What School Principals Should Be

(An Excerpt from Renee Paz De Leon or Calm Renee’s letter to her tutor SEAMEO I-EXCELS Scholars, March 11, 2008)

A rapidly changing world and new technology has created a society craving for speed and action. As leaders of the new generation, principals face incredible pressures to deliver immediate results, to do more with less, and to manage an ever-increasing personal workload. The pace and urgency of daily demands can make it difficult to see more than a step ahead into the future. But in a world of changing conditions and priorities, leaders and individual contributors alike must be able to look beyond the “now” and take a more strategic leadership approach to their work.

Image courtesy of zazzle.com

Many principals do struggle with meeting the demands of a globalized society and local constraints. In a sense the world is becoming one place. Today, the stability of all institutions including Department of Education is challenged by the rapid speed of change driven by globalization, shifting populations and integration of advanced information and communication technologies which diminishes the impact of time, space and distance.

The values of education have invariably been associated with access to a successful life and employment, scholarly activities, political activities, freedom of choice, intellectual pursuits, and most recently diversity. The academic landscape of most higher education institutions is one in which momentous changes and challenges are occurring. Portugal (2004) asserts that as student populations continue to expand nation-wide, colleges and universities will continue to offer employment opportunities for those individuals who rise to the level of quality and scholarly practice necessary for employment.  This is a challenge for all us in the academe. All of us envision that our graduates in the elementary and secondary schools shall belong to the groups that shall enter tertiary level and shall soon graduate and eventually gets employed or established his own business to support himself and his family. We leaders in the academe should have the ability to enable and develop performance of our faculty and students. Leading with vision in a constantly evolving society is paramount to the success of department of Education and the overall success of his or her own school.

Educational leaders being transformational  assert certain leadership qualities, as described by Schermerthon (1996), as having ideas and a clear  sense of direction, communicating them to others and developing excitement about working hard to accomplish shared “dream”; charisma: arousing others” enthusiasm, faith, loyalty, pride, and symbolism: empowerment: helping others to develop and perform, removing performance obstacles, sharing responsibilities and delegating truly challenging work; intellectual stimulation: gaining the involvement of others by creating awareness of problems and stirring their imagination to create huge-quality solutions; and integrity: being honest and credible, acting consistently out of personal conviction.

Leaders of today and principals of the new generation are faced with developing a new leadership framework. Principals as educational leaders should understand their strategic context and remain confident, competent and flexible in order to adapt in their continuously changing environment.

LEADERSHIP IS ALL ABOUT CREATIVITY, INNOVATION, AND PLANNING to help you reach your visions. Remember that strategic people think and act before they have to, before they are forced to take up a defensive or reactive position. True leadership entails ability to make sound, reasoned decisions- specifically consequential decisions with grave implications.

Real happiness is ...

• giving up personal attachments, recognizing that nothing and no one truly belongs to us, since all is GOD's...
• is a humble heart, free from pretensions, aware that nothing man can do is of everlasting  importance...
• . . . is kindness, seeing others as extensions of one's own self...
• . . . is doing joyfully and willingfully whatever needs to be done...
• . . . is the desire to learn, rather than to teach... . 
• . . . IS THE ABILITY TO CONGRATULATE ONESELF HAPPILY ON ONE'S OWN   UNIMPORTANCE WHILE OTHERS VIE TOGETHER FOR SUPREMACY...
• . . . is understanding that man's highest duty is to love...
• . . . is a heart reaching out to embrace all mankind as brothers and sisters...
• . . . is seeking one's work as service...

Calm Renee
3/11/08

Full Implementation of Principal-led Approach in School Building Program is Necessary

By Gilbert M. Forbes


The country didn’t reach the target Gross Domestic Product increase as targeted for the recent quarter.  It only posted a 3.4% growth for the second quarter short of 5.9% compared to last year’s recorded annual growth rate.  Critics are partly blaming the government for its low spending though other contributing factors need to be considered.

The government however is quick to respond that it is better that way to make sure that precious government funding goes with the right place and the right time benefitting more rather than a privilege few.  In exercising care and caution in the use of public funds as pointed out in Inquirer’s editorial, the administration has not only ensured that the people get “more bang for the buck,” it has also trimmed the deficit, resulting successive rating upgrades by international credit agencies.  Putting it simply, the government is just doing its duty of ensuring that money wise, it is going at the right project, place, right people and time. 

The Learning Captain in return is reminded of the principal-led approach in school building construction tried out by DepEd. The principal-led approach not only ensure that projects went directly to school beneficiaries, it also gave the government and the people quality school buildings as compared to ordinarily contracted projects.  Most importantly, on the economic scale, the construction, since community-based generates local employment thus pump priming the economy right at the grass roots level.

It is a common knowledge that most of the time, contractors works are sub-standards be it roads, bridges, and school buildings.  Experiences tell us that during the previous regime, a Php100,000 budget school repair being done by contractors only worth Php35,000 once finished which undeniably will not be the case if the fund is channeled directly to the school and let the community as the primary stakeholder to work for it.

