership provide ways for teachers and administrators in the K-12 and higher education spectrum to enhance their craft and impact student learning. Finding ways to use data to see student learning trends and ways to continue to find professional development for educators will provide a platform to bring growth to the teaching and learning process.

Planning

Planning lessons and learning objectives is crucial to facilitating effective classroom management. Additionally, both short-term and long-term planning helps define the scope and sequence of instruction as well as the implementation of content delivery for student learning.

When observing a teacher, school administrators must look for evidence of proper classroom planning and transitions. Things to look for that give evidence of effective planning includes having standards and objectives displayed on the board, interactive ways to incorporate technology in the classroom, and ways to summative assess student learning in a formative way.

Effective school administrators find ways to allow for teachers to learn more about curriculum writing and planning to facilitate instruction in the classroom. Whether it is K-12 education or teaching in higher education, school officials and teachers should focus on how the planning and development of lessons will impact students to maximize their learning experience.

Classroom Environment

A successful classroom environment intentionally emphasizes student engagement and differentiated instruction and creates a positive classroom culture. When thinking about a classroom observation, consider how the environment impacts the facilitation of learning. What routines and procedures are being implemented to increase instructional time and allow students to feel comfortable exploring their personalized learning?

High student engagement leads to minimized instances of classroom distractions, student outbursts, and builds a sense of a community of learners. Creating a positive learning environment should emphasize on building relationships, giving positive praise to students, and setting high and rigorous expectations for learning. The classroom environment should be led by a teacher who models professionalism for students and finds interactive ways for students to see themselves as professionals who can make an impact at school, at home, and in their broader community.

Professionalism

Teachers and school administrators are held to a high standard. This can be at a K-12 school or at a university or college. When thinking about observations in classrooms, it is important to remember the impact being made on students. Students in today’s classrooms, whether in-person, hybrid, or online, need to see examples of professionalism. This translates not only to professional dress, but also knowing how to teach students professional communication skills. In a traditional brick-and-mortar school, educators need to be consciously modeling the example of professional attire and professional conversations amongst colleagues and students. When presenting in-person or online, be sure to cite proper sources of information to increase the credibility of your lesson, presentation, or conversations with others.

Attending professional development conferences and joining educational organizations to increase your professional resources is important. Organizations such as the International Society For Technology in Education (ISTE)  provide ways to collaborate with others and find meaningful professional development content.

Understanding the four categories mentioned in this article will provide a guide to a successful observation experience for the teacher and the principal/administrator. Promoting positive growth for students is crucial to the growth and development of schools and the students and communities they serve. As education is ever evolving, there is still a vital component of effective teaching and learning and the maximizing of student potential for future impacts on a positive and progressive global society.

Looking for graduate-level educator content? Check out our educator’s blog and 200+ available masters, doctorates, endorsements, and certifications to advance your career today!

The post Classroom Observation Specifics to Create Positive Growth appeared first on Graduate Programs for Educators.

Empathy allows one to share another’s feelings as they directly relate to the situations. We will be exploring how principals may support their teachers through utilizing empathy, such as empathy versus, sympathy, open-door policies, problem-solving with teachers, and teacher support systems within your school.

Empathy Vs. Sympathy as a Principal

Teachers make a direct impact on student learning by teaching students in classrooms. Principals make a direct impact on student learning by empowering teachers to teach. Empathetic principals’ express compassion and share feelings and walk with teachers regarding students and their own needs. Sympathetic principals show pity for teachers by providing immediate “yes” or “no” from a distance without relating with them concerning student and their own needs.

“Empathy is our ability to understand how someone feels while sympathy is our relief in not having the same problems” (Psychiatric Medical Communications Team, 2022).

An example of empathizing with teachers as a principal would be to bring a student with a behavioral issue to their office and try to dig deep and resolve the issue rather than talk to the teacher or share with them to keep trying to be positive. Principals begin to know how teachers feel about situations, positives, and negatives they are experiencing by having an open-door policy.

Supporting Your Teachers with Empathy

Open-Door Policy

As a school administrator, I have learned that an open-door policy is much more than having your office door open so that anyone can sit down and talk. An open-door policy is getting to know your teachers and staff and their needs. It does not always mean that one will get a “yes”, but they will be listened to and cared about. It means that their needs and cares are genuinely important.

