Renowned historian Will Durant writes that “Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.” The more we know, generally, the more we realize there is for us to know. Thus, we become life long learner as we seek another good idea, another best practice.
However, since school principals are practitioners they always seek practical ideas, and easy to implement best practices when they read…that is what I did at least. Out of many books that I have read over the years on school leadership one particular book offered the most practical ideas and best practices. That is “Best Practices of Award Winning Principals” by Sandra Harris.
The book is about 215 pages which you would want to underline each one of them. Sandra Harris asked 34 principals whose schools earned the blue ribbon award to share their best practices and compiled them in her book. She categorized such best practices and guidance under various categories such as leadership, culture, communication, curriculum and instruction, school improvements plan, and individualizing learning for all. The book also gives a list of resources at the end of each section for those who want to pursue further reading on each subtopic.
Below I wanted to bring some of these best practices and guidance from the award winning principals in the book to your attention with the hope that you would implement some of them in your schools if you are not already doing so:
LEADERSHIP:
Organize and train office staff so they are part of the school mission and vision, serving the teachers and parents as major links in the communication process
Train your secretary to manage your snail mail, e-mail, calendar, and appointments
Know your teachers like you expect them to know their students
Know the school’s performance data inside and out
Know the curriculum well, attend national conferences, and read, read, read so that you are viewed as knowledgeable about change, trends, and innovations
Instill respect by having a caring attitude by doing some of the below
Learn the names of staff members’ children
Go the extra mile to assist a staff member in need of something
Organize a group of kids to sweep snow off staff members’ cars so they will not have to
Dress professionally ever day and groom yourself to appear neat and clean
Smile frequently
Keep your head up and walk with a sense of purpose
Foster an environment that encourages sharing opinions and trying new things
Ask stakeholders their opinion. A wise principal will publicly credit others for contributing to the final decision that is made
Make sure your faith, family, and friends are stable and strong
Establish traditions in your school
Enhance your leadership capabilities by working with a mentor, stay abreast of leadership research, and sharpen your individual skills
Take risk and do not afraid of failure in implementing new ideas
Promote teamwork and create team time for grade level teachers by redesigning the schedule
Have your staff read and study books like “The Wisdom of Teams” by Katzenbach and Smith and “The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork”
Empower students such as student council involving in all school decisions and the council consists of representatives from each class
Organize principal essay contest and reward students and this will also give you a chance
Find a mentor and work with him/her
Balance your life as a leader with yourself, your family, and work
SHAPING CAMPUS CULTURE
Find the right staff; a school will be as good as the people you allow to walk through the door
Build a culture of ongoing professional development
Never spend lots of time talking about negatives; never stop talking about positives
“We monitor what we value” and “management by walking around” are very important
Put people first
Award staff members and put their pictures on a wall
Send a weekly message to staff and students as “Catch of the week” a short two paragraph message from the principal
Set up a “Pulse Committee” composed of one representative from each facet of the school to keep informed of what is going on in the school
Establish a “5 to 10” rule; if you are 5 feet away from someone, greet them verbally, if you are 10 feet away from someone acknowledge nonverbally. Make this a part of your culture
Have your staff read Ruby Payne’s work dealing with children in poverty
Develop a goal for each year and make it your mantra for that year such as “it is all about commitment”, “The Power of Pride”, Make a Connection-Build a bridge”, Respect-celebrate the gift”
Set up a Principal’s Ambassadors program with students that are invited to serve as advisors to the principal
Establish at least a week long training and call it institute for your staff over the summer
Make the month of February a month to keep teacher happy because this is the month that morale declines. Such as Jeans Friday, a masseuse on hand for 10 minute massages, an ice cream party scooped by the administrators, soup of the week, a raffle, and so forth
Establish an idea of the month program and reward individuals who come up with the best idea
COMMUNICATING FOR COLLABORATION
Give recognition in walk-throughs and formal observation if you see a teacher that cares
In faculty meeting make a rule that I talk; see me after
Include your staff in graduations ceremonies with color; let the graduates walk pass them and salute them as they approach the platform
Build relationships
Establish a teacher advisory board
Based on the idea that a community’s health has something to do with its appearance and image give frequent surveys to your parents and students to tell you what they love about the school and what drives them crazy
Establish and outside advisory groups to help you with the image of the school in the community and meet with them regularly
Send communication sheets home on a weekly basis such as “Tuesday Sheets”
Make sure your front office and staff are inviting to parents, guests, and community
Communicate your expectations frequently via different communication tools
CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONS
Encourage excellence throughout the school
Share best practices with your faculty
Recognize and celebrate academic excellence
Encourage your students for post secondary options to create a college culture
Create alternative school calendar so students do not miss same classes
Have open enrollment AP classes
Map your curriculum
Establish freshmen induction program
Have your teachers loop
Give your students summer reading lists and follow up with them
Establish “lunch and learn” program for your teachers on various professional development topics
Late Monday start could be an option for professional development
Provide technology training for your staff
Establish a media/lab center to provide an opportunity for research, resources, reading materials, and additional instructional support for your students. You can employ higher grade students in the lab if you have a high school
“Homework Heroes” is a program that celebrates students who turn in 100% of their homework in a semester. You can celebrate it with their parents at the end of each semester
Honor roll parent dinner or stickers
Celebrate math and science related programs such a Pi Day.
Fitness as after school detention
Buffet lunch for students who did well on the state tests
Require your students to read a novel of their own selection each month
Make a bulletin board about your students who are involved in post secondary and exhibit what classes they take and from what college
Set up peer tutoring during lunch and order special lunch for tutor as incentives
Look at the grades of your students regularly and meet with those who do not perform well
Develop programs for your students to improve study and social skills
Establish a strong pull-out and weekend academic intervention programs
Principal’s book club to promote reading in your school
Set up a character education committee that includes the school counselor
Establish a mentoring program and compensate the mentors
Determine low performance students in your school and through your counselor teach them study skills, note taking skills, and organizational skills
Create ESL content classes such as ESL History, ESL Science
Read Charlotte Danielson’s Enhancing Professional Practice; A framework for Teaching and observe in our school the 22 components of good teaching that she describes in her book
Make sure your building especially bathroom are very clean. It send a message to your community
Find a trusted confidant with whom you can discuss difficult issues straightforwardly
Have your staff read Ruby Payne’s A Framework for Understanding Poverty so they learn how to deal with people whose values are different than their own
PERSONALIZING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL
Learn your students’ names and something about them
Find a way to put older successful students with unsuccessful younger students
Almost every student problem that you see is due to a lack of love somewhere. If you are brave enough you can help them most of the time
Start a bulleting board and ask for their pictures and showcase them
Set up a committee that meets with underperforming students to motivate them
Create programs like “Tuesday Extra” when library, counseling office, and other programs open until 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays.
Institute summer camps for math and science for students who need extra help in such subjects
Senior retreat for your seniors before the school starts and include their parents as well
One principal starter his daily announcements as “Make it a great day or not; the choice is yours”
The book includes a chapter of wise word that I liked a lot. I want to conclude this summary as saying that “Make use of these ideas and practices in the book or not; the choice is yours.”
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