How To?
What Would I do?
Why Should I?
100
If I want to be a principal, where do I start?
Bachelor's degree in education, then master's. Teach for at least five years, but also get administrator's license while teaching (usually about 2 years).
100
As a principal, I will see/deal with/counsel the same number of students as classroom teachers. True or False? Explain.
False. You see/deal with/counsel ALL students and families in the school at some point. Key is to manage people, attitudes, and diffuse situations among large numbers to students, parents and staff members.
100
What is the average starting salary for a principal?
BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) reports mean pay for $90,410 per year. Iowa mean==$94,258; Illinois mean= $84,028; Minnesota & Wisconsin= =$90,847
200
What are the key factors to know/know how to do for the principal interview process?
Examples of how you implemented various strategies/methods to involve parents and improve student achievement, new instructional strategies; how you would manage a group of disgruntled parents and/or staff members; how to read, interpret, and use various kinds of data for the benefit of the students; multitask; involve the community; how well you collaborate with colleagues
200
What kinds of daily jobs would I have as a principal in an elementary school?
Diffuse situations, Make sure teachers are content, Advocate for teachers and staff members, Meet with parents, Establish PD. opportunities, Interact with students
200
What are some issues that principals face?
"All comes down to you" Top three least favorite tasks: budgeting (not enough $ to go around and it's hard to make final decision w/cuts); teacher evaluations (not many assessment tools that work well enough to represent teachers as a whole, and make them improve); upset and close-minded parents (non-supportive, and ignorant parents are the worst).
300
What is the principal process like in other states?
In other states it is similar to Iowa, with minor differences in admin. licensure and minimal teaching length.
300
What are some factors that influence my job duties as principal?
Location, Size of school district, Private/public/Montessori, Associates or no help, Potential staff/colleagues, Amount of money allocated by state, community, PTOs, and/or the government
300
What kinds of administrative power would I have as a principal?
Recruit, train, and hire teachers and staff, Set school standards/goals and develop methods to achieve them, Prepare reports/assess teachers and staff, Observe teaching methods and materials
400
Why is it important to teach for five (or more) years before being eligible to be hired as a principal?
Experience in classroom; knows teachers' problems/struggles; understands how kids act; knows proper evaluation techniques that are representative of teachers as a whole.
400
What kinds of issues/dilemmas do principals encounter outside of the school building?
Personal/emotional issues with staff; “playing the game;” competition from other schools and districts; officials making laws without knowing what they’re doing, and then having to follow those rules; long hours; working on the weekends
400
As a principal, I can make more of a difference/impact on my students, school, and district than as a classroom teacher. True or False?
Answers may vary. I believe that it is true in regards to the school and district. Principals can influence other schools to do something if their school is succeeding at it. They can also convince administrators to try new things within their school if they have the evidence to prove that it will work for the benefit of the students. However, I do believe that classroom teachers have more of an impact on their students directly, because they see them more hours of the day than the principal, and have more face-to-face interaction with them.
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