During the first week of school my freshman year, I was late to one of my classes. While I was on the way, a middle-aged man that I had never met nor seen before, stopped me. He asked me if I was a freshman and after I answered he chuckled and said that he knew I was by how concerned I looked. He told me that he could tell that I was late and that I was worried about what would happen. After asking what class I had, we started walking towards it. He asked me how my classes were going and if I enjoyed them. As we talked and as he asked questions, he gave me advice that I still remember and use to this day. When we arrived at my class, he took a piece of paper out of his pocket, wrote on it, gave it to me, and told me to give it to my teacher. As I looked at it, I noticed that he had excused my tardy. As I was about to thank him, he thanked me and then left. Since that day I have had an appreciation for our principals and administrators.
The administrator, or principal, of a school is ultimately responsible for a school’s test scores. Every year, students across the United States are given standardized tests. Students are usually worried about how they will perform, but even more worried is probably the principal of that school. Schools are measured by the scores that each student receives and the principal is responsible, whether the results are good or bad. “Principals set the academic tone, and hire, evaluate, and help improve the skills of teachers and other staff. They actively work with teachers to develop and maintain high curriculum standards, develop mission statements, and set performance goals and objectives” (“Education Administrator,” OOH, 34).
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They have to make sure that students are happy, safe, and learning (“Education Administrator,” CIS, Overview).
To start off with, there are several high school courses that can and almost always will be helpful to becoming a principal at a secondary school. They include the following: child development, computer applications, keyboarding, parenting, public speaking, teacher assisting, international baccalaureate, and advanced placement (“Education Administrator,” CIS, Helpful High School Courses).
There are also several skills and abilities that can be beneficial to have as a principal. Being able to communicate (listening to others, understanding, and asking questions) is a necessity (“Education Administrator,” CIS, Skills and Abilities).
Being able to express ideas efficiently, through both your speech and your writing is another requirement.
There is a lot of preparation required to become a secondary principal. Obtaining a high school diploma is the first step; a General Education Degree is insufficient. A bachelor’s degree is also required, but a master’s degree is much better and in some cases is required. The final requirements are to earn an Administrator Certificate and to have teaching experience. Usually four to five years of teaching experience is sufficient (“Education Administrator,” CIS, Licensing/Certification).
Some of the knowledge required is being able to educate and train students and/or teachers, managing certain operations, and recognizing relationships between a company and its employees. Knowledge in the following subjects is also helpful: psychology, economics, accounting, computers, electronics, clerical, public safety, security, therapy, counseling, law, government, and mathematics. Some college courses that are required are school law, curriculum development, and personnel administration (“Education Administrator,” CIS, Preparation).
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Common activities for a principal include the following: making decisions and solving problems; communicating with supervisors, peers, or subordinates; developing and building teams; and establishing and maintaining relationships (“Education Administrator,” CIS, Common Activities).
Principals get information needed to perform certain administrative tasks. They judge the value of certain ideas and the input of other co-workers, while thinking creatively to schedule work and activities. Some of the more specific activities of a principal are to set goals for schools, direct activities of teachers and staff, hire and evaluate teachers and staff, determine how money is spent, and to coordinate school programs, while enforcing school laws (“Education Administrator,” CIS, Specific Activities).
Many principals work more than 40 hours a week. Working nights or weekends is not unusual, it may include attending school activities, such as meetings or sporting events. Most administrators work 11 or 12 months out of the year. Some jobs include travel (“Education Administrator,” OOH, 35).
A high level of social interaction is also common. Principals work as part of a team and are responsible for the work outcome of subordinates. They give public speeches on occasion. Principals almost always work indoors, but they may work on school grounds (“Education Administrator,” CIS, Working Conditions).
Standing for long periods of time and being able to speak clearly so that others can understand are necessary to be a principal. Being able to see objects and hear sounds within a certain distance away are required. Being physically active and coordinated are some other physical demands (“Education Administrator,” CIS, Physical Demands).
In May 2004, elementary and secondary school administrators had median annual earnings of $74,190 in the United States. Salaries of education administrators depend on several factors, including the location and enrollment level in the school or school district. Pay often is based on performance ratings. Benefits for education administrators are generally very good. Many get four or five weeks vacation every year and have generous health and pension packages (“Education Administrator,” OOH, 37).
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Employment of education administrators is predicted to grow at least as fast as the average through 2014. As education and training is becoming more and more important in everyone’s lives, the need for principals will grow. Job opportunities for many of these positions should also be high because many education administrators are expected to retire over the next 10 years (“Education Administrator,” OOH, 36).
Most employers require that applicants for an administrating position have a master’s degree and an Administrator Certificate. The more years of teaching experience obtained, the better the chances of being hired. Employers are also looking for people who are innovative and creative. Computer skills, communication skills, and the ability to make good decisions are also extremely helpful (“Education Administrator,” CIS, Hiring Practices).
Since the beginning of my freshman year, I have appreciated school administrators (principals) and what they do for schools throughout the country. While thinking about the job of principals, I have decided that I could see myself doing what they do and I would enjoy doing it. I would love to help and make a difference in a school and a community. I would love to help students succeed and achieve, just as principals and teachers have done in the past, are doing right now, and will continue to do in the future.
Works Cited
“Education Administrator.” CIS. University of Oregon 2007 <http://idcis.into careers.org/info2.aspx?FileID=Occ&FileNum=100305&TopicNum=0#>
“Education Administrator.” Occupational Outlook Handbook. Indianapolis: JIST Publishing, 2006.
