By: Jocelyn B. Racoma
Luisiana Sub-Office, SDO Laguna
San Rafael-San Roque ES
Leadership – the action of leading a group of people or an organization. With school heads as leaders of our institutions, they are deemed as beacons of change who can contribute to a major impression on the educational setting through their techniques and strategies in creating a balanced social connection and participating in in mentoring programs, and fostering progress.
Levels of hardships had confronted our school heads due to the pandemic that we are in. Resumption of face-to-face classes, budget allocations, health and safety protocols our some of the things our school heads braved their way to, along with the strict policies being implemented. The aim to become successful and effective in their leadership practices in relation to the standards is fundamental to contribute to the school performance. The question is what makes an effective principal who can lead in the new normal?
By being able to put a mark on the vision and mission of academic success for all students, one must base it on high criteria. As the head of the school, one must be able to lead and motivate every teacher to create a sustainable learning environment for every student by creating a climate of safe space for education.
As quoted by John C. Maxwell, a leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. On becoming a better leader, one must be able to set an example to everyone who is under his supervision. Through cultivating the skills and attitudes needed on developing leadership skills, an effective principal assumes their part in realizing the school vision and mission.
Another would be the skill on managing people, data and processes to foster school improvement. As with school-based management, everyone plays a key part in working towards the betterment of our schools. Through effective and successful school heads, continuing to acknowledge challenges and struggles coming along the way, school head must move toward resolutions. As head, one must be able to identify solutions from which students and teachers benefit alike.
The measurement of success in creating schools that are effective must also be resilient in terms of the amount of substantial change that could happen overtime. As with the after-effects of the pandemic, one must contribute substantially to student learning and teacher professional development; along with socio-emotional and mental health. Nevertheless, evidence points out that school heads as administrators play a major role in the success of an education institution.
By being able to provide direction, goals, aspirations inspirations, and showing the right path, our school heads must exhibit bravery, compassion, commitment, and ambition for our schools as they are the ones who will determine the rise and fall of an institution. Failure on the part of the leader to lead effectively and successfully would impact on how the overall performance of a school.
Nurturing strengths and talents of their people through building teams committed to achieving common goals, school heads must learn and relearn; become resilient; and give their best in leading every teacher and learner to quality education.
