Milo Stuart states, “The
relation of the principal to his teachers should be the most intimate of any.
If a teacher fails, the principal fails; if the teacher succeeds, the principal
succeeds. To sum up what the principal’s job is, I shall call him a referee the
captain of the ship the boss of the firm a juvenile judge before whose tribunal
come out not only the culprits but the adults who frequently contribute to the
pupil’s shortcomings. He is a promoter who must project the future of his
institution and convert the public to his plan. He is a social physician to
every parent who has wayward son who needs attention. He is a friend in need to
pupils and to all the homes in which misfortune comes. His power, his
activities, even the good he does, cannot be measured by a material yardstick.
Principles of Staff Harmony:
We have already discussed that a Head should follow the principles of
democratic administration. According to K.G. Saiyidain, “To my mind a good
Headmaster is one who can inspire and enthuse his colleagues without dominating
over them like a hard task master”.
Principle of Sharing Responsibility:
He should be prepared to share the control and authority with his colleagues.
He should not think that he is born to rule and should not desire to be on the
top of everything in the school, i.e. the president of games, the chairman of
literary societies and the patron of social service and health unions, etc. the
different departments should be placed under the charge of the senior members
of the staff. Principle of sharing responsibility should be the keynote of his
policy. Supervision of the examinations, school cleanliness, morning assembly,
funds, hostel, scouting, literary and social activities are some of the chief
duties which would be delegated by the Headmaster to the other members of the
staff. This will develop in them a sense of responsibility for the school.
Principle of Mutual Consultation:
The Headmaster should frequently consult his colleagues regarding improvement
in school discipline and instruction. Such consultations instill in them the
spirit that they belong to the school and are as responsible to it as the
headmaster is staff meetings should be called from time to time. The teachers
should be given full freedom to put forth their problems in these meetings.
Briggs found that the teachers expected in a staff meeting.
a. Help on their problemsb. The wider outlook in education
c. Meeting to be happy and wholesome,
d. Meeting based on appreciation of effort and accomplishment rather than
shortcomings and faults. The head of the institution should take note of the
teachers problems and accordingly given his suggestions for the solution of the
problems concerned.
Principle of Human Relationships:
A good headmaster keeps in view the human factor while dealing with the member
of the staff. He treats them just like friends and does not say anything to
them in the presence of the students and their parents which may lower their
prestige. He does not give them suggestions regarding methods of teaching when
they are taking their classes but gives the same by calling them in his office
and tries to avoid all bossing tendencies. The teacher should come out of the
headmaster’s office a better person, wiser and in a more pleasant mood than he
was when he went in his office. Autocratic heads are always ready to snub any
pupil or teacher who puts questions to them and are easily annoyed when their
colleagues differ from them.
Principle of constructive criticism:
The criticism offered by the Headmaster should be judicious, fair and
constructive rather than destructive. Supervision should be a matter of
inspiration to teachers. It should be moderate. Excessive supervision kills all
the initiative and drive of teachers. The role of a policeman or a military
officer does more harm than good.
Principle of cooperation:
On the close cooperation of the headmaster and the staff depends on the
efficiency of the school and the head of the institution is to a great extent
responsible for securing cooperation of teachers. According to Reavis, No
matter what his personal characteristics are, he will not be successful unless
he is able to inspire his associates and collaborators with the desire to work
cooperatively for the goals for which the school stands. He will be judged by
his ability to enlist and to utilize their ability in participating in the
solution of school problems and in formulating educational policies that have
the common objective of advancing the welfare of the children enrolled in the
school. He does not attempt to conceal that he is their leader, but he does not
on the other hand remind them what he is.
Principle of friendly supervision:
Speaking about administrators of tomorrow D.I. Lal observes, “He gives up the
time old tradition of checking his teachers, frightening his teachers,
weakening his teachers and examining them, but manipulates things so as to
train his teachers, inspire his teachers and trust them. In this way he will
not only create an excellent professional moral among the teaching staff but
will also cultivate a vital interest in them for educational philosophy, so
that they can continually test and re test their plans and purposes, ideas,
ideals, methods and procedures, systems and organizations.
Jacobson observes, the principal should not interrupt classes, create
disturbances on entering and leaving, or to take the class away from the
teacher, unless invited to do so. If the principal stays to the end of the
class period he should observe good manners by expressing in a sentence or two
his pleasure in visiting the class but refrain from making condemnatory statements
until there is sufficient time to discuss them at length, if indeed he indulges
in them at all.
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