Imagine A Principal

Imagine a principal who is a true instructional leader; was once a real teacher (not a teacher for a hot second and for whom the classroom got too hot to handle, so now they want to be the head of something) - a real teacher, a teacher's teacher and known for being such!

Imagine a principal who advocates for his/her school, the needs of the students, teachers, and for the community for which the public school is an anchor!

Imagine a principal who seeks to bring out the best in his/her teachers, encourages them to publish, to be involved in post-secondary education as adjunct faculty or advisors, encourages them to sit and be the voice of public education on boards, committees, panels, and the like. This principal would encourage his/her teachers to seek additional and beneficial certifications and advanced degrees and to expand their pedagogical prowess!

Imagine a principal who knows how to strike that balance of being genuine and approachable by any student, faculty member, parent, or community member and yet also have the backbone and wherewithal to snuff out and address any person or entity who is not for the greater good of the school community!

Imagine a principal who will hear the voices of the many experts in the classroom, in the home, and in the community and genuinely take their suggestions into consideration when making decisions that impact the entire building.

Imagine a principal who will stand up and not just give in, without fight, to every whim, whimper, and wish of school district officials who can't name every teacher in that building without a cheat sheet nor identify the professional strengths of the faculty members in a building.

I'm sure we could imagine a lot more! We could imagine a school district that doesn't overburden its principals (and teachers of course), a school district that treats its educators at all levels, from the classroom to the principalship with a greater degree of professional respect.

But at this moment, right now, at this particular point in time, just imagine that type of principal.

Just imagine...

Imagine...

Just imagine...

Because for the most part and for a potpourri of reasons, some more logical than others, that's all we can do, "imagine"!

Imagine an addendum to this post!