We all know a horror story where a school administrator or leader, under pressure, did something wrong, leaving the children and staff upset. It is the case because their responsibilities extend far beyond sitting in their comfortable chair and monitoring people under them. They have to fulfill a more hands-on role these days. Being a school leader in the 21st century is not an easy job at all. You will not make accurate decisions on your first go and will take missteps in the process.
Numerous articles on the internet show that there are various ways to make the education system better. But, we first need to recognize these problems to avoid making mistakes. Although making mistakes allows you to learn from them. However, if you take out the time to avoid them at all costs, you will improve the education system and earn respect from your teachers. So, stop whatever you are doing and give some thoughts to these problems. Today, we will share some of these educational mistakes that affect the quality of education provided at school. You can see them listed down below:
Not communicating with individual under you
Usually, school leaders think that it is their job to please everyone. And at the worst, adjust themselves according to their needs. Yes, it a great thing if people like you and your school. But, the aspect of respect should be there above everything else. A school leader will gain respect when he/she sets realistic expectations, is consistent, and makes the decisions nobody else is willing to take. Sometimes, these decisions might not be popular amongst their staff.
However, if you keep your students and staff in the loop, they will accept all your tough decisions. When you take their input, they feel valued and, in turn, give you their respect. There are various online edd programs available that teach you how you should communicate, set expectations, and follow through with them. You can give them a try if you are struggling to gain the respect of individuals below you.
Assuming you are always right
School leaders sometimes think that a high-profile job title means that whatever decision they make will be one hundred percent accurate. It comes from stepping on the heads and toes of other people and using the power of their job title. However, leaders should avoid making this mistake at all costs. The school is not there to please their ego. The wrong decision they make to appease their ego will affect thousands of students, staff, and the education system in general.
A perfect thing to do is involve the staff more in the decision-making process and learn to keep your ego in check. After all, it is the teachers who deal with the students daily. They know what is best for the students of a school, not the school leader.
Holding parent- teacher meetings just for the sake of fulfilling criteria
Leaders, teachers, and parents alike think of a parent-teacher meeting as just a formality these days. A few decades ago, a PTM was the cornerstone of student development. Parents are now busy, and school leaders do not have the time to be more hands-on with student development. It is why a PTM is just a formality in school these days.
A perfect practice would be to conduct PTMs not to disseminate student information. But, it should be to promote the strategic development of students. When you do such a thing, the teachers and parents will see that you have a more hands-on approach and will involve themselves more in the entire PTM process. You will be a force to reckon with in the educational world of today.
Being critical of your staff
School leaders will try to find gaps and issues in learning processes and criticize their staff. A teacher might be the one teaching a student, but they do it at your request and for a handsome salary package. Being critical of your teachers is not the right thing to do all the time. Sure, you can criticize them once in a while if they do something wrong. However, micromanaging and trying to find a problem with everything is counterproductive.
To be a successful school leader and improve the education system, you will need to learn how to trust your teachers. Your teachers are the driving force of your school. Sure, your accounts department is of equal importance. But, it does not have the responsibility of molding the leaders of tomorrow. Learn to impart a little trust in your teachers as they know what they are doing and are experts in the field of teaching. It will be beneficial for your success and the improvement of the education system.
Conclusion
There are so many traits and characteristics of an impeccable school leader. When you decide to work on these traits, it ultimately improves the education system. Don’t let a few wrong past decisions define what kind of a leader you are. You must empower, educate, and motivate your school staff to strive for success and impart high-quality education to their students. If you do not know where to start, consider the mistakes we have shared with you today and ways to solve them. They will help you decide whether you should change your approach towards being a leader.