The efficient utilization of MOOE Funds released to schools even how meager it could be at times is a testament to it.  At present, we are witnessed how Php5,000 to Php10,000 MOOE directly released to our school leaders are making difference in our schools beauty, upkeep and most importantly, some basic operating expenses.  Although school heads could be experiencing difficulties in the liquidation process, still, they could not deny the fact that these releases are of great help to their schools no matter how small or big the amount is.

There could still be reports of missing funds or corruption due to the magnitude and level of resourcefulness and damaged moral values of some even if it already underwent strict liquidation and audit but there are already safeguards to prevent it from happening.  What the primary stakeholders at the school level should do is to know and do their respective roles being the third party particularly teachers and parents.

They should make sure that not a single peny is left unaccounted for, after all, it is no other than our children and the future generation who will benefit from their vigilance.

The field hopes that MOOE direct release to our schools will already be fully enforced and a system for a hassle and stress free liquidation process put in-placed so that it will not be traumatic to many.  Personnel who are affixing their signatures and reviewing the liquidation papers should be instructed or taught to be friendly, patient, and tactful.

Even when it is yet to be realized, the principal-led approach in school building and other facilities construction should now be fully implemented given the reported success of its pilot implementation and the positive experiences, MOOE direct release to schools had.  DepEd on its part should be fast to act on this matter because it will not only help solve school building shortages in the country but pump prime the economy as well at the very grass roots level.  It will surely benefit more and not just few greedy contractors and corrupt government officials in the higher echelon.

In this sense, the government will no longer worry of spending and whatever increase in the economic indicators is gained will be relevant to all, not just to the privilege few.

(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University.  A campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years.  Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.) 

Aiming High and Hitting the Mark as a Concept of Educational Management

By Gilbert M. Forbes

According to Ralph Waldo Emerson “ we aim above to hit the mark”.

The new management under the context of the academe is that those who lead are attuned to the changing natures of teachers, students and its environs. Hence, The leadership styles of academic institutions must blend with the demands of the times. Our concern, in general is creating a new culture, more specifically, designing a high performance environment with in your school, community and related avenues.The job of every school is education…quality education. Faculty, staff and administrators must be educated to keep their skills current, increase their responsibilities, and cooperate in achieving common goals. Education is not by lecture but by policies and practices that reinforce planning, self evaluation and self development.

Transformational educational leaders can provide extra ordinary effort among faculty and staff in a certain educational set up. Leaders who have personal approach to people and can instill in them a sense of larger mission create a higher performance atmosphere one in which the school manager becomes the coach, cheerleader, facilitator, and consultant. Transformational leaders got visions and expectations that encourage them to work for hours, produce outstanding results and express total commitment. This type of leaders gives followers a sense of autonomy and fosters their self development. Further, this type of leadership provides a model of integrity, fairness, and high standards while being capable of formality and firmness and of reprimanding or correcting inappropriate.

When people clearly understand what is expected of them and are held accountable for fulfilling these expectations, performance improves and productivity increases. Clarifying roles and relationships among faculty and staff is a continuing responsibility of leadership.

Academic administrators often despair of managing their school to their own satisfaction, knowing the impossibility of managing the institution satisfactorily from everyone else’s point of view. The approach to academic management can provide principals greater self-satisfaction while increasing acceptance of academic management by others. It emphasizes creativity rather than constraint, continuity rather than conformity, achievement rather than protocol.

Calm Renee (Prof. Reneecilia Paz De Leon as she gave her feedback on one of my reflections on Feb. 24, 2008 in my course DepEd eXCELS Batch 2 Class 22)

Making School Leadership Effective

By Gilbert M. Forbes
DepED Quezon
Region IV-A CALABARZON 

Reading different leadership and Management Books from my personal collection of well known authors as Covey, Maxwell, Waitley, Oswald, and the likes of Filipino educators as Franco, Nebres, Gonzales, Sibayan, Trespeces, Nemenzo and Luz, aside from various readings both conventional and novel (through the use of the internet), is simply not enough if school principals really wanted to make a difference particularly in the public school system and of the future thousands of school children.  For if one would just reflect on the thoughts of the first post apartheid president and the first black president South Africa had, Nelson Mandela who said, “Education is the great engine of personal development.   It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that a son of a mine-worker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation.  It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”

It is a fact that countries with excellent education like Japan, South Korea and Singapore enjoy significant levels of economic success. A former colonial country like that of the US became of what it is today, the lone super power because of education. US later on, learning from the very power that education can do, used it to further and maintain its interest in various countries of the world through its neo-colonial policies.

