Dr. Angela Chaniel's leadership and problem-solving at Young Middle Magnet School

¶ … Decisive Action by a High School Principal

The Process of Decisive Action

By a High School Principal

During my day at Young Middle Magnet School, I observed Dr. Angela Chaniel work as a school district representative and administrative figurehead as she dealt with parents, students, and her own faculty. It was primarily communicative skills that allowed her to address each issue separately and outline the circumstances of each situation in a clear fashion. It was also keen problem-solving techniques that allowed her to solve several issues presented to her by faculty and students alike. She also proved herself to be an excellent administrator, with a clear vision for the school and the educational progress of the students. Through evaluating both the classrooms in her schools and the curriculum taught in those classrooms, relationships between teachers and students, and an evaluation of standardized test scores, Dr. Chaniel is able to pinpoint the successes and shortcomings of her school and create a course of action that will correct these shortcomings and provide a stronger educational experience for her students.

"Educational administrators who manage elementary, middle, and secondary schools are called principals. They set the academic tone and work actively with teachers to develop and maintain high curriculum standards, formulate mission statements, and establish performance goals and objectives."

The role of principal is one of multi-tasking and forward thinking. Like teachers in the school, the principal must enforce rules and attendance policies. More importantly, however, the principal must stand behind her staff and the discipline that other teachers have enforced. In this way, the principal must act as a liaison between the teachers and parents, in order to facilitate discussion of educational activities, policies, and student behavioral/learning problems. The principal is responsible for evaluating areas of weakness in the current curricula or school system, and taking steps towards improving those areas. For this reason, a principal must be able to both lead the school and work in collaboration with the teachers to achieve these goals. The principal must hire staff that will help this plan for a stronger school succeed, and evaluate the current staff to ensure that his or her plan for success is being enforced in the classroom. In short, the principal is the defender of the curriculum, and is held responsible for the overall success of her school.

Analysis of Shadowing

What strikes me as most difficult about Dr. Chaniel's day was the number of roles she needed to fulfill on a daily basis. As a principal, Dr. Chaniel wears many hats; that of an educator, administrator, counselor, liaison, hall monitor… the list continues. Not only must she be the eyes and ears of the school, she must be the eyes and ears of the students. Hers is a balancing act, wherein she must act as a representative of the school for parents, students, and community members. She must also support her faculty in front of the community, so as to present a united front that stands behind a single mission statement, educational belief, and educational outcome for each student.

The most important aspect of Dr. Chaniel's day was enforcing discipline and attendance rules. After asking five principals at Young Middle Magnet to complete a survey concerning the job of principal, it was concluded that this was also an area wherein Dr. Chaniel and her staff were capable and efficient. Other areas of greatest success were in the observation of teaching methods and examination of learning materials in order to evaluate and standardize curricula, and the provision of counsel to students in regards to personal, academic, vocational, or behavioral issues.

The fewest amount of principals took an active role in the hiring and training of new staff members, as well as the planning and leading of professional development activities for teachers, administrators, and support staff. Most principals felt that he or she were adequately involved in the lives of their students and the students' families, and that they were constantly discussing and evolving educational activities, policies, and problems at the school. Most principals also believed themselves to be efficient in setting goals for the students and staff, and in taking measures to encourage the faculty and student body to strive to achieve those goals.

I think that a principal is most benefitted from stellar communicative skills, both written and verbal. A principal must be a diplomat at all times, and sound knowledge on school policy and precedent is the most effective way of speaking knowledgably and distributing punishment fairly. It also protects the principal when dealing with parents who are displeased with the school's action towards their child.

Four of the five principals at the school believed themselves to be involved with their students and to make a point of learning them personally. This aids the principals in establishing rapport with the students, and building their trust. It is assumed that a principal will need to deal with the emotional and psychological states of their students at some point, and an understanding of each student will help accurately address the issues each student is facing. Many of these problems are related to social and academic pressure, in which case it is vital that the principal understands the problem-solving techniques required to aid the student.

In conclusion, the job of prinicpal is that of a facilitator. The principals at the magnet schools were excellent at communicating with one another and the faculty members, presenting their students with a strong educational background and a dedication to constantly improving the standards of learning at the school.

Bureau of Labor Stats for Educators

To Whom This Paper is For:

I have not included a bibliography, because I did not have enough information on those sources to cite them. I was also unsure about the purpose of several sources. Please read and let me know how you would like for me to edit this paper going forward. This is a first draft, and although it is complete, I always offer a second draft provided I am given specifics on where to take the paper from here.

Sincerely, E.J.