The six simple rules provided by Dr. Ramsey, are simplistic in nature and effective if remembered by educational leaders when looking to develop and implement “in the name of children”. I believe that to be an effective leader in education, we must remember our customer is not only the child but our parents. Parents, who have a voice and could choose any school. Given the many varied school options available today, what makes your school the best choice for their child? Parents are looking for a collaborator, not a dictator or an organization that isolates and creates feelings of inferiority.
From conducting a needs assessment, drafting a strategic plan or developing a backward designed curriculum utilizing a Universal Design Learning mindset, we must always keep the child as center focus. Programs that lose sight of the child have failed before implementation has even begun.
As a principal, I know how “busy” and unexpected a school day can be. However, the reasons why there are so many blogs and books that share best practices and strategies for principals and educational leaders alike to get out of their offices and into the classrooms, is because we all at one point or another get stuck behind our desks attending necessary managerial tasks and we need to be reminded that the reason we chose to be a principal in the first place was to be change agents for children and a champion of teachers!
It is so important to remember the “why”! We cannot allow ourselves to get caught up in the tasks at hand but read and research that strategy that will work best for us to spend that necessary time in the classroom seeing learning in action on the part of both student and teacher.
We cannot discount the importance placed on the positive development and cultivation of a healthy team of faculty and staff. A healthy and effective faculty and staff are crucial in the development of our future, so it is essential that we as educational leaders get up, get moving and motivate, lead and develop our teams.
As second semester begins for many of us around the world, I encourage you in 2017 to seek out new ways to tell your faculty and staff, “good job” or “this needs some attention for the sake of our children and all those placed in our care.”
Be the educational leader you wanted to be when you first said, “YES” to the opportunity.
Seek to be the difference in the lives of the children, parents, faculty and staff placed in your care. When we choose to be and see the good, it is simply life changing.
6 RULES FOR PRINCIPALS
By Robert Ramsey, Ed.D
- Rule 1: Listen to parents; the are the kid’s first teachers.
- Rule 2: If it’s good for kids, it’s good.
- Rule 3: If there’s NO fun, there’s not much lasting learning happening either.
- Rule 4: Kids are more important than teachers.
- Rule 5: Teachers are more important than principals.
- Rule 6: Principals are ONLY important if they HELP kids and teachers.
May we continue to seek knowledge in all things~
Denise
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