new positions.
Principals must also support and develop the teachers they have. Research shows that principal leadership is a key factor in a teacher’ s decision to stay at a particular school. Much of a principal’ s time should be spent in classrooms observing teachers, complimenting their strengths, and offering specific suggestions for improvement. If a teacher is struggling with a particular issue or group of kids, the principal should be in the classroom as often as possible, watching and helping the teacher develop more successful strategies.
Patricia Gray, principal at Balboa High School, says that she spent two to three hours a day observing in classrooms and talking with teachers during her first several years as principal. Principal Weiner notes that many teachers initially objected to the hours he spent observing in classrooms at Alvarado, but he quickly found that the best teachers were eager to work with him to improve their teaching.
Questions to ask at your school
1. Ask your principal: How do you recruit new teachers when there is an opening?
2. Ask your child’ s teacher: How much time does the principal spend oberserving in your classroom?
3. Ask your principal: How are great teachers at our school recognized or rewarded?
Providing meaningful opportunities for professional development is another way principals can help teachers improve instruction. The principal should make sure that workshops and other development activities are related to the goals of the school and will help teachers better serve their students. Convert webpages or entire websites to PDF- Use PDFmyURL!