To this end, school head plays a very significant role in ensuring that our schools, our next generation of workers and citizens will find their way at least in the fiercely competitive, knowledge-based economy. School principals therefore must be totally sensitive to the expectations of his stakeholders which is actually zeroed in on the demonstration of leadership. It is a leadership which is anchored on bringing a group or institution towards a clear objective. Since, we are principal, instructional leadership is what fits in to us. Other literature called it learning leaders or learning-centered leadership. The demands of 21st century life and work call for principals with a deep understanding of how students learn and at what levels they need to learn. Principals therefore should be able to provide teachers with the leadership and support they need to help students gain the skills and knowledge now identified as important for success in a “flat” world filled with uncertainty and constant changes.

This is the very essence of instructional leadership. To make this happen, as Marsh puts it, as an instructional leader, he is characterized as being a resource provider, an instructional coach, an effective communicator; and has visible presence.Along this line as an instructional leader is that of being a curriculum manager. Since the curriculum is basically what students are expected to learn in the classroom and how the lessons are taught (Farris,1996), the principal must ensure that it is being followed by teachers as the prime basis of their daily teaching.

This is curriculum leadership defined as the exercise of functions that enable the achievement of a school’s goal of providing quality education to learners. It is not only implementation that matters but ensuring curriculum quality and applicability, alignment and integration of the curriculum, regular evaluation, enrichment, update and revitalization of the curriculum.In the public school system, curriculum is developed by curriculum experts and subject specialists and after testing and validation is handed down to all schools for implementation. This doesn’t mean however that the curriculum is absolute for the department encourages localization, enrichment and revitalization considering and understanding local settings, needs, cultural diversity and values. For this reason, principals must really have at least a basic understanding of curriculum development in general and the various models therein like Tyler. Obvious reason is that the given curriculum is not enough to make sure that maximum learning could be achieved. Enrichment and Mastery Curriculum enters and no other person is in the best position to lead in its formulation other than the principal.

In the course of all these, it is very important to know the factors that may affect curriculum implementation success as explained by Parsons (1987, cited in Marsh, 1992) and these are the need for time, technology for change, recognition of the school culture, incentives and rewards, sharing of burden in the workplace, releasing of energy for innovation, collaborative framework, leadership, recognition of the system-level culture, incentives and rewards, the need for political perspective, the need to win allies and the recognition of the role of individuals. Moreover, in monitoring curriculum implementation, it is important to: place more emphasis on mutual accomplishments rather than total fidelity (faithfulness or similarity to the source); strive for the development of a teacher-friendly and change-simple curriculum in the beginning; and promote a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement in the school.When all these are accomplished, we could now gauge the effectiveness of curriculum implementation following the three basic domains: use of curriculum materials, student activities and achievements and teacher activities.

While there could be clear limitations that most principals face in assuming their instructional leadership roles particularly financial resources, this must not discourage them in anyway for instructional leader is tasked to spearhead activities that address the educational shortcomings identified within his/her power. Strengthening one’s emotional quotient EQ will help a lot. Studies say that people with high EQ have the AURA of leadership, meaning they are able to appreciate, understand, respond and adapt to the challenges that face them.Effective school management is observed or measured in many ways. And that some of the indicators of good management in schools are the following: 1) Instructional supplies are ordered and arrive on time (for those schools where MOOE is released directly), 2) Teachers come to school on time, 3)Teacher absenteeism is low, 4) School facilities are in good repair, 5) Teachers have copies of syllabi, 6) Teachers receive instructional supervision, 7) Each school has a functional parent teacher association, and 8) Parents know how their children are progressing in their studies.This time that School Based Management is being emphasized among schools as part of the School First Initiative and Basic Education Reform Agenda, principals need to have leadership qualities in attempting school improvement.

Working towards overall improvement in our school will really requires that we AFFIRM our leadership role in the school’s “domains for improvement.” which includes: curriculum and instruction, performance and development of students, professional-personal performance of teachers and staff, administration/organization, school facilities and supplies and external relations. These could be attained not only by influencing and managing, just a school manager or CEO but an educational LEADER, a transformational leader who act as strong role models (idealized influence), communicate high expectation and provide inspiration (inspirational motivation), encourage creativity and innovation (intellectual stimulation) and provide support to others (individualized consideration).In the absence of continuous flow of knowledge that need to fill a vacuum due to schools which are not effectively organized to support and encourage continuous learning, the quest for coming up with educational research and new information as made stronger and prompted by the changing demands of the society, a principal plays a pivotal role in this regard. He must emphasize the value of research and of lifelong learning and should be the role model of it.

Sound and effective leadership will help a lot and will be the primary key. I am happy to know that effective leadership is characterize by the following indicators (Marsh, 1992): facilitating the development, implementation and monitoring of shared visions and mission; advocating and sustaining a school culture; promoting and sustaining an effective instructional program; Managing operations and resources in the learning environment; collaborating with community stakeholders; involving others and acting with integrity fairness and in an ethical manner.

Reference: Innotech Flexible Learning Management System Learning Modules 1 and 2.