Have you given much thought to the image that you might have as a “Principal” in a middle school or high school? Most likely not, as your workdays are long and your evenings busy with meetings or sports events, so who has time to ponder what image you project? Actually, there are citizens in your school district who do look and gauge you based on a number of criteria or perhaps, only one criterion.
What you do on a regular basis and the image(s) you as a “principal”convey can actually be taken as two separate visions. Your staff and some of the community for school may view you as a positive force for learning and educational growth for the students. The other image may be symbolized in a completely different frame of reference in your community. In a recent article, “The Principal: The Most Misunderstood Person in All of Education” written by Kate Rousmariere, she notes that impressions of a “principal” is not always really positive. “Across popular and professional cultures, the figure of the school principal is commonly reduced to a small, often disagreeable functionary of bad news, the wet blanket of progressive teacher practice, the prison guard of students’ freedoms.” In addition, “…many people confused the role of the school building principals with school district superintendent.” The use of adjectives to describe principals as being grouchy, heartless cads is one thing, but the inability to separate a principal’s responsibilities from that of a superintendent is enough to give one chills!
In her article, Rousmaniere futher points out that principals have many roles as an “..employer, supervisor, professional figurehead and inspirational leader..”, thus the principal “…is the most complex and contradictory figure in the pantheon of educational leadership.” She futher points out that building principals are responsible for student learning along with all of the other previously mentioned roles in this paragraph. Basically, you have a complex job like no one else has and you are proud of it, although exhausted by it at times. The author also gives credit for building principals doing what is right for the students and the educational culture of the school. Still, for all that you do, Rousmaniere notes”…the history of the principalship is marked by an increasing discrepancy between the popular image and the actual work of the position.” Perhaps, but you do your job because you care about your students and your communityand that is what counts.
This article is well worth reading and sharing with your assistant principal(s). You may access it at:
