Top 20 Assistant Principal Interview Questions and Answers 2023 Being Kind and friendly: 6. Academic Weakness Of A Student, Five Characters They Portray. The ratio should be 25 percent each FOR LISTENING, SPEAKING, READING AND. The lack of stringent criteria and the . One of the nation's leading authorities on education policy as well as teachers and the teaching profession, Darling-Hammond has served on The Wallace Foundation's board of directors since 2009. Prepare a short answer and learn it for your interview. A principal must be an excellent listener. They also have several conferences and professional development duties they are required to attend. Leadership and the transformation of failing schoolsArmed with what we've learned about the potential for leadership over the last decade, we have cause for optimism that the education community's long neglect of leadership is at last coming to an end. Pros of Being a School Principal There are plenty of pros to being a school principal, from a hefty annual salary to the control you have over school programs as well as the ability to have a lasting impact. Knapp et al., 1, citing Kim Marshall from "A Principal Looks Back: Standards Matter," Phi Delta Kappan, October 2003, 104-113, and noting Marshall is also cited in Charles M. Payne's That differential use of time allows teachers to continually get better at what they're doing. I often use the metaphor of the conductor of the orchestra. It is possible to be an effective teacher in a poorly led school but it's not easy. 5 Qualities Of A Good School Principal | SAFSMS Blog "I can tell by how I'm greeted at the school office how well a vision of student success has been communicated," Bonti said. "There's a tradition of teachers who are really excellent exemplars in the classroom of saying, 'I don't want to be a principal because it has nothing to do with instruction,'" says Linda Darling-Hammond, a leading authority on education policy and the teaching profession. Meador, Derrick. Hence, this research paper has addressed the following research questions throughout study: 1. Let's go look at each other's classrooms and see what we're doing." It provides you with the opportunity to implement the vision that you have for your school. www.wallacefoundation.org contains more than 70 publications about school leadership. 3. The principal functions as a principal teacher who is really focusing on instruction along with [and] by the side of teachers - not top down mandates and edicts. Principals' perspectives and experiences of their instructional If you do not feel you can handle the cons, stay away from this profession. So what can be done to lessen turnover and provide all teachers and students with the highly skilled school leadership they need and deserve? That is, in a way, very disrespectful to teachers, but it also makes them less effective. That means principals have to be current on academic research. "33, It is important to note that instructional leadership tends to be much weaker in middle and high schools than in elementary schools.34 Unlike their elementary school counterparts, secondary school principals cannot be expected to have expertise in all the subject areas their schools cover, so their ability to offer guidance on instruction is more limited. the leader. SWOT analysis for schools|education|colleges|universities - RapidBI ", Such methods did not win plaudits from everyone; half the faculty transferred after his first year. What Is Bureaucracy, and Is It Good or Bad? It looks like your browser does not have JavaScript enabled. How Principals Affect Students and Schools: A Systematic Synthesis of Two Decades of Research On one hand, its an odd result, given, as the Gallup study notes, that the U.S. devotes a larger share of its GDP to education than any other developed nation. Seashore Louis, Leithwood et al., 45. One of the most striking findings of the universities of Minnesota and Toronto report is that effective leadership from all sources - principals, influential teachers, staff teams and others - is associated with better student performance on math and reading tests. Perfectionism Example Answer for Perfectionism as Your Weakness 4. There are many pros and cons that come with being a principal. Generally, school principals are not involved in education funding laws and procedures. is honest and trustworthy in dealings with others. "28, Effective principals work relentlessly to improve achievement by focusing on the quality of instruction. The Assistant Principal's Field Guide | NASSP Cultivating leadership in othersHensley set up a leadership structure with two notable characteristics. A recent report by Gallup offers some answers.. Association of Elementary School . What Do Principals Do to Combat Financial Problems? See for example, J.W. Are you or your spouse an active or retired U.S. military service member?*. The researchers noted, however, that "the relationships here are correlational, not causal," and the finding could be at odds with another finding from the study.13 Separately, the VAL-ED principal performance assessment (developed with support from The Wallace Foundation) measures principals on community and parent engagement.14 Vanderbilt researchers who developed the assessment are undertaking further study on how important this practice is in affecting students, achievement. Taking Corrections: 2. There are many other ways to fail as a principal that could jeopardize your job. They further found that higher turnover was associated with lower student performance on reading and math achievement tests, apparently because turnover takes a toll on the overall climate of the school.42 "It is far from a trivial problem," the researchers say. [It's important] also [to understand] how to work as a team, how to be supportive of one another. The turnover rate for teachers was very high.". 4. Perhaps this is a case of two heads - or more - being better than one: "The higher performance of these schools might be explained as a consequence of the greater access they have to collective knowledge and wisdom embedded within their communities," the study concludes.18, Principals may be relieved to find out, moreover, that their authority does not wane as others' waxes. 5 Key Responsibilities and Duties of the School Principal as Leader That sometimes means reorganizing the school organization so that it supports the work in a more productive way. Be aggressive about finding the right support and training for yourself. Prospective Washington state students are advised to contact the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction at 1-360-725-6275 or [emailprotected] to determine whether Waldens programs in the field of education are approved for teacher certification or endorsements in Washington state. They might replace some administrative meeting time with teacher planning time, for example.23 The importance of collaboration gets backing from the Minnesota-Toronto researchers, too. There has been a lot of talk inside education circles and outside about what effect Artificial Intelligence (AI) may have on future education. How Leadership Influences Student Learning, University of Minnesota and University of Toronto, 2004, 24. offers updated recommendations on effective principal practices.], The School Principal as Leader: Guiding Schools to Better Teaching and Learning, Click here to download the full report: Following are a few of the major drawbacks of the job. "11, To change this kind of climate - and begin to combat teacher isolation, closed doors, negativism, defeatism and teacher resistance - the most effective principals focus on building a sense of school community, with the attendant characteristics. As far as weaknesses for Washington Park, Dr. Holder stressed the lack of foundation skills, especially in reading with kids coming up into third grade. Effective teachers spend a lot of extra time in their classrooms and at home. Make your vision for the school clear not only to your staff, parents, and students but also to yourself. LDH: Obviously everyone works in their own vineyard, in their own classroom. necessary to help leaders improve once weaknesses are identified. But there is no reason to be afraid. *National Center for Education Statistics, Fast Facts: Back to School Statistics, on the Internet at http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=372. Teacher Strengths and Weaknesses: How to Answer the Best Way Ellen Goldring, Andrew C. Porter, Joseph Muprhy, Stephen N. Elliott, Xiu Cravens, Principals spend a lot of time away from their homes and their families throughout the school year. What should we make of this? A lot of a principal's work can be invisible to teachers when theyre in the classroom. Luckily for Bonti, this principal was not the only one she has encountered over the years. https://www.thoughtco.com/what-are-some-pros-and-cons-of-being-a-principal-3194531 (accessed June 30, 2023). There [was] an interesting survey not long ago, The Schools and Staffing Survey, which the federal government does. Beyond that, it's important for teachers to learn from the beginning of their careers - and throughout their careers - how to be good collaborators and community members, how to reach out to others (both to offer to share ideas and thoughts, and to ask and learn from others), how to propose ways that collaboration may be able to take root, to sometimes reach out to the principal and say, "Can I help with this? It asked teachers, "How many of you have the opportunity to collaborate with each other?" It can be a rewarding job, and it can also be an extremely stressful job. 1- Leadership skills As a principal, you are in charge of a large team of staff, as well as a huge number of students and you are the mediator between students, teachers, and their parents. Being a principal is never boring. For example bad communication skills, or weak organization skills, could easily jeopardize your chances to succeed in an interview. "My expectations have increased every year," she told the researchers. PDF ASSESSING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SCHOOL LEADERS - Wallace Foundation A principal decides whether the student is guilty of a disciplinary infraction and what penalty she should enforce. "Success" could be defined as entry-level manufacturing work for students who had followed a "general track," and low-skilled employment for dropouts. Throughout my entire middle school writing career, my writing techniques and skills have improved tremendously. Seashore Louis, Leithwood et al., 168-171. That's built on a strong foundation of trust. It means they need to be skillful at delegating some of their old management duties to make time for their instructional tasks. The political game can be hard to play. Andrew C. Porter, Joseph Murphy, et al. In matching principals and coaches, the district considers a coach's background, and the principal's strengths, weaknesses, and areas in which they need to growinformation the district has . There will be times you will need to shut your office door or go observe an extraordinary teachers classroom just to escape all the negativity for a few minutes. 2023 Walden University LLC. Being able to deal with parents is highly needed to become a good assistant principal. 42. That means making sure that they have the instructional resources they need - textbooks and other tools of learning (computers, good curriculum). In a school, that begins with a principal's spelling out "high standards and Leadership skills: 5. In other words, how do we create a pipeline of leaders who can make a real difference for the better, especially in troubled schools? A number of online universities offer education specialist degree programs, giving you the opportunity to complete your coursework in a way that doesnt require you to miss time from work. do principals and teachers work together to create a collaborative focus on learning? Please turn on JavaScript and try again. But the difference between average and exceptional employees is that exceptional people can admit their weaknesses, and they strive to get rid of them. 31. Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education, 16-19. Clearly, school leadership is not a zero-sum game. rigorous learning goals," Vanderbilt University researchers assert with underlined emphasis. For many assistant principals, the move to the role comes straight from the classroom, the counseling office, or a dean position. It's not going to just have to be me. Following are just a few of the positive points of the job. "Building a school is not about bricks," Hensley says. Still, the lives of too many principals, especially new principals, are characterized by "churn and burn," as the turnover findings bear out. For more information, please refer to www.WaldenU.edu/educlicensure. Teachers require assistance on a daily basis. Effective principals stay put. Andrew C. Porter, Joseph Murphy, et al., How Leaders Invest Staffing Resources for Learning Improvement, Margaret L. Plecki, Michael S. Knapp, Tino Castaneda, Tom Halverson, Robin LaSota and Chad Lochmiller, University of Washington, 2009. That question has placed fresh urgency on addressing the chronic weaknesses of principal training programs, criticized for decades as unselective in their admissions, academically weak and poorly con-nected to school realities. Bonti felt the principal had managed to balance leadership with a bow to the faculty's expertise. In general, they are on a 12-month contract, getting only two to four weeks of vacation time during the summer. Instead, the technology should help teachers individualize instruction, thus making the technology a good use of financial resources. What it says to me is that we have a little bit of collaboration going around everywhere, but we have a lot of collaboration going on in very few places. PDF Assessing School-based Management in the Philippines As a principal, you can have a larger, indirect impact on students, teachers, and support personnel. "In the great scheme of things," noted one research report, "schools may be relatively small organizations. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. [being a principal] is a different use of your skills and talents. 10 Pros and Cons of Being a School Principal - ThoughtCo The evaluation of students is considered as a key factor in school reformation and improvement in education and learning (Seif, 2010). Most recently, the school was one of only 17 percent in the school district that met all of its "adequate yearly progress" goals under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Meador, Derrick. assessment, Bonti's principal showed the school's English teachers that 10th grade students had unusually low scores for persuasive essays. What is more, many of us do not even know our own weaknesses. Bonti recalls being recruited to organize a Parents Night at the school where she taught most recently, Freedom High School. 10 Pros and Cons of Being a School Principal. An effective principal always documents discipline issues, makes fair decisions, and informs parents when necessary. LDH: You would think it would be obvious. The Role of the Principal in Schools - ThoughtCo "We test them once, we see where they are," science teacher Lynd says of the students. What are the major drawbacks of primary education? - Quora "That creates leadership.". In contrast, low-scoring principals described a very different approach to observations. Moreover, they shift the pattern of the annual evaluation cycle to one of ongoing and informal interactions with teachers. In his Principal's message for the end of Term 2, Dominic asks ChatGPT to outline the benefits and challenges for future education in an AI world. Have you ever thought of becoming a school principal? They emphasize research-based strategies to improve teaching and learning and initiate discussions about instructional approaches, both in teams and with individual teachers. displays good citizenship by assisting other students. You may be trying to access this site from a secured browser on the server. "What I've seen is that the common denominator in schools where students and teachers are successful is strong leadership," Bonti said. Generally, school principals are not involved in education funding laws and procedures. We still have a lot to learn, but we have already learned a great deal. Each day has its own unique routine that dictates itself as time passes. 25. From inside out, you have to build the strengths. You get to celebrate in those successes because a decision you made somewhere along the line likely helped lead to that success. The result shows that transformational leadership by the school principal able to change school's weakness into opportunity. But from 2006 to 2011, principal Dewey Hensley showed this needn't stand in the way of their succeeding in school. Take, for example, the first practice, knowing how to implant the notion that all students can learn and achieve. I understand my consent is not required to enroll at Walden University, and that I can withdraw my consent at any time. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/what-are-some-pros-and-cons-of-being-a-principal-3194531. But he didn't stop there. I've tried to build strong leaders across the board.". "26, What does "professional community" look like? The Knowledge Center at Salary Short and early visits with low-stakes feedback loops can also tamp down anxiety for teachers when it is time for formal evaluation. a leader. "38 They view data as a means not only to pinpoint problems but to understand their nature and causes.39, Principals also need to approach their work in a way that will get the job done. High-scoring principals believed that every teacher, whether a first-year teacher or a veteran, can learn and grow. This political game could be as straightforward as two parents wanting their children to be in the same class. The Leadership Challenge: How to Keep Getting Extraordinary Things Done in Organizations, Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2008; and G. Yukl, Leadership in Organizations, Prentice-Hall, 2009. 