Week 8 Discussion - Multiple Hats

Multiple Hats

Sunday, December 8, 2019, 7:18 PM

 

     The many hats principals must wear is an analogy for all the different responsibilities of a school administrator.  Both articles give a list of jobs principals must attend to regularly; some expected, some not. Either way, a principal must be prepared to don any hat required, even if it does not fit quite right. For me personally, the hats of the counselor and nurturer fit the best.  I thrive on building relationships with students, parents, and staff.  They give me energy each day and inspire me to strive for excellence every day.  The hat I am least comfortable with is the helmet.  I am not comfortable with conflict and confrontation.

     As would be expected, the helmet is an analogy for the times when protection is needed.  That may mean protecting a student, the school as a whole, or on occasion, myself.  Having dealt with my fair share of angry parents over the years, I have learned that the helmet is to protect from attack and not intended to be used as a weapon.  In football we call it targeting.  Just as it is bad form on the field, it is bad from in the administrator’s office.  When someone attacks me personally, I tend to take offense in the beginning.  But I must always ask myself if there is any element of truth in what has been said.  Sometimes there is, and I must be open enough to address that and make changes as needed.

     Veteran principals today feel that their tasks are even more challenging because of the way technology and accountability measures have changed our schools. With technology being integrated into every school, principals must decide how, when, and where that integration with take place. Then, they must be sure that the tech is being used effectively and not taking the place of teaching, or being used as a time-filler, with no real instructional value. Regarding accountability, I do not believe there has been a time in the history of American public schools in which principals have had so much pressure to demonstrate growth and achievement. Though most will agree that our national movement for greater accountability has improved the quality of our schools, it has also changed the role of the administrator.  Now, they must know how to manage the facility, staff, budget, and community relations, but they must also be instructional leaders.  Principals must practice shared decision making rather than making unilateral decisions for the school. In this era, principals need many more skills than ever before to be successful.  We may need another rack on the wall for more hats.