Head teacher

Requirements for Principals

June 3, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

Many teachers may aspire to leadership or administration positions, especially given the increased authority, responsibility and salary potential that principals enjoy. However, becoming a principal may be more difficult than one might think. Consider the skills that are necessary to succeed with this job title and compare these skills to those demonstrated by the best teachers. There seems to be very little overlap. Principals need to be able to consider the needs of the faculty, staff, students and the school as a whole. In addition, becoming a principal may be easier if planned for during one’s own education.

In addition to a teacher’s certification and related bachelor’s degree, most candidates for a principal position must also hold a master’s degree in educational administration. This requirement adds another year or two onto the already-stringent coursework and may also include an internship. Interns are asked to assist existing principals in their administrative duties while they learn on-the-job about meeting state requirements and managing staff.

The educational requirements for principals may vary considerably from state to state, and even from one school district to the next. Students who are considering a career in education and believe that they may eventually decide to pursue a principal position should plan accordingly. Working the required courses in to the curriculum while in the undergraduate years is much easier than beginning a master’s degree program while in the workforce. Also, these students will have a much better picture of what being a principal really means if they are aware of the additional challenges early on.

Filed Under: Administration, Discipline Tagged With: Education, Head teacher, Teacher

Principals and Funding

March 20, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

When a school is performing poorly and funds are needed to improve their struggling financial situation, the federal government seems to be offering a very tempting stimulus package they can apply for.

But if your administration has teachers and principals that work hard and believe in the students and are an asset to your educational system, you might what to look at this offering a little closer. Maybe local fund raising and bake sales would be a better way to increase the bottom line at many schools. Otherwise you could be choosing money over people.

The fact is there are rules that must be met in order to qualify for the educational stimulus money that the current federal government is hawking. It is truly a sad situation when schools that have very little funds who are trying to educate in usually depressed and socially challenged areas will have to remove teachers and principals in order to qualify for any of those government funds.

Exceptional teachers and principals are being let go, or assigned and receiving lower pay across our county in order for the their school district to qualify for the stimulus packages being offered.

Principal’s who have worked hard in making their schools successful and who really care about the education of their students are being tossed aside for more money.

It is disturbing to witness the effect and potential long term damage that could these educators may experience. Not only are their paychecks and self worth being damaged but the students they influence everyday will not receive the quality of care and education they once had.

Filed Under: Education, Students Tagged With: Education, Head teacher, Student

A Principal Responsibility

March 7, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

As the leadership of the school goes so goes the school, could be an accurate statement as to the importance of the position held as that of principal of an educational institution.

School violence is not a rare occurrence any longer and must be an issue that is addressed early and at every level of grade within the educational system.

Being concerned, attentive and taking the pulse daily of the school is a necessary part of the duties of well connected principal.

Understanding the socio-economic structure of the community will help the principal in their ability to assess the potential for violence within their schools but cannot be taken as a sole indicator of it.

Violence in schools is and should be a concern of that of every educational institution where there is evidence of students being continually bullied.

Some children are singled out early on and bullied; this should be of concern and helped deal with the situation before the escalation of feelings become irreversible.

The initiation of hotlines is a tool and resource of information for a principal and can help diffuse potential problems.

Providing student programs that encourage talking and opportunities for expressing their emotions, issues and situations is a step in the right direction.

The responsibility of a principal as the leadership of the educational institution is not one of warden but of educator and example. But with the changing and sometimes volatile world we live in a principal’s responsibility is that of accountability where the safety of the children are concerned.

Addressing specific issues quickly and effectively will be an important factor in keeping the environment of the school one of a safe place. Staying in touch with faculty and listening closely to the students will help the principal to provide the strong leadership.

Filed Under: Administration, Education Tagged With: Bullying, Education, Head teacher

Principal Duties

November 24, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

When most of the adults today were in grade school, it was a different world. Grade school teachers could discipline the students as they saw fit. This included a smack in the head, a ruler across the knuckles, and most of us are not sure what happened when someone was sent to the principal. Corporal punishment is no longer allowed in schools. As with anything, it very easily got out of hand and sometimes punishments bordered on abuse. The role of administration was to reinforce what the teachers did or said. There were very few student rights and for the most part we kept our mouths shut. Lucky for students today, this is no longer the case. There are now very specific guidelines on the disciplinary actions taken towards students.

Obviously, the role of the school administrators has changed dramatically. Not only are they responsible for the actions of the students, they are also directly responsible for the actions of their teachers. The screening process for teachers today is much more rigorous, and the administration has a huge job. What is the right thing to do? What are the right questions to ask? What do I do if there is an incident? These are all questions school principals ask themselves on a daily basis.

