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Professional Capacity, Culture and Collegiality: The Importance of the Principal
On my first day of school in Grade 1, I met the principal of Allan Watson School, in Lethbridge, in a way I hadn’t really envisioned. With great enthusiasm, I entered the school while wearing my ball cap, forgetting entirely that I was entering a public building. No sooner did I get to the top step of the entrance staircase when Mr. Watson, the school principal, shouted “Here!” I was surprised that I was already in trouble. “Take your hat off!” I quickly complied and continued on my way. At least, I wasn’t summoned to the principal’s office (or worse). I certainly didn’t want to be in trouble with the principal. As a Grade 1 student, I noticed that the principal had the same name as the school, so I assumed that Mr. Hamilton was the principal of Hamilton Junior High, but I was thoroughly confused as to who could possibly be principal of the Lethbridge Collegiate Institute. My best friend started her Grade 1 at St. Mary’s Elementary, in the Catholic system, and I was quite surprised to learn that St. Mary was not principal at her school. But I had Mr. Watson.
As a student, and then as a teacher, I came to admire the key role of the school principal. In my view, it is the single most important leadership role in a school system. The principal is the linchpin between teachers and students, teachers and parents, teachers and the board, and teachers and the community. Every minute, the principal is the “meat in the sandwich.”
It’s so very important that the principal exercise instructional leadership in the school. The principal must be dedicated first and foremost to instructional excellence in the school. Such a goal requires a principal to ensure that teachers are competent in their professional practice and to place a clear emphasis on continued growth. It’s critical that teachers, collectively and individually, focus on professional growth throughout their careers. Principals need to support teachers in growth, but they also need to develop the professional capacity of their teachers. Building the capacity of the teaching profession is a critical goal of any principal and is fundamental in meeting student learning needs. So too is the culture of the school—a place with high expectations, a relentless focus on students and a collaborative and responsive professional community.
The work of the principal, like that of the classroom teacher, is becoming increasingly complex. There are demands from students, from parents, from teachers, from the community and, of course, from central office, Alberta Education and even the minister. Expectations do not go down, and the competing demands continue to go up. It’s crucial that principals receive sufficient support to do their jobs well. With workload studies indicating that principals work an average of 58.5 hours a week, it is clear that principals need committed time during the school day and additional support in order to make their workload more manageable.
It’s also vital that the principle of collegiality continues to dominate the decision-making structure in Alberta. In provinces where principals are no longer members of the teaching profession, the relationship between teachers and principals is a labour–management relationship, with much time spent determining who does what and what should be done. Grievances abound. In Alberta, we all work together to resolve concerns because the basis of good decision making is collegial, not top-down imposition. There is capacity and a culture devoted to meeting student learning needs.
The Association is committed to helping establish the best possible conditions of professional practice for principals. That means offering them time and support to help them do the hard work. Principals (as well as other school and central office administrators) regularly contact the Association for assistance in performing their role, and we provide dedicated service to them. Principals who need advice about how to supervise a teacher or conduct a teacher evaluation, or who have concerns about their own designation as administrators, can contact our staff officers in Member Services. The Association’s Professional Development staff officers help and offer expertise to principals with their leadership roles in PD planning. Those who have questions about their collective agreements can call our Teacher Welfare staff officers. Our staff officers in the ATA’s Government program area are ready to assist school leaders who have questions about research or communications, and the ATA’s librarian helps provide learning resources or references. Principals need the opportunity to continuously improve their professional practice, and we recognize that they need support in their difficult roles. Our principal members can call on their Association any time for advice and assistance in fulfilling their responsibilities to their board, community, school, teachers and students.
