Principals wear many hats within the
school, but perhaps the most important hat is that of instructional
leader. The role of the principal as an
instructional leader is to maximize learning for all teachers and in turn of
all students (Fullan, 2014). Often, the
role of instructional leader is too constricted and thus results in micromanaging. In previous years, principals focused on
working with teachers one-on-one, molding each teacher individually into their
vision. Micromanaging is not an effective way to teach educators. Instead, the principal must invest in leading
and learning alongside of the staff while creating a school culture that thrives
on collaborative professional learning. It
is crucial for a principal to create autonomy amongst the staff. This can be accomplished by developing and
focusing on goals and expectations, allowing teachers the opportunity to be
leaders, building a schedule that facilitates student learning, and
establishing an environment that is collaborative and provides frequent
opportunities for observation and discussion.
Dr. Robin Hamilton, principal of Parsley
Elementary School, is a strong instructional leader. Dr. Hamilton has established a school-wide
schedule that allows teachers daily, collaborative planning time and maximizes
instructional time. Professional
Learning Teams have been created to foster teacher learning. Sterrett (2011)
makes reference to a quote by DuFour stating that Professional Learning
Communities should “focus on learning rather than teaching, work
collaboratively, and hold (ourselves) accountable for results” (p. 23).
During the weekly scheduled grade level Professional Learning Teams, teachers
at Parsley Elementary School meet as a group to analyze student data and make
adjustments to instruction. As a team,
they work collaboratively to choose strategies, make adjustments to small
groups, and improve instructional practices. Dr. Hamilton occasionally facilitates
Professional Learning Teams throughout the year or when she is asked to come
and participate.
As a future school leader, it is imperative that when
creating autonomy amongst the staff, I am celebrating successes within the
school, allowing time for teachers to share ideas, methods, and strategies that
are contributing to student success, and offer opportunities for teachers to
observe other teachers and initiate their own professional learning
experiences. According to Sterrett (2013), faculty meetings provide a platform
to implement many of these components. One
of my professional goals is to establish meetings that maximize learning for
teachers. Certain information can be
relayed in a daily bulletin, email, or video.
Professional learning, collaboration, and practice should occur during
faculty meetings. According to Sterrett
(2013), faculty meetings could also serve as a platform for Professional
Learning Teams. These teams could be
differentiated based on the needs of teachers and provide teachers the
opportunity to collaborate with teachers in a different grade level.
As a future school leader, it is also important to encourage
teachers to learn from each other.
Sterrett (2013) states it is the duty of the principal to facilitate
peer observations by establishing expectations, providing mental models, and
building time in to the daily schedule for teachers to observe other
teachers. Peer observations motivate
meaningful learning and collaboration amongst staff members and promote
self-reflection (Sterrett, 2013).
In addition to maximizing learning opportunities for teachers
and staff members, it will be my responsibility to build a daily schedule that
maximizes instructional time. In order
to maximize instructional time, it is crucial to provide substantial time for
core academic instruction and a daily, common planning time for grade-level
teachers and specialist teachers. In
efforts to ensure that the daily, common planning time is used effectively, it
will be my responsibility to instruct and motivate teachers on how to use this
time to collaborate and share instructional ideas and strategies to improve
student learning.
Instructional leadership is a prominent characteristic an effective
principal must possess. The principal
must be knowledgeable of best practices, model instruction, facilitate
teacher-to-teacher learning, and maximize instructional time for both teachers
and students. It is the duty of the
principal to establish high standards for professional learning that will positively
impact school performance.
References
Fullan, M. (2014). The principal: three keys to maximizing
impact. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Sterrett,
W. L. (2011). Insights into action: successful school leaders share what works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
Sterrett,
W.L. (2013). Short on time: how do I make time to lead and learn as a principal?. Alexandria,
VA: ASCD.
