Are you making a career transition to become an education administrator? Communicating relevant core skills to the hiring committee is vital.
To move from the classroom to the school principal’s office, you will need to gain the necessary skills and attributes of a respected school leader.
Five tips to help make a successful transition to an education leader.
1. Demonstrate collaboration and school administrator leadership skills.
As one of the school’s leaders, you are directly responsible for leading staff and students to success. Therefore, it is crucial that you have developed and can demonstrate how you can unite the school and lead in times of crisis or change. Be the first person to take action when something goes wrong.
Make sure that the school population knows they can turn to you right away. Propose new ideas to bring together teachers of different schools of thought, so the school may learn from and flourish due to this extraordinary collaboration.
2. Be able to coordinate with all types of people.
More than likely, your particular school is a multicultural melting pot. Treat individuals equally, regardless of gender, race, age, creed, socio-economic level, etc.
Put your prejudices behind you and strive to make this a highly inclusive and welcoming learning environment. Also, you will have to learn to work with many different personalities – some will be easy to get along with, while others may frustrate you.
Take the time to get to know your staff as individuals, learn what personality type each of them falls into, and how to coordinate with them accordingly.
3. Foster strong written and verbal communication skills.
Whether you are speaking at an assembly, addressing the school board, or writing grant proposals, you must be able to communicate your thoughts clearly and concisely. If you find you struggle with either writing or public speaking, it may be a good idea to take night classes or distance learning courses to improve these relevant skills.
How one represents themselves verbally is a good indication of how they are a leader. You want to come off as a strong, knowledgeable, and confident administrator, both in person and on paper.
4. Set a good example for others to follow.
As a school administrator, you are the person that everyone should look up to and respect. Keep this in mind at all times.
Ask yourself, am I representing the school in the right manner?
Do I act professionally at all times?
How do others view me as a school leader?
Do teachers find me cooperative and willing to listen and adapt?
Would I want to work with me?
Take a good hard look at yourself and think about these different questions. If you have any doubts about yourself or your performance, take the time to change your ways. Do you have any bad habits? It’s the perfect time to break bad habits that are either unprofessional or which you would not want anyone else to model.
5. Convey your passion for education and helping students to optimize their success.
Nothing motivates students and staff better than an administrator showing a genuine desire to help them progress and succeed. Play an active role in educating students. For instance, lead an after-school program or teach a class during regular school hours.
If instructors see that you still have a passion for teaching, you will help renew that aspiration in them as well. Furthermore, parents will love the fact that you can balance administrative and instructional duties and demonstrate an honest concern for helping their children. This initiative is also an incredible way to stay connected with your teaching staff and understand the struggles they endure.
If you search for a new leadership position, avoid job search mistakes to save you time and frustration.
