Do you remember your first year in the classroom? It was an adrenaline rush everyday! We wanted to change the world, inspire students to become great, support struggling students, establish our own reputations as excellent teachers, and earn the respect of our colleagues. I would not trade my first year of teaching for other opportunities. Whether we recognize it or not, the first several years of teaching and administration focus on personal development.
Personal development leads educators to attend conferences, view webinars, participate in Twitter chats, serve as a leader on district initiatives, make recommendations to policymakers, develop new programs to support students, and more! It has been said by leadership authors and educators, "When you stop growing, you stop." While there is nothing wrong with growth for an educator, there comes a point in our career where we must focus on other educators. When you take other educators on the journey, you will find that you continue to grow while helping others to grow.
"By touching the lives of the people right around us, and by replicating leaders who in turn can replicate more leaders, we can create value far beyond
What Is a Principal?
A recent Metlife survey (PDF) found that 75 percent of principals feel that the role has become too complex and a third are looking to move out of the role within the next five years. The role of principal has changed dramatically in the last decade and has, to many, become overwhelming. So what is the role of a principal? Or rather, what are the roles of a successful and effective principal?
It seems that each year another term describing the role of the effective principal gets introduced (visionary, instructional leader, change maker, CEO, CFO), but are these roles all compatible? Are they synthesizing, or is each an additional role and skill set that each principal needs to master? And what of the role of building administrator—is that now obsolete?
We asked ASCD leaders, "What is a principal (in 2013)?"
It seems that each year another term describing the role of the effective principal gets introduced (visionary, instructional leader, change maker, CEO, CFO), but are these roles all compatible? Are they synthesizing, or is each an additional role and skill set that each principal needs to master? And what of the role of building administrator—is that now obsolete?
We asked ASCD leaders, "What is a principal (in 2013)?"