Reading 05: School Principal

This reading provides an overview of the complex role of school principals. The principal holds an
administrative position that requires balancing the demands of multiple internal and external constituencies,
including government, school boards, superintendents, teachers, staff, and students.

Some of the ongoing challenges faced by principals in their day-to-day work include:

1. Scarcity of time - Principals express anxiety about not having enough time to complete their work
due to the fragmentation of their time into numerous short activities.
2. Interruptions - Principals are vulnerable to frequent interruptions from higher-ranking officials,
parents, and teachers, making it difficult to maintain focus on their tasks.
3. Maintaining order and safety - Principals have the responsibility of maintaining discipline and
ensuring student safety, which can require immediate attention and disrupt other work.
4. Paperwork - Principals dislike the constant pressure of administrative paperwork, which takes time
away from more important tasks.

The reading also discusses more complex tasks that principals find challenging, such as:

1. Teacher evaluations and supervision - Principals express doubts about the evaluation process,
including the lack of clear criteria and insufficient time to make accurate judgments. They also face
resistance from teachers when trying to implement changes.
2. Mistakes - Principals often regret mistakes related to managing faculty, such as being too slow to
dismiss ineffective teachers or making poor hiring decisions. They also express remorse over not
devoting enough attention to instructional matters or not adequately supporting students.
 What is the domino effect of principal making poor hiring decisions or assigning teachers into
the wrong level?

Overall, the reading highlights the multifaceted and challenging nature of the principal's role, requiring
adaptability, strong leadership skills, and the ability to balance the demands of various stakeholders.

In an era of rapid advancement in technology, how do principals navigate the integration of digital tools and
resources into the curriculum? How do they ensure that technology is used effectively to enhance teaching
and learning, promote digital literacy, and prepare students for the demands of the 21 st century?

 By investing into a digital and technological based institute. That can be accomplish through
equipping the classes with various technological tools such as iPads, Computers, Projectors, TV, as
well as educational platforms for students to use on Campus like digital materials. To ensure the
effective implementation, the school might reinforce through the setting of regulations in teachers’
teaching, and constantly educate and reinforce the teachers, as well as constant evaluations on
teachers’ teaching. However, this is an ideal but unrealistic approach for developing countries, since it
requires a lot of funding and professionals to make it possible.