Principal Traits
That Teachers Appreciate

Part 2

Return to Part 1 of this article

• Model the Behaviors You Would Like to See
• Listening and Respect Are Key
• Developing an Atmosphere Of Calm Excitement

HAVING A VISION IS KEY TO CONNECTING
WITH TEACHERS

Many principals feel that creating a vision, or focus, and having the ability to rally the entire staff around that vision, is an important quality that teachers and others want their leaders to possess.

Honesty Is The Best Policy As the high schools in her district go through a consolidation process, Principal Tracy Carpenter says her teachers appreciate her honesty above all other qualities. “I have been very honest with my staff about what I know,” Carpenter, the principal at Lorain (Ohio) Southview High School, explained. “As you can imagine there are a lot of people’s lives that will be affected by the consolidation, and it is causing much anxiety. Honesty and forthrightness with the staff are very important as we go through this painstaking process.”

A principal who has a vision and can influence her staff to catch that vision has created a winning combination, says Marguerite McNeely, principal at the Slocum Learning Center in Pineville, Louisiana.

And how does a leader know when she or he has managed to successfully communicate their vision to an entire staff? I know I have managed to accomplish that goal when we are speaking about the future of our students and I can see their eyes dance as we discuss ways they are challenging students and improving learning, added McNeely.

At Clay Hill Elementary School in Jacksonville, Florida, Principal Larry Davis strives every day to communicate his vision of a school where high expectations are the rule. He says that setting high standards brings out the best in principals, students, and staff and creates a sense of accomplishment on the part of everyone involved.

Setting high expectations might make some teachers uncomfortable at first, but teachers come aboard as successes are celebrated.

High standards are not impossible standards, he added. Good principals encourage risk taking and accept mistakes as teachers strive toward the expectations.

At Sea Wind Elementary School in Hobe Sound, Florida, Principal Larry Greens focus on data-driven decisions and instruction helps teachers get their arms around benchmarks and goals. We use a program called Performance Matters to disaggregate the data so teachers know where remediation is needed, said Green. The key is to get teachers comfortable looking at data and using the technology provided.

As an administrator, if I am going to talk the talk, I must walk the walk. It is my job to help teachers see and understand the benefits of this technology in guiding instruction.

Engaging staff and students in frequent conversations about a schools vision was how Frank Hagen spent his days as principal (retired) of at Saint Michaels High School in Saint Michaels, Maryland.

I spent the largest portion of my school days out of the office working with staff and students as we lived and moved forward to our shared vision of Excellence and Equity, said Hagen.

Its About Being Real Principal Maleea Brooks has been told by more than a few teachers that her realness is the quality they most appreciate. What you see is what you get, Brooks, assistant principal at St. James Middle School in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, told Education World. The teachers seem to appreciate my honesty, my support, and my kindness. They feel they can come to me and ask for suggestions without fearing retribution. They know I will support them in every way, and they also know I will give them constructive criticism.

Those conversations were conscious efforts to address our opportunities, said Hagen. I never used the word problems to describe the areas on which we needed to work; I always referred to them as opportunities.

Hagen tried to instill in staff members a culture of a school focused on our ownership of and responsibility for student success. He remains proud that there was a spirit of risk taking as we tried new instructional strategies and learned from the process, and as we shared successes and celebrated student achievements.

We agreed that it was important to stretch ourselves to reach all of our students. Failure was not an option with negative connotations, because any attempt to improve instruction was a positive learning experience.

When it came to making decisions that affected the entire school community, that vision and transparency were key, added Hagen. Information [data] was shared prior to making decisions and the decision-making process was open to all stakeholders. Progress was closely monitored to ensure we kept vision-centered, corrections were made to stay the course, and successes were jointly celebrated.

EVERYONE HAS A SAY

At Oakridge Elementary School in Arlington, Virginia, Principal Lolli Haws has worked hard to create an atmosphere where teachers know and believe that they have tremendous ownership of -- and stake in -- the school and student outcomes.

I firmly believe that our teachers are capable of making the best decisions for the school and our students, Haws told Education World. I always say we already have so much talent right here in this school that we dont have to depend on outside experts to tell us what to do or how to do most things.

Our teachers are in charge of their own and their children's learning, the vision, and the direction of the school -- they dont have to wait for the boss to decide how things should be done, how problems should be solved. As principal, its my job to facilitate their decisions and locate the resources they need to implement their priorities.

Having that vision, and having it take hold, are two very different things. It was a difficult and frustrating shift for teachers when I came on as principal, said Haws. Now, five years later, I wish the teachers could hear themselves and remember how it used to be.

Now they own it -- and the results are astounding!

Mental Toughness No one can lead without being criticized or without facing deterrent situations, says Marguerite McNeely. If I was a teacher I would want a tough-minded leader who sees things as they are and will pay the price to accomplish task, she said. Leadership creates a certain separation from one's peers. The separation comes from carrying responsibility that only a leader can carry.

At Oakridge, teachers and assistants feel free to suggest changes, raise issues, present ideas, and offer suggestions to problems and situations that arise. They are very insightful in helping to make decisions around spending priorities, where to make budget cuts, how to group students and assign them to classrooms, and what to include in parent communication, said Haws. They are also in charge of their professional growth, pursuit of active research, and creation of authentic assessment for the sake of improving teaching.

Haws explained that the school has two leadership teams, with a representative from each grade level/department on each. One is a curriculum and instruction leadership team, which monitors assessment data, implementation of adopted teaching programs, and curriculum. The other team, the Teacher Advisory Committee, decides things that have to do with the daily functioning of the school such as the indoor recess, retention guidelines, common plan time scheduling, and so on. In the month ahead, some of the issues that those teams, grade-level groups, or the entire faculty will be grappling with include the following:

• Teacher groups will meet to discuss ways to improve indoor recess scheduling; ideas for addressing the overcrowded school's space usage for next fall; and how to recognize Earth Day this year.
• Teachers will examine what data they have and need in order to forecast what they expect to be their state assessment results in June and how to intervene in areas where they have concerns as they study that forecast.
• Grade level teams will meet to examine reading progress.
• Teachers will generate ideas and suggestions for ways to ensure that students learn and consistently use the schools no-excuse commonly misspelled words list as well as ideas for how they will always hold high expectations for spelling those words correctly.
• In a faculty meeting, the entire staff will look at the schools over-representation of Hispanic students in special education and discuss possible reasons why -- and ways to avoid -- over-referring those students.

Sometimes I raise the questions, sometimes they do, said Haws. But the actions, decisions, and reflection are theirs. I implement their decisions and ensure things happen and resources are directed appropriately.

The staff ownership for outcomes throughout the school is amazing and gratifying. Not to mention that we've just won another annual award from the state for our high level of student achievement!

When Haws someday leaves Oakridge, she hopes she will leave a legacy with those who can best do the real work that's needed -- the teachers who own the school.

I honestly believe that if a principal can unleash the potential that exists in all teachers, nothing can stand in the way of children's success in that school.

AND IT HELPS TO HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR

Maleea Brooks believes that a sense of humor is one of the most important characteristics that a principal can have.

It is important to celebrate successes and find bright spots in your day, explained Brooks. I have been an administrator since 1989, and if I couldn't find things to celebrate or laugh about I never could have survived.

I don't think they emphasize the need for a sense of humor enough in administrator or teacher training, she added.

Teaching and leading teachers through the minefields of high expectations are mighty stressful jobs. If it doesnt come naturally, it behooves educators at every level to cultivate a sense of humor, added Larry Davis.

Principals need to be able to make jokes and accept jokes, he said. They are not comedians, but they tell entertaining stories, point out silly things, bring joy to difficult situations, and are not afraid of laughter.

They use humor to connect to their teachers and to create a relaxed and secure environment.

Principal Contributors to This Article The following members of Education Worlds Principal Files team shared their thoughts about the most important principal traits. To explore other practical articles from the Principal Files series, go to our Principal Files Archive. Maleea Brooks, assistant principal, St. James Middle School, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Tracy Carpenter, principal, Lorain (Ohio) Southview High School Kim Cavanagh, principal, Mentone (California) Elementary School Larry Davis, principal, Clay Hill Elementary School, Jacksonville, Florida Larry Green, principal, Sea Wind Elementary School, Hobe Sound, Florida. Frank J. Hagen, principal (retired), Saint Michaels Middle/High School, St. Michaels, Maryland Dr. Lolli Haws, principal, Oakridge Elementary School, Arlington, Virginia Marguerite McNeely, principal, Slocum Learning Center, Pineville, Louisiana Turina Parker, principal for special and alternative programs, Washington-Saratoga-Warren-Hamilton-Essex BOCES, Hudson Falls, New York La'Keldra N. Pride, principal, Green Hill Elementary School, Sardis, Mississippi Tracey N. Roberts, principal, Casimir Pulaski Elementary School, Wilmington, Delaware Rodney Schwartz, principal, Cumberland County Elementary School, Burkesville, Kentucky Teri Stokes, principal, Weatherly Heights Elementary School, Huntsville, Alabama Luanne Watson, principal, St. Jude School, New Lenox, Illinois Click here to learn how you might contribute to a future "Principal Files" article.

Article by Gary Hopkins
Education World®
Copyright © 2010 Education World

Originally published 03/01/2010
Last updated 11/23/2010

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