A Principal’s Principles

1. A Principal’s Principles • Intro • Four main qualities: • Collaboration with colleagues. • Be accessible. • Ensures harmony in school. • Teachers visit one another's classrooms. • Use meetings to empower teachers. • Often viewed as boring, ineffective. • Relationship with students. • Be accessible • Relate, don’t intimidate. • Open door policy to staff and pupils. (Bernard, 2001) • Treating students fairly and equally Harris, Sandra L.Lowery, Sandra • Includes fairness in punishment. • Do not see ethnicity or wealth.” (harris, 2002) • Positive attitude. • Leadership • Ties in all others together, i.e.: • Lead Teachers • Lead Students • Nobody wants to follow a grouch. • Classroom monitoring. • Defined goals • Student engagement • Conclusion

2. Relationship with students • A year head felt that he had 'a very open door policy to staff and pupils(Barker, 2001) • The teachers responding to the survey noted that principals establish a positive climate on their campuses by treating students fairly and equally. For example, one principal tells "students up front what [the] school's expectations are" and then shows respect "by expecting [the students] to live up to" those expectations. Other principals demonstrated respect for students by handling student behavior problems "privately, rather than in front of other students.” (Title: A View from the Classroom. Author(s): Harris, Sandra L.Lowery, Sandra Source: Educational Leadership; May2002, Vol. 59 Issue 8, p64, 2p, 1c Document Type: Article Subject(s): SCHOOL management & organization) • Several teachers cited treating students equally as an important aspect of creating a positive school environment. One principal demonstrated this approach when her own daughter got in trouble at the school. According to the teacher surveyed, "She [the daughter] received the same punishment as all the others involved in the prank." In a similar case, a teacher reported that a principal "would not change a punishment for a student based on who his parents are." The teacher wrote, "Students see this as a sign of respect for all students." Another teacher summed up this behavior by saying that principals treat students equally when they "do not see ethnicity or wealth.” (harris, 2002) • ffective principals both talk to and listen to students to learn more about them and "their educational needs, plans, hopes, and dreams" (Beck, 1994, p. 82). The teachers participating in the survey commented on such behaviors as making eye contact and following through on student concerns. Some of the principals eat in the lunchroom with invited student leaders to hear their concerns. One principal sits at different lunch tables throughout the year and listens "carefully not just to what they say, but how they say it." • Others principals interact with students in the hallways between classes or greet students as they enter and leave the building. An elementary school principal has a "Play with the Principal" time. The teachers also listed sending personalized birthday cards and notes recognizing student achievement as valuable ways to increase communication with students. For example, one teacher e-mailed her principal about her at-risk 8th graders at the beginning of the school year. Throughout the year, the principal e-mailed each of these students with encouraging messages. According to the teacher, the students "rush to my room to see if they have mail. I print each response and give it to the student. Most of them punch holes in [the messages] and put them in their notebooks; not one student has thrown the mail away."

3. Students cont. • Principals who are accessible to the students--for example, by having an open-door policy--contribute to a positive climate for students. One teacher said that her principal "encourages students to come to him if there are any serious issues." Walking the campus is also important. Teachers commented that when principals want to be "invited to class celebrations, class plays, and other activities, the principals become more visible to the students.” (Harris 2002) • The teachers also pointed out that principals who take extra time to praise students for their achievements over the intercom, in the newspaper, or with personal notes and e-mails create a positive school climate. Principals can also use such rewards as extending lunch time, sponsoring field trips, letting students eat lunch outside, and hosting awards assemblies. One principal created a gift store to reward student achievement. Students accumulate points for academic achievements and then use the points to purchase items from the store. Another principal has a "Wall of Fame" where he places students' photos with descriptions of their achievements. (Harris, 2002)

4. Leadership -Principal leadership(defined as a set of practices such as classroom monitoring etc.) has a large effect on school conditions, which impacted student identification -School conditions is defined as (purposes and goals, school planning, organizational culture and structure and organization). -Student engagement is defined as the degree to which students are involved in and out of class and their sense of belonging to the school - “Because the largest proportion of principal effects on students is mediated by school conditions, a significant challenge for leadership research is to identify those alterable conditions likely to have direct effects on students, is to inquire about the nature and strength of the relationship between them and leadership”. Title: Principal and Teacher Leadership Effects: a replication , By: Leithwood, Kenneth, Jantzi, Doris, School Leadership & Management, 13632434, Nov2000, Vol. 20, Issue 4 //Source: School Leadership & Management, Nov2000, Vol. 20 Issue 4, p415, 20pItem: 4052813 There is no litmus test for the presence of instructional leadership, nor is there a definitive list of its characteristics or behaviors. In places where instructional leadership truly exists, it becomes an integral, almost invisible, part of how a school community works, lives, and learns together. (king) that the principal has the scope and authority to shape curricular goals and that this is a prime leadership responsibility; (fred)

