Being the Principal

Jessica Quap
Grand Canyon University
EAD- 501
June 29, 2020

“The role of school leadership is to create and sustain an

environment that maximizes teachers’ ability to teach and students
ability to learn, by focusing on people first, then on organizational
structure and policies, and finally on the intended result of the
change, that is academic achievement” (Jambo & Hongde, 2020).
 Clear Vision
Effect on Student ● Defines Success
Outcomes ● Incorporates Accountability
The focus on a principal’s role within ● Invites Collaboration
their school community is to create ● Motivates Stakeholders
and keep an environment that,
“Currently available evidence of D.L
Motivation
shows that the role of the school
principal has been changed from a
single person leading and decision ● Set and Monitor Goals
making attitude to sharing roles and Frequently
responsibilities, sharing power and
authority, inspiring vision and involving
● Celebrate Success Daily
followers in decision making through ● Support in the Classroom
influencing and interaction processes” ● Hold High Expectations
(Jambo & Hongde, 2020).

The effects a principal can have on student outcomes can be endless with a
transformational leadership style. The first thing a principal must do in order to be
effective is to have a clear vision that defies success for their students, incorporates
accountability, invites collaboration and motivates all stakeholders. Secondly, we must
motivate by setting and monitoring goals, celebrating success daily, support the
classroom experience and hold high expectations.
Clear Vision

A school’s vision should be known to all

involved, including students. A clear
vision should let students, staff and
parents know exactly what success will
look like, incorporate accountability for
all involved to feel their impact on the
vision, invite collaboration between all
stakeholders, staff, parents,
community, and motivate them to work
toward achievement of the goal.

When it comes to the school’s vision, the principal sets that inspiration by being clear,
letting all involved know what the success of the school will look like, how
accountability will be measured, encourage collaboration between staff, parents and
community in order to motivate them toward achievement of the goal.
Motivation

A successful principal can harness

motivation in order to create lasting
changes in their school. An important
aspect of motivation is setting and
monitoring goals frequently in order to
celebrate success when it is evident.
Principals must support students through
their work to achieve goals set for
themselves and hold students to high
expectations for themselves (Jambo &
Hongde, 2020).

With motivation, principals must understand their influence is powerful. In order to

motivate effectively, we must set goals that can be celebrated along the way and
support students, so they can achieve their personal goals and hold them to the high
expectations you set by modeling.
Effect on Faculty
Promote a Collaborative Culture

and Staff
● Incorporate PLC with Fidelity
● Support Teacher Decisions
● Provide Resources

"...the more a principal is (consistently) Provide Needed Support

deemed to provide inspirational
motivation and idealised influence, the ● Track Teacher Progress
stronger are (shared) beliefs of group ● Encourage Peer Observation
potency among staff members; the ● Celebrate Milestones
more a principal is (consistently)
considered as granting individualised Encourage Self-Efficacy
consideration and intellectual
stimulation, the higher are staff ● Provide Inspirational Motivation
members’ self-referential efficacy ● Demonstrate Idealized Influence
beliefs, on average” ● Provide Frequent and Focused Feedback
(Windlinger,Warwas & Hostettler,
2020).

Additionally, the impact a principal can have on faculty and staff

creates the culture that the school will operate within. A collaborative
culture is a must as well as providing all supports needed and
encouraging the self-efficacy of all involved.
Promote a Collaborative Culture

“PLCs—which harness “an ongoing process in

which educators work collaboratively in
recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action
research to achieve better results for the
students they serve”—are a common and proven
practice to promote teacher collaboration that
increases student achievement” (Miller, 2020).
During the PLC process, teachers are able to
collaborate to achieve the vision set forth by the
principal. The key to their success lies in the
principals decision to support their data-driven
decisions and provide necessary resources.

In order to promote a collaborative culture, a Professional Learning Community must

be set in a way for teachers to collaborate in the cycle of collective inquiry and action
research to achieve better results for the students they serve. This collaborative
culture is the key to success when they are supported by data-driven best practice
that is support and all necessary resources are provided. It is one thing to encourage
and idea, but it is a complete other idea to provide the resources. As principals, we
must be ready to put our money where our mouths are and give teachers what they
need to help our students be successful. Teachers cannot implement great teaching
without resources.
Provide Needed Support

The last thing a teacher wants to feel is that they are

“on an island”. One of the most effective ways to
positively affect faculty and staff is to help teachers
track their progress toward their shared goals with
their students. Sometimes the data can be
overwhelming, and it will be our jobs to help
teachers find and understand their important impact
on student success. Principals must also encourage
teachers to learn from each other by carving out
time for them to observe each other’s successes
and celebrate every milestone for individual
students and classes of students. Make sure we
see them and the great things they are doing in their
classroom.