Now there is principalconnections.org. This site can answer the tough questions. It is very easy to navigate to different places for professional answers to their questions. In these days where school violence has gotten out of control, principals and administrators have a daunting responsibility to students and parents, as well as their teachers. Help is here, the research has been done, the law is noted. Every principal has a responsibility to protect the students, and at the same time, to trust in his or her faculty and protect their rights as well. They are striving every day for a safe and educational experience for everyone in the school.

Filed Under: Administration Tagged With: Education, Educators, Elementary school, Head teacher, K through 12, Middle school, Student, Teacher

Violence Cannot Be Tolerated

November 23, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

: Image via Wikipedia

School violence used to imply that Johnny hit Joey on the playground. Slapping fights were regular occurrences at schools throughout the country, and the occasional black eye was not unheard of. The principal would pull the kids apart and give each one of them a detention or a punishment of cleaning the blackboards at the end of the day, or no recess for a week. Mom was rarely called, and usually only when a student talked back to a teacher or the principal.

Fast forward 30 years and school violence has become a major epidemic in our country. Students in elementary schools are bringing weapons to school, using school supplies as weapons, or just beating each other until ambulances have to be called. Weekly, sometimes daily we are hearing of violence erupting in our schools on the news. Angry children are taking out that anger on other students. Bullying is at an all time high and is not about to disappear. The so-called Latch Key Kids have no supervision after school, so it is nothing for them to hang around and start something on school grounds. Gangs are recruiting members as young as fifth grade, and teaching them the violence necessary in order to be “part of the family.”

The principals and administrators of our schools have a very important job. Keeping our schools safe for our children has become a full time job. The administration of the school is ultimately responsible for making sure that violence stays out of our school. At principalconnections.org our principals and administrators can get much needed help on the issue of school violence. Principals can get a clear view on exactly what the law is, and what the responsibility of the administration is. They can learn what discipline they are allowed to enforce and what to do when that does not work. We all know today’s administration can use all the help they can get.

Filed Under: School Violence Tagged With: Education, Elementary school, Head teacher, School, School violence, Student, Violence, Violence and Abuse

A Principal Role

November 20, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The principal in a school plays a very important part in our child’s education. Just as important as reading and writing is in school, so is maintaining order and keeping the place our children go to learn a safe and happy learning environment. To that end, the role of our administrators has changed drastically over the years. Gone are the days of corporal punishment, which I think we all would agree is not a terrible thing. No longer can the principal literally take discipline into their own hands, using switches or paddles as they see fit. However, in recent years there has been an epidemic of violence in our schools, and the responsibilities of our administrative staff has never been so important.

The principals and administrators in a school now have an even more difficult path to follow. The disciplinary acts that can be carried out have changed so much that it is difficult for our administrative staff to know exactly what they can do in a certain situation, and how to effect the best possible outcome. It is all black and white, there must be proof of a violent act. If the student with the black eye won’t say who gave it to them, what is the principal to do? To help principals and administrators in this regard there is principalconnections.org. This is a “go-to” site for school principals and administration. It can effectively tell a principal what the roles of administration are, their main responsibilities, how disciplinary acts have changes in the education system and the best way to go about handing a particular situation.

We all know that bullying and school violence are not going to change anytime soon. It is an age old problem, and one that is not going anywhere. However, with effective administration, principals who care and really want to provide a safe, violence free environment for our youth, there is help.

Filed Under: Administration Tagged With: Administration, Corporal punishment, Education, Head teacher, K through 12, School violence, Violence, Violence and Abuse

Class For Prinicpals

November 19, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

: Image via Wikipedia

Teachers use the computer all day long. Some even teach how to use the computer all day long. Computers and the Internet have become an integral part of the learning experience. The role of the teacher is well defined and every teacher knows exactly what is expected of them. That line becomes quite blurred in the department of discipline. What is the teacher’s role in the discipline? When is it necessary to take the next step? When does administration get involved? When the principal has to get involved, what exactly should they do?

Discipline in the school has changed drastically over the years, especially in the education system. Teachers and administration are not free to enforce the rules any way they please. There are proper channels to be followed. Everything has to be documented and offenses have to warrant the course of action. School violence is at a high these days, so the protection of the students is of the highest priority. The main responsibilities of the principals differ from infraction to infraction. All principals are striving for a safe environment and the best learning environment for our children.

Principals and administration can find help at principalconnections.org. Principals have to walk a fine line, making sure not to violate student rights, however using the proper discipline for the incident. At principalconnections.org school administrators can find ways to keep their schools safer, from classroom monitoring, to the proper way to enforce the discipline to keep the walls of their school safe for everyone. Here they can define the roles of administration, their main responsibilities and how disciplinary acts have changed in the education system. There are CD-ROM programs as well as on site advice and tips on the ways to go about making sure violence in their school is kept to a minimum and safety is the most important word of the day.

Filed Under: Students, Teachers Tagged With: Board of education, Education, Educators, Head teacher, K through 12, Puerto Rico, School district, Teacher