As a school administrator, teachers know when you care and will walk with them. I consider an open-door policy an opportunity for not only teachers to grow, but school administrators to grow as well. It is where tears are shed, cheering erupts, prayers go up, and schools go from good to great. An area of an open-door policy that I have participated in that has been highly beneficial for school is problem-solving sessions.

Problem-Solving with Teachers

Problem-solving sessions are welcomed once an open-door atmosphere has been established. Problem-solving does not mean that answers will automatically come forth; it means that a problem will be solved, whether it be the one at hand or another. School administrators allow teachers’ voices to be heard and valued by solving issues with teachers. Problem-solving acknowledges a problem and enables a variety of avenues on how it can be solved.

By having multiple trusted perspectives allows a person security to be open to others. School buildings require multiple people to solve multiple problems for one main goal: provide students the best opportunities possible. Efficient team problem-solving between teachers and school administrators solves a momentary issue and makes the school stronger for what is yet to come — positive or negative. This is an aspect of teacher support that sets a positive atmosphere for entire schools.

Teacher Support Systems for Your School

Teacher support systems are systems that enable teachers to feel supported in the school building they teach. The best support teachers may have is school leadership and the people. When teachers know that school leadership has their back, cares about them as teachers and individuals, cares about the students, and will do their best to provide opportunities for them to succeed, the teachers know that a support system is implemented.

One of the biggest compliments I received as a principal is that the school felt like a family. The staff felt together overall, the students felt loved, and people wanted to be there. Did issues arise? Yes. Did everyone always get along? No. Was everything perfect? Absolutely not, but that is family. Family is not about always having everything together.

Family is about loving one another regardless and having each other’s backs due to the bond that is there. In my eyes, that is the best support system one may have. As in my own life, I know the biggest support system I have is my family and I am so grateful for them every day! If teachers and students know your main priority is them as people, everything else will come together.

Closure

Just as students know if teachers care or not (I always say kids can sniff out if you are being real or not very quickly), teachers know if school leaders care or not (this also goes for school leaders knowing if district leaders care or not as well.) Sympathy is a good thing and necessary, but it is knowledge and pity from a distance.

Empathy is understanding feelings and rolling up the sleeves to stand with people as they face challenges. Our students, teachers, and leaders deserve empathy from all that directly impact them because, ultimately, the impact made on the adults will impact every student that walks school hallways each day.

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And with born leaders, the educational ladder makes sense for them: to move through all positions to better understand and inform change within a whole community. And while I needed a new change as an eighteen-year English teaching veteran, I also wanted to flip the script on the types of students I was helping.

Having the opportunity to teach advanced and college in high school classes, forming relationships with those students was easy and worth every second of academic preparations. But my main reason for moving into administration was to affect more lives, especially of those who needed a strong role model missing from their lives.

Principals are held to high standards because there is such a strong spotlight on every move made by administrators. The area of communication is a strength of mine and building relationships with “tougher” style students was the challenge I needed and wanted, among so many other reasons. Plus, administration has evolved from the tough, intimidating traditional format to a more open, responsive, caring position.

Why You Should Get to Know Your Students as a Principal

So, why should principals get to know their students better? A whole host of reasons come to mind but showing students that one cares about them outside of the relationships within the classrooms is so integral to students who come to school for safety and security reasons.

Creates a Comfortable Learning Environment

Knowing the students on all levels creates a comfortable environment for them to learn. It also allows a principal to show the appropriate behavior and builds expectations within the building and the community. Students who get to know their principals understand they are human beings and that those administrators might have experienced some of the same issues they are going through.

Mutual Respect

Whether in a small, rural community or large urban area, understanding their kids is a mandatory step toward building respect, which affects several layers of the school. This supports all levels if students know and respect their principal, especially knowing that administrators respect their teachers. Students who may not connect to their teachers may have the opportunity to share their ideas or frustrations with their principal, who could then help bridge the gap between the student and teacher.

On numerous occasions, I have been the intermediary between students and teachers, parents and teachers, and even teachers and teachers. Most of those times, each party didn’t know the other party was feeling a particular way. Knowing both the student and what is best for the student is impactful in each of these relationships.

How to Get to Know Your Students

Now, what are some of the strategies a school principal can use to get to know their students?

Supervising Lunch

One small action that reaps rewards is taking time to sit with students during their lunch times in the cafeteria. While several principals may have the cafeteria covered with teacher supervision, I will try to stop in every single lunch period to communicate with students outside of the “formal” classroom and hallway principal position.

