An effective principal is an administrator who is actively engaged and involved with the success of the school and all its students. The principal needs to be knowledgeable, engaged in action research, diligent, inspiring, flexible, honorable, collaborative, determined, as well as, willing to take risks and make the difficult decisions when needed. The effective principal models life-long learning and promotes their plan for success while motivating others to join in the process. They are also good communicators that value the input of others as it is important for the principal to ask questions and encourage feedback from members of the school community. Moreover, the principal should interact with students, staff and parents on a regular basis. They are able to establish SMART goals and focus on reaching them in order to enable their school to reach the highest levels of success. Consequently, effective principals continually strive to improve the components of the TEA learning system so that the education on their campus does not become stagnant or left behind. Expectations and pedagogy are constantly changing. Therefore, an instructional leader remains effective as such if they stay current with the research and facilitate what is necessary to garner greater results by students and teachers. Likewise, effective instructional leaders utilize AEIS reports to develop an accurate picture of which areas in need of the most improvement.
Doing all this takes vision. Accordingly, one’s vision is the guiding light of leadership. Campus vision is just as essential in a principal’s responsibility of leading the school’s population in increasing student performance and forging everyone’s quest of continual improvement. Their vision sets the direction, purpose, commitment and focus of the campus. “Principals are effective not because of positional power, but because of the synergy that flows from positive relationships between the principal and teachers — and among the teachers themselves” (Rooney, 2008). A principal’s vision should combine personal values and beliefs about what is important in education with staff consensus to shape campus culture, as well as, improve student success. A fully shared vision incorporates collaboration between administration and teachers with a continued support from students’ families, community members and local businesses to serve our students.
If there is not a personal vision of leadership present, then there is no foundation to build upon. The principal must know what is to be achieved in a given time and who is responsible for various action, in addition to what resources are available. He or she must also have means to measure success. I believe that a leader must be flexible in establishing their vision because of the need to collaborate with staff. This flexibility allows more faculty members to feel like their ideas are important and will result in little impediment when implementing your personal vision. Ultimately, a principal’s vision gives direction and meaning to all educational stakeholders and without direction there would be no campus improvement.
Rooney, J. (2008). What Do We Believe?. Educational Leadership, 65(5), 88-90.
