The novice principal

Potential school teachers proudly walk out of universities and teacher training colleges armed with qualifications and credentials making them worthy of admission and acceptance into the noble teaching profession.

But that is as far as universities can go. The making of a teacher begins at the school. The years spent at training, which are largely theoretical in character, laced to a limited extent, with real teacher–student classroom stimulation can hardly be considered sufficient enough to grow and raise a great teacher. The making of a great teacher is not an event but a process in a school practice environment where there is real live interaction involving the teacher and content in the presence of students.

The role of transforming ‘raw’ graduates and making great teachers out of them falls squarely on the shoulders of schools especially those at the helm - school principals. It is the primary responsibility of the school principal to rally his or her troops (both novices and seasoned) behind the noble cause of raising student academic achievement levels and unleashing the potential of every learner.

It is indeed a truism that the fate of our dear children in schools does not lie so much in the hands of universities, which offered the initial training but lies much more in the hands and dexterity of school principals charged with the delicate task of deployment and proper utilisation of all resources at their disposal including the human resource. The work of building effective teachers, which principals should execute with distinction, is compounded right from the start with not all teachers who come to join the teaching service industry motivated by passion and love for the job.

The reality is that some are in the profession by accident having been pushed into the direction of teaching by circumstances of limited or non-availability of opportunities in areas they would have desired. The role of the principal under the circumstances goes beyond the normal call of duty of providing instructional leadership but also inculcating among his charges a sense of love and pride in the teaching profession. This is the more reason extraordinary attention and care should be exercised when appointments are made into school leadership positions. The position of a principal requires someone who is not only armed with a vision but also having a deep appreciation of issues vexing of the teaching profession. The one thing a newly appointed principal must keep in mind is that as professor Jaap Kuiper observed “teachers are not that happy in their job, partly because, so it seems, they expect perhaps too much. This is when talking about an eight-hour day, regular promotion.

Housing seems to be a perennial problem. Many teachers have to share a house and this does not make teachers feel at ease and able to relax when in their own space.’’

Dealing with people who are aggrieved requires the right skills and dexterity. Rightly so, teachers expect a lot from their leaders. They expect school principals to lead them and lead them well. They look up to their leaders not only for professional guidance but for empathy as well. Teachers should see in their principals a mother or father figure as well as an advocate.

Renowned author and motivational speaker, Simon Sinek says that “every employee is a son or someone’s daughter. Like a parent, a leader of a company is responsible for their precious lives.’’ When the chips are down and things don’t seem to go their way, the troops can do better when they sense and feel the motherly and fatherly caring attitude from their leaders. Teachers will under trying circumstances bring their best selves to work just when feeling valued.

Therefore the principal should at all times endeavour to perform and master the balancing act of serving interests of the system while also championing the welfare of teachers. Principals should fight tooth and nail to ensure that deserving teachers are rewarded accordingly for their toils.

And in the same vein, efforts are taken to close professional gaps of those found wanting and when punishment is duly given to those found wanting. Tensions and rebellious tendencies develop and gather momentum when teachers perceive their leader as a threat to their professional survival and growth. It is important for principals to create a positive environment where teachers feel that their leaders have their best interests at heart. It is only after winning the confidence of the teachers that the principal can manage with relative ease to shift the attention of everyone into the classroom.