5. Intro • The literature nevertheless confirms the popular belief that the headteacher is a decisive influence on the success of a school. (DO LEADERS MATTER? , By: Barker, Bernard, Educational Review, 00131911, Feb2001, Vol. 53, Issue 1Database: Academic Search Premier)

6. collaboration • -with teachers and students makes principals received better and keep harmony in school (Title: DO LEADERS MATTER? , By: Barker, Bernard, Educational Review, 00131911, Feb2001, Vol. 53, Issue 1) • Sarah, the principal of a 550-student elementary school, has changed the content of weekly staff meetings dramatically since the early years of her tenure. Instead of announcements and reminders, today's meeting focuses on the teachers' upcoming visits to one another's classrooms. Sarah begins the session by asking teachers to write a focus question for their peers to guide their observations during the visit. One 2nd grade teacher writes, "When you observe my classroom, what evidence do you see that students are receiving instruction that meets their individual needs as learners?" • In groups of four, the teachers talk about what they'll be looking for and how to collect evidence. They review the schedule for visits and decide when they will meet afterwards to give feedback to the teachers being observed. Sarah briefly reviews the agreed-on guidelines for giving and receiving feedback and reminds the teachers that the overall purpose of these visits is to improve teaching and learning by focusing on what students are doing in the classroom. After the visits, she will meet with teachers to discuss their experiences. Next month, she will share what they have learned at a meeting of principals who serve as her critical friends group. • Does this kind of collaborative adult learning happen in real schools? The Annenberg Institute for School Reform is working with principals, superintendents, and district leaders across the country who are proof that it does. • During the past five years, Institute staff members have collaborated with several urban school districts to help them design and implement professional development programs that support the learning and professional growth of their administrators. This collaboration features professional learning communities of principals and district leaders who meet regularly to address issues of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. This work enables us to witness first-hand how leaders are rethinking their leadership functions, roles, and practices and provides examples of how leadership for learning benefits both adults and students in schools and districts that are serious about implementing change. • Title: THE CHANGING SHAPE OF LEADERSHIP , By: King, Deborah, Educational Leadership, 00131784, May2002, Vol. 59, Issue 8

7. collab. cont • One principal in a large New England district, for example, starts by facilitating weekly collaborative meetings, gradually transfers the facilitator role to teachers, and then becomes a participant in the meetings. (king) • I have become convinced that central to successful school-related reform, is the concept of a professional culture wherein the values of people in the school are key to the possibility of meaningful change; wherein organisation for learning is the collective responsibility of teachers; and, wherein recognized complexity demands structures that are collaborative. I believe that, in such environments, the changing needs of students require teachers who are also life-long learners. (Renihan, Fred,) itle: LESSONS FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA: LEADERS GET THE JOB DONE DESPITE THE ODDS , By: Renihan, Fred, School Leadership & Management, 13632434, May99, Vol. 19, Issue 2 • Teachers were involved in an intensive series of meetings to develop guidelines for schemes of work, lesson planning and teaching. Working groups were given authority to redesign many of the school's basic procedures, including the curriculum, the behaviour code and the policy for spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. Mr Moore delegated tasks to senior and middle managers and regularly checked progress. When work was completed he 'writes a note of appreciation, he is very willing to say it too’(Bernard, 2001) • A year head felt that he had 'a very open door policy to staff and pupils (Bernard, 2001)

8. Emphazie positive • positive attitude-not defensive or upset even about faliures (Title: DO LEADERS MATTER? , By: Barker, Bernard, Educational Review, 00131911, Feb2001, Vol. 53, Issue 1) • To develop this community, instructional leaders provide regular opportunities for educators to work together on issues of teaching and learning. They allocate time during the school day for conversation and study about effective practices. (king) • n the current context of performance standards and accountability, instructional leaders know they must develop the skills to collect and use data from a variety of sources to inform school improvement decisions. They work with parents, school board members, and other interested groups to share and interpret achievement results about what students are learning, areas that need improvement, and plans for improvement efforts. • Some districts work with research divisions from nearby universities to develop and use electronic tools to disaggregate achievement data and get detailed, ongoing information about student performance. Thus, as teachers evaluate their curriculum and instruction, they can answer such questions as How are all 3rd graders who have been in our school since kindergarten doing in reading comprehension? (king)