40. But their leadership challenges are far from small, or simple. In the face of this growing body of knowledge and experience, it is clear that now is the time to step up efforts to strengthen school leadership. Gallup, Beyond the Principal: U.S. Education System Needs Visionary Leaders, State of Americas Schools, available as a PDF download on the Internet at www.gallup.com/services/178709/state-america-schools-report.aspx. School principals often have a say in the procurement of technology and should make sure all technology brought into the classroom adds torather than detracts fromlearning. Seashore Louis, Leithwood et al., 282. Personal Leadership Gardner, On Leadership, The Free Press, 1993; J. Kouzes, J. and B. Posner, So, he depended on us for the answer," she said. Starting at 8 a.m. High-scoring principals frequently observed classroom instruction for short periods of time, making 20 to 60 observations a week, and most of the observations were spontaneous. But with an effective principal in every school comes promise. There are plenty of pros to being a school principal, from a hefty annual salary to the control you have over school programs as well as the ability to have a lasting impact. Indeed, other school principals - the kinds who instinctively champion instruction over paperwork - have been a source of inspiration for her. 8 Top Leadership Weaknesses and Ways To Improve Them For students to be fully engaged, they need to feel that they have at least one good friend at school, feel safe, feel their teachers emphasize the importance of schoolwork, feel they have the opportunity to do what theyre best at, and feel praised or recognized for their achievements. [It means] that they are asked to work in ways that will allow them to be successful. They are the leaders who guide a school collectively on the right path. The assistant principalship is one of the most misunderstood and pivotal roles in our schools. If you look at schools in many countries in Europe and Asia, teachers have about 15 hours a week or more where they collaborate with each other on planning, to do action research, to do lesson study, to go into each other's classrooms and look at what they're doing, to meet with parents and students about issues that have come up or that they're trying to address. After all, it goes about one of the starting questions, the ice-breakers. Mengubah Kelemahan Menjadi Peluang Kepemimpinan Transformatif Kepala what-are-the-biggest-problems-faced-by-public-school-principals 26. He previously served as a school principal and middle school science teacher. Additionally, along with the ability to make an impact, you'll also be taking on a great deal of responsibility to ensure the proper functioning of the school, and you'll have to deal with politics involving students, teachers, and parents. A pipeline for effective leadershipWallace's work over the last decade suggests such a pipeline would have four necessary and interlocking parts: Coordination of state and district effortsEffective school leadership depends on support from district and state officials. In its study of the U.S. education system, Gallup found that talented principals lead schools to higher achievement. That means improving leadership is a great way for a principal to help his or her school. Critical thinking: 10. Something like 80 or more percent said, "Yes, I have that opportunity." However, principals spend a much greater amount of time doing their jobs. The committees were populated and headed by teachers, with every faculty member assigned to one. 7. She also spent one summer working with middle school English teachers to help ensure that middle-school lessons flowed well into the senior high school courses. One of the common ways is the classic question, " What are your strengths and weaknesses? It may also become complicated in a situation where a school board member approaches you to request that a football player who is failing a class is allowed to play. The median expected annual salary of a principal is over $100,000, while the median expected annual salary for a teacher is under $60,000. One of the best practices that I've seen when new cultures are being planted is holding the faculty meeting in a different room every time and allowing teachers to talk about strategies they're using that are proving successful. ThoughtCo. 32. 10. Let's show our student work. Stanford University, 2007. Review of Research: How Leadership Influences Student Learning, Kenneth Leithwood, Karen Seashore Louis, Stephen E. Anderson and Kyla L. Wahlstrom, University of Minnesota and University of Toronto, 2004. "You can feel enriched beyond the classroom, and it's great to feel you are a part of helping the whole school succeed.". You're the only one who taught us how.'". They pursue these strategies despite the preference of many teachers to be left alone.30, In practice this all means that leaders must become intimately familiar with the "technical core" of schooling - what is required to improve the quality of teaching and learning.31. Lack of Technical Skill Example Answer for Lack of Knowledge as Your Weakness She has felt their efforts directly as a teacher, first in Pasco County, Fla., and now in Hillsborough County, which encompasses Tampa. He should always be prepared to deal with whatever situations may arise. But what does it take to make sure these efforts are worth the time and toil required? "Teachers want that specificity, and they have a right to it.". She noted that there were a lot of students that transfer in from other districts but that reading is still a weakness. In one project, professors observed how Atkinson's teachers kept students engaged and shared the collected data with the faculty in addition to using it for a research study.