Article Analysis Essay on Things Great Principals Do Differently

The writer talks about the issue of discipline as a problem by itself or the solution of the problem. Assertive regulation is an essential element of classroom management. As we all know, some discipline approaches have gotten outlawed by the school management after getting deemed inappropriate. According to an illustration, the author used to try and create the image of the effects of positive discipline; we see that it is the source of the problem itself. The teacher he had worked with, Mrs. Hamilton told him that she would not use the approach again. When there is proper classroom management, there is no need for hard discipline measures for the students. Adequate control ensures that the classroom environment is well set and there is no one causing disturbances or distractions thus there is no one making mistakes. Another illustration talks about Mr. Lewis class. There are names of wrongdoers on the blackboard, and as much as he punishes them, the checkmarks continue rising. Thus, the author concluded that the problem was Mr. Lewis himself and not the approach.

The author discussed developing the teachers skills for better performance. It is essential to encourage and support the development of the school staff as a principal. That is because the vital principle recognizes the need to promote the growth of their team as that contributes to the overall improvement of the school. A lousy principal will ignore staff development and focus on the goals of the education as well as the issues going on therein. That leaves one area of improvement uncared thus affecting all the other regions.

The third issue is the reflection on the appropriateness of praising and rewarding subject. The argument that needs more debating is not whether teachers should award their students but the methods they use to carry out the above activity. As we know, some teachers hide their ineffectiveness under a veil by trying to bribe their students through rewards. We can thus conclude that effective principals should focus more on results rather than programs. That is because different studies ascertain that it is the people and not programs that determine the schools quality.

On the second part, the issue under discussion is focusing first on behavior than on beliefs. The importance of understanding this topic helps to show the need and zeal of the people who aim at being good at what they do. On page (74), the author tells us that every person loves getting honored for his or her work and that need befalls leaders too, and that requires improvement in analyzing and understanding instructions. In a school setting, a well-performing principal acts as a role model for the teachers and the staff. They idolize their leader and thus work under them appropriately without causing any problems. The main aim of developing an accurate sense of self it to earn respect among co-workers. When addressing the issue of an open door, it is first appropriate to acknowledge that the term is just a figurative speech.

It involves the creation of effective communication methods and channels to have the ability to know what is happening you as well as effecting change. It is also important to acknowledge that a struggling leader is also a problem. Such leaders should keep a keen ear on comments from their colleagues to identify their mistakes and correct them appropriately. From the above sentiments, we thus ascertain that self-awareness to is in the skills category (14). That is due to the ability of self-correcting the mistakes the specific leader thinks he or she possesses. The author also compares school leaders an ice cream companies. He elaborates it so well thus creating the conclusion that a reasonable principal needs to be visible and accessible to simplify the process of getting feedback and comments on different things. On page (17), the author goes ahead to explain the importance of basing decisions on the comments from the best teachers. The reason is that right teacher has the skills to make sound judgments and decisions due to their gained expertise.

Some gifts help in building the morale of the teachers. Those are the gifts that the principal should give as awards to his staff. According to Whitaker (2011), the best prize for a teacher is confidence. A principal should thus teachers to build their skills as well as encourage and praise when required because that goes a long way in helping the teacher feel self-worth. The teachers should, in turn, do the same to their students thus including it in the methods of classroom management. It contributes a lot to deal with inadequate and ineffective staff, therefore, aiding improvement and creating a hard working atmosphere in the school (121).

Setting expectations helps in focusing on the work at hand and improving on the parts that lag behind. It shows the zeal to want to perform better and develop. While setting expectations, the principal should consider all the staff and students involved (134). The classroom has some participants each with his or her duties. That includes the students, teachers, the principal and any other staff involved. When it comes to competition between two schools, there is always the presence of different variables that contribute to one being better than the other (19). An effective principal should know this variable and understand them. In a classroom, the primary variable is the teacher as they control everything. The last reflection is about clarifying the core values (Whitaker, 2011). First of all, the level of expertise the teacher has determined contributes to the performance of the student and the school in general. Core values are important as they add to all the above aspects of being a great principal (139). A good principal should, therefore, focus on creating an atmosphere of responsibility around the school thus when a person makes a mistake they accept and allow correction and advice.

Reference

Whitaker, T. (2011). What great principals do differently: Eighteen things that matter most? Eyeon Education.