School Improvement: It’s Not the Principal’s Sole Responsibility

As a principal, my key duty is to ensure that the school achieves its goals and that all students receive a high-quality education. However, I cannot do this alone. I need the support of the staff, both teaching and non teaching, to create a positive and supportive learning environment that nurtures student success. Therefore, it is essential that staff are actively engaged in school life and supporting our efforts to improve school performance.

For this to occur, principals need to encourage staff to communicate openly and honestly with them. I believe that honest and transparent communication is the foundation of a healthy and productive working relationship. By providing feedback on the school’s operations and discussing any issues that arise, staff can help the principal identify areas that need improvement and help shape the direction of the school.

Collaboration is also key to your success. As the principal, I value the input and expertise of my teachers. I encourage them to be active participants in school decision-making processes. By providing input on policies, procedures, and other school-related matters, teachers can help make informed decisions that benefit the entire school community.

Professional development opportunities are critical for teaching staff to keep their skills up-to-date and improve their teaching techniques. Offering a range of professional development opportunities to help teachers develop new skills and become better equipped to support their students isn’t just the principal’s job. Teachers need to be proactive in this regard.

I believe that teachers should actively participate in school initiatives. As a principal, I often implement school-wide initiatives to improve school performance. By volunteering to serve on committees or organising events, teachers can play an active role in these initiatives and help improve school performance.

Put simply, principals rely on the support and commitment of teachers to create a positive and supportive learning environment that nurtures student success.

Author: Dr Jake Madden

Jake Madden (Dip Teach; B.Ed; Grad Dip: Leadership; M. Ed: Leadership; EdD; FACEL; MACE) Dr. Jake Madden is currently the Principal, St Edward’s Primary School, Tamworth. He has enjoyed a successful teaching and principal leadership career over the last thirty years building teacher capacity through the development of learning in the contemporary world, the promotion of flexible learning spaces to meet the needs of the 21st century learner and curriculum for global mindedness. Jake is a leader in the notion of teacher-as-researcher and is widely published in this area, authoring and co-authoring books and a number of journal articles showcasing his experiences and research into leading educational change.

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