This brings me into providing that needed support. We don’t want teachers to feel as
though they are on an island and the best thing we can do is to help teachers track
their progress toward goals and help them understand milestones that need to be
celebrated. Teachers are also a principal's best resource when it comes to good
teaching. We must encourage and set aside time for teachers to observe and learn
from each other’s successes and help them celebrate each other. The best feeling for
a teacher is when they know, “we see the great things you are doing in your
classroom.” That encouragement goes a long way.
Encourage Self-Efficacy

The strongest of people are those who believe they

can achieve. This is an attribute that is essential to
student and teacher success. In order for teachers
to believe in their abilities, principals must provide
inspirational motivations through encouraging
emails, recognition for hard work and allowing them
to share with others in order to feel empowered.
Principals must also demonstrate idealized
influence by modeling what they expect daily in the
halls, classrooms and within the community. By
doing so, principals are able to heard when they give
constructive feedback to staff in order for them to
be coached. (Windlinger, Warwas & Hostettler, 2020)

Additionally, we must encourage self-efficacy. Teachers must believe they can have
an impact on students’ success within their classrooms. That is essential to their
students’ success. We must provide inspirational motivate to help them see and reach
their full potential. We must also demonstrate what we want to see. If we believe in
them and show them daily in the hallways, classrooms and community, we can
harness that self-efficacy and the sky is then the limit to what that teacher can
achieve.
Model and Promote Close to Teaching Experience

Professional Norms ● Participate in Student Learning

“Pedagogical leadership adds value by
developing various forms of human
capital. It is about developing social
capital by creating caring
communities. Social capital is needed
to support learning; when there is a
lack of social capital, students could
develop norms, and sub-groups that
work against academic performance” (
● Model Strategies
● Set Standards for All
Invest in Families & Community
● Communicate Clearly
● Invest in Community Programs
● Parents as a Part of the School’s
Vision

Lastly, a way that principals can be the best for their communities, staff and students
is to model what they want to see. They can do this by being close to the teaching
experience and invest in the families and communities they ultimately serve.
Close to Teaching Experience

Be in classrooms! As much time as can be spent

engaged in the learning of students, the more
the students and teachers will feel the support
and encouragement. Although many schools
have great instructional coaches, principals
must remember they were teachers at one point
and must practice what we preach. Create
opportunities to co-teach with teachers or be a
learner in a teacher lesson. By doing this,
principals can ensure they are able to encourage
the high expectations and standards present in
the school’s goals and vision. (Romero & Wilson,
1982)

In order to be on the pulse of the school, be in classrooms. As much time as we can

spend engaged with students and teachers we must in order for them to feel support
and encouragement from us. We have to remember that we are also a great
resource. We were once great teachers! We need to seek out opportunities to
co-teach with teachers or even just be a learner in a classroom without the need to
complete an evaluation. Find the strengths a teacher has and focus on only those. By
being in classrooms we can encourage high expectations and standards we set
within our school goals and vision.
Invest in Families and Community

Be sure that all stakeholders, including families and

community members understand all programs
within the school. Many school initiatives can be
met with negativity, but the best thing principals can
do is head that off by making sure the community
understands the intentions and possible outcomes.
Always remember that the school is in the
community not the other way around. Be a resource
for parents by advocating for and implementing
community programs within the school such as
health centers, parenting programs and early
childhood opportunities. The impact will only be
positive. (Romero & Wilson, 1982)

Lastly, it is of most importance that we invest in the families and communities we

serve. We must have their buy-in by making sure we clearly communicate programs
within our school. We all know that when a new school initiative comes around, the
Facebooks of the world have a way of stirring up negativity. Let’s head that off by
helping the community understand our intentions and possible positive outcomes. We
must also be a resource for our families. There are funds out there given by the
government for health programs, parenting programs, early childhood opportunities
and many more. We can only do good within our communities by providing such
resources.

In closing, remember the impact every part of our day can have on our students, staff,
faculty, families and communities. Every decision we make has a direct effect on all of
those stakeholders, and it is our responsibility to take those huge responsibilities
seriously.
 References

Jambo, D., & Hongde, L. (2020). The Effect of Principal’s Distributed Leadership Practice on Students’
Academic Achievement: A Systematic Review of the Literature. International Journal of Higher
Education, 9(1), 189–198.

Leo, U. (2015). Professional Norms Guiding School Principals’ Pedagogical Leadership. International Journal
of Educational Management, 29(4), 461–476.

Miller, A. (2020, January 04). Creating Effective Professional Learning Communities. Retrieved July 01, 2020,
from https://www.edutopia.org/article/creating-effective-professional-learning-communities

Romero, D., & Wilson, A. (1982). The Small School Principal and School-Community Relations. Small Schools
Fact Sheet. ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools Las Cruces NM.

Windlinger, R., Warwas, J., & Hostettler, U. (2020). Dual Effects of Transformational Leadership on Teacher
Efficacy in Close and Distant Leadership Situations. School Leadership & Management, 40(1),
64–87.