Principal as Model of Educational Leadership (Pendidik, Julai 2011)

PRINCIPAL

AS MODEL OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

By

Izani Hj Daud

Principal is the  leader of school leadership. Hence the principal is supposed to be a competent and efficient in carrying out his duties. Since the principal is the most influential people in the school, he or she would be role model or idol to the teachers and staffs under him.

Among the features that a principal should have, the most important is leadership. Principal as a role model should have the skills to identify strategic issues related to the issue of academic, non academic and student discipline. A principal who has leadership capabilities should also be able to implement plans and strategies. Excellent leadership skills necessary to be owned by all the principals under which teachers or staff will also follow the principal. All principals should possess excellent leadership skills as pre-requisite to lead teachers, staffs and student alike.

With regard to this aspect of leadership, a principal must be able to direct all the teachers to work together to reach a common goal, not simply impliciting the choosen few. In addition, principals should strive to gain widespread community support. However, the school community  environment should be given priority because they are the essence of school development.

A principal must be highly motivated (Ainscow, 1991). Principals must strive to develop personal leadership for school improvement, for example by attending seminars, workshops and the like again. A principal should always give encouragement to teachers and staffs, for instance, by placing trust in the ability, determination and sincerity of teachers and meets regularly to improve the teaching profession. This method certainly provides a strong impetus for teachers to be highly motivated and excel in their profession.

Principals in order to serve as a model must also be a person with outstanding personal qualities. He is able to provide a vision and mission of an organization (school) to all parties, especially teachers and support staff, This is important because the whole school must clearly know the direction, including the target to be achieved by the school. Otherwise, teachers and staff will not get a true picture of the school vision and mission that could cause the strategy or program to fail  or is not on the right track.

A principal must exemplify the time frame necessary in completing a program or project. Time frame or timing is important so that any programs will be able to meet the target time. Practice like this will definitely give an example to teachers, staffs and students at the school.

Managing school is not easy, so principals as school managers must gain the cooperation of all parties to govern the school. The concept of managing the school as a community should be practiced by the principal. School as a community, that an atmosphere of collaboration between teachers and students. Principals who are able to create a harmonious atmosphere would be celebrated once a model for subordinates and students appreciated, and at the same time accepted as role model by his subordinate and students

Excellent principals  will always make the detection and monitoring of projects and programmes. Detection and monitoring is easy to do when a principal can be directly involved with the activities carried out in schools. This kind of attitude will hopefully also be exercised by the teacher. For example, teachers make regular monitoring of discipline or monitor troubled students. Similarly, in classrooms, teachers will continue to monitor the work of students such as books, exercise books and so on.

Keeping an open mind is also a principal feature of which can be used as an example. Principals who have this attitude will always listen to the views of others such as teachers, parents and students. Openness will be able to provide role models for teachers to have the same attitude with the students. For example, students are given the opportunity to raise ideas or arguments, so as to produce students who are viable.

In addition, a principal must be a brave, especially when facing problems or challenges. Blumberg and Greenfield (1986) also argues that the key attributes that need is necessary in a  principal is a wise and intelligent action and have high initiative. Ubber and Hughes (1987) stressed the principal shall  work hard wisely and be an example or model for his staff. This is because the principal is seen as a model, so he must display a commendable attitude and habits.

A principal  also must  provide an opportunity for teachers and staff to show their leadership (Bennis, 1985). This attitude is imperative for a principal to all teachers in the profession viable. The irony is that today in schools, only certain  are given the opportunity show leadership, especially  those person who are close to school administrators, whereas other teachers may have the ability and capability to carry out the best when given responsibility. As a result, these teachers would be left out  and continue to be 'helpless', and a passenger in a ship laden.

In fact, a principal must be a competent and high calibre person who can demonstrate strong leadership qualities and possess a strong desire to lead such features
enable him to become  influential in leading school, which will be followed by his  subordinates, so as to generate a school of excellence in all aspects, both in academic, co-curricular and character building of students.