Being an effective school principal requires making several sacrifices throughout the school day. One of the biggest sacrifices is being visible at school during school hours and at extracurricular activities after school. People who are not willing to make these commitments probably should not be directors.
Time management is an important part of how effectively principals run a successful school. They usually plan how they will use their time, and just being visible is a big part of their plan. Also, doing a little research will confirm that being visible is one of the best practices for management to follow. New managers can learn how to be visible by talking to some of their successful colleagues.
Being visible should start at the beginning of the school day, and talking to the custodian, engineer, secretary, and assistant principal is a good way to start. If there are concerns to address, the principal can address them immediately. This should become a routine that is followed daily. The sooner the manager knows about a problem, the better.
In the morning, the principal must get used to greeting staff and students as they enter the building. Taking the time to greet students in the morning can be very beneficial because students love to see their principal and it helps the principal get to know them. The principal can also identify problems that students are having and have an opportunity to allay them before they become problematic. Students can also feel safe because someone is in charge of the school and they can see that person doing their job every day.
Immediately after all students are in the building, the principal should continue his duty in the hallways to ensure students go directly to class. Providing positive feedback at this time is also helpful in building rapport with students. The principal must be optimistic and encourage the students.
The principal is also required to greet staff members during this morning duty. As a bonus, this is also a good time to make sure staff see that the principal is visible and accessible. Making positive comments and being concerned about the staff is also a good way to develop a good relationship with them. Everyone likes to be encouraged, including staff members. This type of visibility must continue throughout the school day. Principals who are visible not only develop relationships when they walk through the building, but also put out fires before they spread too far. All managers should set aside some time during the day to walk around the building and take notes of any concerns that need to be addressed.
Principals must also be visible in teachers’ classrooms. Teachers are like students in that they need to know that the principal is concerned about what is going on in the classroom. The principal should make sure to take the time to talk with individual teachers about what is happening in their classroom. Feedback and support should also be provided, where necessary, and the principal’s goal should always be to improve instruction.
Another big part of visibility involves the principal attending as many extracurricular activities as possible. This includes sporting events, meetings, open houses, plays, etc. Students and parents like to see that the principal really cares about the entire student body. When principals attend these events, they can see their students in a different light. This helps the principal to better understand his students, and parents see their children’s principal as a guarantee. This is a win-win opportunity.
By being visible to the principal, a positive culture is cultivated, and research has consistently found that schools with a positive culture are high performing, work collaboratively with school leadership, and are more productive and safe.