It has been enlightening to find out what students are interested in, create personal jokes with them that extend beyond their high school years, and share some of my life experiences with them. Knowing the students has created a much smoother disciplinary process because I have participated in their lives, which makes communication much easier.

Rewarding Students

Rewarding all levels of students has created a huge advantage in knowing my students. Sometimes I call varying levels of students into my office to reward them with positive affirmations or even pieces of candy, ranging from awesome grades for academic students to a solid behavior week from some of my frequent flyers. It’s amazing to watch both the relief from being called to the principal’s office and the excitement they share when they realize they are getting credit from someone who isn’t a teacher or a parent.

Monthly Lunches with Students

Another strategy the middle school principal and I have instituted is monthly lunches with random students and pre-selected tables. We reserve a conference room and invite those students to a lunch that we provide. Then we sit, eat, and talk with them. That thirty minutes can have such an impactful effect on their lives. Again, getting to know our students is imperative to implementing a positive culture within the school system because teachers often share with us the positive comments they overhear from their students.

Interact with Students Outside of Classes

Other strategies including talking with students during formal and informal observations – it’s amazing how much they will share about the classroom and lessons when given the chance to showcase: making appearances on the morning announcements to the whole school while being goofy or out of principal character, calling parents to share highlights about their children, and being present at as many extracurricular events as possible.

This last one is not just about sports but choir concerts, musicals, and theatrical performances, and band performances. Students will respond so much more when they know their principals are taking a focused look at students’ hobbies and interests.

And while there are so many demands placed upon administrators, these strategies and activities can build relationships with their students, thus promoting a healthy educational atmosphere, which creates an immeasurable amount of success. One reason I wanted to step into this role is to be a strong advocate for my students as young people, not just numbers.

Interested in advancing your career as a principal or administrator? Check out our available graduate programs and get started today!

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However, as time passes, and as the young teacher becomes more comfortable with all the challenges, the idea of becoming a school leader begins to seem more reasonable and, perhaps, appealing. When teachers start thinking about graduate programs to further their education, although there are many options to choose from, it may be that becoming a school principal is the right choice.

Educational Leadership

A graduate degree in educational leadership would be necessary for anyone hoping to pursue a career as a school administrator. This would include school principals, of course, and other top positions such as department heads, central office administrators, and instructional supervisors. There are master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral degrees all available for this area.

In many programs, the licensure component to include an add-on in educational leadership is included in the degree plan. Educational leadership programs will consist of a great deal of study on instructional methods and strategies, current trends in education, and management skills to include personnel, budgeting, and teacher evaluations. As opposed to other administrative and leadership degrees, the focus is more directed toward instruction than management skills in educational leadership.

Someone with a degree in educational leadership could pursue a school principal or other leadership position. This person would also be qualified to serve as a teacher leader at the school level. This could mean being a grade-level team leader or a school-wide teacher leader that mentors others and leads professional development sessions.

School Administration

A master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral degree in school administration is also available in many graduate programs. This would be an appropriate degree for someone hoping to become a school principal or higher-level administrator. However, the focus of a school administration degree will be more on management skills than instructional skills. This type of program would include a lot of financial and budget training, human resources training, problem-solving, and current events and challenges in education. While both degrees can prepare a teacher for a school principal position, one program focuses more on instructional aspects, while the other program focuses on management aspects.

Principal Preparation Program

These programs are a combination of the above-mentioned programs under a slightly different name. However, it is important to note that many districts are beginning to implement their own principal prep programs to prepare teachers that are already in their district. In the district where I teach, they instituted one of these programs.

Candidates for the program were required to have a graduate degree in school administration or educational leadership with the corresponding certification requirements. Through a rigorous application and interview process, participants were chosen. In my district, this was a year-long program that involved instruction and mentoring, including internship experiences, by principals in the district, instructional coaches, and other school administrators.

This program was highly beneficial and successful as it essentially trained the next principals for the district. It is important to note that in most districts that offer this program, the advanced degree in some kind of leadership or administrative program is a prerequisite. Participation would be very advantageous for anyone hoping to become a principal in districts that offer this program.

Educational Technology Leadership

As the name implies, a graduate degree in educational technology leadership is related to leading a school or a district in technology-related ways. A person with an advanced degree in this field would be qualified for administration positions or more niche positions such as a software consultant, distance education director, curriculum specialist, or learning applications designer.

