PRINCIPAL KAFELE’S 50 “I’s” FOR NEW AND ASPIRING  PRINCIPALS

Copyright © 2006 by Baruti K. Kafele

Principal Kafele Commentary – Typically, when the layperson thinks of the role of the principal, images of a disciplinarian generally come to mind with the good principal usually being perceived as a strong disciplinarian.  I too was once guilty of thinking that in order to be an effective principal, one had to be a strong disciplinarian.  I learned very early in my career however, that a principal could be the ultimate disciplinarian, but strong discipline didn’t necessarily translate into student achievement.  During my first year as a principal, my main focus was so much on discipline that student achievement suffered relative to standardized test scores.  Had I not changed my focus, my principalship would have been short-lived for sure.  Consequently, at the start of my second year, I began to look at myself, not so much as a disciplinarian, but as an instructional leader.  It was imperative that I made the “transformation” into seeing myself as the instructional leader of the building.  More importantly, my students and staff had to see me and feel comfortable with me in this role as well.  Once I changed my “behavior” and began to operate as an instructional leader, tremendous gains began to occur in student achievement relative to success on state standardized assessments.

When I was interviewing for my first administrative position as a vice principal, a superintendent told me that he was looking for a strong instructional leader.  He said to me that anyone can be a disciplinarian, but it was the effective principal that led his/her school instructionally.  His words have remained with me throughout my career.  As a new or aspiring principal, you too must first and foremost see yourself as an instructional leader.  You must see yourself as the lead educator of your school.  You must therefore come to the realization that the overall academic progress of your school is directly tied to how well you lead your school, instructionally.  Below is a list of what I have coined, Principal Kafele’s 50 “I’s” for New and Aspiring Principals – a list of affirmations for principals who aspire to see themselves as instructional leaders.  Towards effectively leading your school instructionally, it is my recommendation that these affirmations be read, studied, internalized and implemented regularly from the outset of your career as a school instructional leader.

1.               I am the instructional leader of my school.

2.               I see myself as the number one determinant of the success or failure of my students.

3.               I understand that as the instructional leader of my school, my priority must be on student achievement and

         improvement in instruction.

4.               I am very knowledgeable of my district curriculum, state content standards and state assessment specifications.

5.               I hold my staff accountable for the implementation of the district curriculum and state content standards.

6.               I set the tone for my school at the start of every day through positive, motivating and uplifting morning

         announcements.

7.               I consistently strive to keep my staff and students motivated and excited about learning.

8.               I praise my students and staff for their accomplishments – both privately and publicly.

9.               I spend the majority of my time each day in classrooms observing instruction and learning.

10.          I provide immediate feedback to my staff after observing their instruction.

11.          I lead with a definite purpose for leading which drives everything I say and everything I do.

12.          I treat my instructional leadership not as a job, profession or career but as a mission.

13.          I am on a personal mission to ensure that all of my students achieve academic excellence.

14.          I have a short-range and long-range personal vision of what I expect my students to achieve.

15.          I regularly communicate my personal mission and vision to my students and staff.

16.          I engage my staff in the development of the school mission and vision statements.

17.          I ensure that my students and staff can articulate the school mission and vision statements.

18.          I have high academic standards and expectations for my students and staff and believe that they will attain them.

19.          I regularly communicate my high academic standards and expectations to my students and staff.

20.          I hold my teachers accountable for ensuring that all of my students achieve academic excellence, which includes

         meeting and/or exceeding district, state and federally-mandated benchmarks.

21.          I model what I expect of my students and staff.

22.          I conduct daily self-reflections and self-assessments of my instructional leadership.

23.          I maintain a collegial relationship with my staff.

24.          I ensure that my new teachers are paired with competent veteran teachers.

25.          I encourage my veteran teachers to observe the instruction of my new teachers and vice versa.

26.          I provide my new teachers with maximum support and ongoing professional development.

27.          I participate in staff team meetings and provide input and leadership where warranted.

28.          I regularly collaborate with my staff as it relates to instruction.

29.          I utilize staff meeting time for staff professional development.

30.          I engage all staff during professional development staff meetings.

31.          I regularly educate my staff through providing professional literature.

32.          I plan each day effectively while adhering to my own written plan of action for student achievement.

33.          I am well organized relative to my daily routine of observing instruction and learning.

34.          I utilize data to drive all instructional decision-making.

35.          I strive to empower my staff through involving them in school-level planning and decision-making.

36.          I ensure that instruction in my classrooms is student-centered.

37.          I ensure that my staff utilizes a variety of instructional approaches and strategies in an effort to address the

         different learning styles and learning needs of all of my students.

38.          I ensure that my staff maximizes student time on task.

39.          I ensure that my school and classroom environment are conducive to learning relative to the climate, culture,

         cleanliness, environment and maintenance of the building.

40.          I have developed extended day opportunities for those students who are struggling academically.

41.          I demonstrate an appreciation and respect for my students and staff.

42.          I refuse to accept failure or to allow failure to occur in my school.

43.          I refuse to make excuses for any failure my students may experience.

44.          I accept responsibility and accountability for student success and failure.

45.          I have a philosophy, beliefs, opinions and ideas about how children learn based upon my own research, study   

         and experiences.

46.          I read professional development literature on the latest research in instructional leadership.

47.          I attend professional development conferences and workshops addressing instructional leadership.

48.          I confer with colleagues and other educational leaders towards my own professional growth and development as

         an instructional leader.

49.          I belong to professional organizations.

50.          I make parental and community engagement a priority in my practice as an instructional leader.