9. t Westfield, Mrs Wyatt's personality influenced every aspect of her approach to leadership and management. She found it difficult to talk about uncomfortable subjects, so her responses usually increased or complicated the emotions with which she had to deal. Her deputy said she encouraged a 'culture of blame' without tackling the people or issues that undermined the school's effectiveness. Teachers complained that 'you get stabbed in the back here, there's no leadership'. (Barker, 2001) • At Saltwood Mr Southern's personal charm and good nature permeated the school. He spent time in the common room and canteen ensuring that a good atmosphere prevailed and chatted happily with students and staff, whose company he enjoyed. Mr Southern paid careful attention to individual needs, relaxing rules to make life easier for his hard pressed colleagues. He discounted criticism from Ofsted and the local authority. He believed that Saltwood was doing a good job in difficult circumstances (information from interviews with staff members). (Bernard, 2001)

10. Postive cont. • Mr Hogg's positive, self-confident approach enabled him to make an immediate, dramatic impact. A parent noticed that he was: ' ... a very loveable man ... incredibly open, excitable, boyish, lots of humour, loads of energy and joie de vivre' [IT (PG4.xii.2)]. His aim was to convince students, staff and parents that the school had changed and had a future. He involved 'core groups of staff' to bring about 'amazing changes' [IT (PG4.xii.2)]. He (Bernard, 2001)

11. Focus on learning • Today's principals and superintendents are learning leaders: They participate in regular, collaborative, professional learning experiences to improve teaching and learning. They work alongside teachers in adult learning activities--study groups, school visits, and examination of student work. They recognize their own need to develop a broad knowledge base in curriculum, instruction, and assessment, and they seek ongoing professional development activities to achieve that goal (Educational Research Service, 1999). (king)

12. Create learning enviro. • The new generation of instructional leaders actively create conditions that encourage professional learning communities. Current research findings show that schools that function as learning communities produce higher levels of student learning (Louis, Marks, & Kruse, 1996; Newmann & Wehlage, 1995). A professional learning community has been defined as "an environment that fosters mutual cooperation, emotional support, and personal growth as they [educators] work together to achieve what they cannot accomplish alone" (DuFour & Eaker, 1998, p. xii). • To develop this community, instructional leaders provide regular opportunities for educators to work together on issues of teaching and learning. They allocate time during the school day for conversation and study about effective practices. They model their commitment to their own professional learning by participating in small groups of colleagues who give and receive feedback on their performance. (king) • notion that self-renewing schools have cultures of adaptability, an openness to ideas from elsewhere and, most important, a realization that improvement efforts come to very little if teachers are not inclined to adopt them. • The examination of two conditions present very large considerations in the support of intended reform efforts. The first is context. This includes the educational environment in which innovation happens; the personal dispositions and professional skills of the actors involved; their values, attitudes, and relationships with one another and how these conspire to synergistically create optimal circumstances for student success. It is within such microcosms that reforms either fail or flourish. We need to be mindful, therefore, of the respective ecologies in which they are engendered. And we need to study these ecologies in order to understand and respond and respond intelligently (fred rehian) • that the principal has a pivotal role in the recruitment and hiring of staff and that this activity establishes, in large measure, the principals ability to shape a strong culture and a powerful vision for the school; (fred r)

13. learning enviro • addition to meeting students' emotional needs, supportive principals provide a safe and secure environment in which the students can learn. The surveyed teachers cited such behaviors as enforcing the rules and dealing with conflict immediately. One teacher commented that the principal "checks daily for anything and everything that might lead to conflict among students.”(Harris, 2002)

14. Resources • Instructional leaders make creative use of all resources--people, time, and money--to support school improvement. To make time for teachers to work together, instructional leaders come up with strategies to add to, borrow from, or rearrange the daily schedule. Their focus on improving learning drives every conversation about budget development and every decision about how to use existing resources. One district reallocated funds to provide math coaches in its schools by making the tough choice to cut central-office departments. (king) • n the current context of performance standards and accountability, instructional leaders know they must develop the skills to collect and use data from a variety of sources to inform school improvement decisions. They work with parents, school board members, and other interested groups to share and interpret achievement results about what students are learning, areas that need improvement, and plans for improvement efforts. • Some districts work with research divisions from nearby universities to develop and use electronic tools to disaggregate achievement data and get detailed, ongoing information about student performance. Thus, as teachers evaluate their curriculum and instruction, they can answer such questions as How are all 3rd graders who have been in our school since kindergarten doing in reading comprehension? (king) • that the principal, in order to be effective, has to have access to the resources necessary to achieve curricular and instructional objectives. (fred)

15. Coping with change • Those heads who lack the flexibility to adapt to change risk losing control, even within their institutions (Bernard 2001). • Mr Hogg's positive, self-confident approach enabled him to make an immediate, dramatic impact. A parent noticed that he was: ' ... a very loveable man ... incredibly open, excitable, boyish, lots of humour, loads of energy and joie de vivre' [IT (PG4.xii.2)]. His aim was to convince students, staff and parents that the school had changed and had a future. He involved 'core groups of staff' to bring about 'amazing changes' [Bernard, 2001)