School Principal – interview – Questions and Answers

27th April 2018

What do you consider a school principal’s biggest pressure?

Answer: I think the most significant pressure that a school administrator facing these days is figuring out how to do more with less. Decreased and a lack of funding is a critical issue facing most principals. Funding is decreasing at the state, federal, and local levels. Schools need to be innovated and do more with less. The lack of funding translates into having less certified staff, non-certified staff, and less educational resources.

Schools are still expected to perform at the same level, if not higher, than before. School administrators are under pressure to stretch their budgets, come up with creative ways to obtain and improve resources and keep their limited staff from burnout.

Part of the role of a school administrator is to be an example for students and employees. How do you feel about this role?

Answer: The school principal serves as the educational leader, responsible for managing the policies, regulations, and procedures to ensure all students are supervised in a safe learning environment that meets the approved curriculum and mission of the school.

As the educational leader of the school, it’s my job to demonstrate and embody the ideals of a learning institution and uphold the highest integrity and leadership skills. People in the school community are always turning to the principal for answers as well as for a model for behavior, leadership, and academics. I am excited at the prospect of taking on this role and feel that my excellent communication skills, dedication, work ethic, and education leadership skills will help me to excel in this environment.

What type(s) of people do you find it most difficult to work with daily or in a one-time project? How do you handle these kinds of individuals?

Answer: I find it most difficult to get along with people who get angry over a situation and then refuse to accept reasonable solutions to a problem. I would refer to them as unreasonable people.

For example, sometimes parents get angry when a child is held responsible for misbehavior. Nothing will make them happy except for their child to be “let off the hook.” I handle this by remaining calm and polite and pointing out that the school has specific rules and consequences that the student is aware of and that I cannot show favoritism to one student over another. I sometimes commiserate with the parents stating that he or she is justifiably angry, but that they are not mad at me, but with their child for misbehaving and getting into trouble.

What are the educational leadership skills you most need to develop to advance your education career?

Answer: I’ve had considerable experience managing and developing students in their academic careers, but I’ve been more limited in managing and developing adults.

I believe this job of serving as an Assistant Principal will allow me to work under a master people manager with your school administrator, and further develop my employee management skills necessary to lead the school team to success.

Overall some ideas that will be productive in the school are.

  1. Establish a school-wide discipline policy and back the teachers on discipline.
  2. Incorporate a school-wide homework policy that includes required reading and math practice at home for all students daily.
  3. Monitor test data to determine which areas of the curriculum need to be improved.
  4. Plan teacher training (in-service) and evaluate its effectiveness.
  5. Determine, which instructional techniques are most effective, train the teachers and implement them in all classrooms.
  6. Increase time on each task.
  7. Watch students in classrooms weekly.
  8. Observe teachers and make specific recommendations for improvement as part of their evaluations.
  9. Make sure students who need Special Education services receive them.
  10. Establish a test preparation program.
  11. Implement a high-quality English as a Second Language program.
  12. Create an after-school tutoring program.
  13. Reward students for academic success and improved effort.
  14. Train parents on how to help their children at home and provide the training in the native languages of the parents.
  15. Provide translators for parents who do not speak English at conferences and meetings. Provide report cards in the languages students speak at home.

 

 

 

2 comentarios en «School Principal – interview – Questions and Answers»

  • el 21 mayo, 2018 a las 9:34 am
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    I discovered more about what the teachers think of us and about the spanish education system

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  • el 21 mayo, 2018 a las 6:02 pm
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    It is very significative and interesting how the discipline is developed in this country and how it is
    the education system compared with us. Incredible!!

    Respuesta

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