A person with this degree would also be eligible to serve as a district supervisor of technology. So this area would be far more focused on technology, less focused on working with students, and perhaps less time working in schools. 

Instructional Leadership

Both master’s and educational specialist programs are available for instructional leadership.

This type of program would include principal preparation, emphasis on instructional practices, improving student achievement, and related field experiences. A person would be qualified to serve as a school principal, a district administrator, or a school or district instructional coach with this degree.

If the opportunity to be considered for positions such as a school principal, an advanced degree will be necessary. When you look at the benefits, it is most certainly an excellent option for educational professionals with hopes of career advancement.

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Differences Between Principal and Superintendent

Going from building level administration to the district level can be quite a big step, depending on the size of the school system. Perhaps the biggest difference might be the accountability aspect. Typically, a principal reports to a higher level administrator. Being a superintendent, however, requires a seven-member board to support high-level decision-making. There are also many stakeholders in the district that the superintendent must be in communication with. Managing this many people can be cumbersome at times, considering the personalities, levels of involvement, or potential political agendas of board members. It is quite a different dynamic when elected officials essentially become a supervisor of an educational professional.

The job itself is also quite different. Principals typically handle day-to-day operations of a building and have interaction with teachers and students on a daily basis. Many of the principal’s tasks are time sensitive. Conversely, the superintendent is removed from these daily interactions and is often housed away from the school buildings in a separate office. While a superintendent’s work generally contains timelines for tasks, they aren’t generally as urgent as those at the building level. You might often hear of the term “putting out fires”. The principal puts out the candles every day while the superintendent fights the house fires that happen a few times a year.

With bigger problems to handle as a superintendent, good decision-making skills are a must and developing a support system capable of giving sound, unbiased advice is something that can be very advantageous. At the principal level, bouncing ideas off of fellow administrators in the same district is typical. At the superintendent level, many issues may need the advice of higher-level administrators from neighboring school districts or other mentors familiar with district-level decision making. Stress from this pressure, among other things, can be tasking which makes personal health something to keep in check more so than in the principalship.

Requirements to Become a Superintendent 

Typically, the requirements for attaining a superintendent position has multiple layers. A potential candidate must first acquire a teaching license. An administrative endorsement is the next step and can be obtained by teaching for at least two years and earning a master’s degree in education administration. Working as a building-level administrator for two years and further coursework to attain a specialist degree in education is a requirement as well.

Some choose to go further and complete a doctorate degree or chief school business official endorsement. Doing so would qualify them for other positions in education as well. Aside from the coursework and licenses, don’t underestimate character, integrity, and experience. These are things that help land the job, and the ability to develop fulfilling relationships will make the job easier.

Transitioning from Principal to Superintendent

School administration is a challenging, yet rewarding career path. Middle-level management professionals thinking about moving to higher-level leadership may have some things to think about before doing so. If being a principal is overwhelming, taking on a superintendent position is not likely to help matters. The day-to-day stressors may be a little more manageable in the role, but the pressure of the job can be demanding. Dealing with bigger decisions, district-level concerns, and bigger budgets should not go underestimated.

There is also a distance from students and teachers that some superintendents don’t enjoy. After all, superintendents are former teachers and much of the reason teachers go into the education profession is to be around kids and make an impact on them. Often, it is difficult for a superintendent to see the direct effects of district-level decisions on students on a daily basis. Thus, these are things to seriously consider before pursuing becoming a superintendent.

Some considerations to make the transition from principal to superintendent easier might include shadowing your current superintendent and being inquisitive of what the major pros and cons of the job are. Some degree programs require an internship, which would be quite beneficial for learning the job. Speaking with board members and learning their expectations of the superintendent role would also be beneficial. Filling the role of interim superintendent or assistant superintendent may disclose the most information about the job.

Despite the enormous responsibilities and challenges, there are rewards. Having the ability to make high-level decisions and working with people in various industries keeps the job interesting. Being looked upon as an influential voice in the field and for the next generation carries with it a feeling of appreciation. There are also financial rewards. Even though most people don’t get into education for the money, most district-level administrators earn a respectable salary. Even though administrators typically work quite a few more hours than teachers, it is still a worthwhile venture.

There aren’t an abundance of superintendent jobs available, but there is also not a large pool of applicants due to the qualification requirements. This makes demand relatively high. Carefully considering factors that support the upward move and finding cohorts with experience in the profession will be invaluable in the transition.

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