I was listening to the audiobook version of “Judgement” by Bennis and Tichy while driving between schools today and they started into a long conversation about how great leaders all have great visions. It made me wonder about my own approach to vision in terms of becoming a principal. It seems that everything I have been reading has repeatedly stated the importance of having a vision for the school. I can understand why vision is important as it drives the agenda of the school and I have been repeatedly drilled on how to create shared vision through my master’s process. Yet what I really wonder what the challenge is to create a vision in the face of so many external pressures on a school.
I find the literature draws a picture of a principal on a bench on a warm sunny day coming up with a wonderful vision for their school that is both well thought out and addresses the needs of all staff. From my own experience I have never seen a principal sitting on that bench. More often than not the principal is working hard to just keep the school running in the face of pressure from all of the constituents of the school. When is the visioning process occurring? Working in a state that the governor cycles on two year terms, there is a possibility that the agenda for schools in New Hampshire could change regularly. How can a principal create the type of vision espoused by the literature when things change everyday?
I also wonder about the interview process where the prospective candidate is asked the question about their vision for the school. Obviously it is difficult to give a complete answer about a school that may not yet be a complete picture, but in order to present the best face as a candidate it is required that one must have a good idea.
Any thoughts out there?
March 6th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
You wrote: How can a principal create the type of vision espoused by the literature when things change everyday?
In my experience as a principal, I rarely used the literature to guide me. I do know principals who swear by their books and the conference presentations delivered by their gurus. That just isn’t me.
My vision is directed by keeping the ship together, as you also note in your comment, “the principal is working hard to just keep the school running in the face of pressure from all of the constituents ” If the teachers and support staff are on task monitoring and adjusting learning, and the result of that is that students are learning and showing growth, and I can directly related these behaviours to my supervision of instruction, then I know I’m moving forward.
My vision is of a place where learning takes place for all individuals at a growth rate relative to their individual abilities. Not all students and not all staff learn at the same rate. I need to develop learning opportunities for staff and for them to develop learning opportunities for their students to fit this vision.
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March 20th, 2009 at 12:58 am
I think sometimes the best principals maintain their vision because of all of the mounting pressures, and not in spite of them.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 8:01 pm
I see “Vision” primarily as a “focusing” activity. There are so many ways to travel and so many “good” tings to do for kids…My favorite quote comes to mind…”The good is often the enemy of the best”, (anonymous)
Try to distill your values down to the essentials and then work with your stakeholders to find common ground. Then work to be the best within areas that you have influence.