Educational Philosophy:
I believe the vision of a principal is to facilitate the fundamental aim of school. That aim is for students to learn to use their minds well. Therefore the goal of the school and school leadership is to create a culture where learning to think across the curriculum is paramount. Yet such learning cannot be assumed to occur just because students are in the building. When students are in elementary school, the impulse to learn seems second nature. Young children enthusiastically explore their environment and ask questions about it. When urban adolescents arrive in high school, frequently that drive to learn has dissipated to be replaced by suspicion with anything associated with school.
How does an educational institution renew and advance the desire to learn in the urban adolescent? That question must be continually asked and explored by the whole educational community. The educational leader must have the courage and focus to keep that question on the table through the many dramas and crises that ensue in the daily life of school
First, the educational institution must be designed in a way that allows that question to be explored by its staff. It is imperative that any educational leader understand that the structure of the school creates the priorities of the school. A school day that has eight classes has a different priority that a school day that has four. Structuring school so that students use their minds well means spaces of time must be built in so teachers are able explore with one another the question of engagement. The structure must also allow for time for teachers create relationships, to explore ideas in depth, and to get to know students well.
Second, the principal needs to attend to staffing. Staff cannot be considered to be mere cogs in the wheel. Each person in the school will directly or indirectly carry out the vision of learning in the school; therefore each person must be hired with that vision in mind. The educational leader must ask as s/he hires, does this person understand our aim? Are they themselves learners? Have they had teaching experiences where students have done critical thinking? Are they able to bring those experiences to this community? When the school hires staff that can carry out their learning goals, they have the tools to fulfill those goals.
Third, that staff needs to be challenged to accomplish their goals through professional development. Teachers must promote learning that is performance based and assessed according to clear standards. Curricula must speak to certain academic habits that intellectually based as well as organizational. Students need to be challenged by literature or algebra with a mental framework that enables them to think critically about these subjects. Along with that thinking they need to be able to structure their materials, time and focus so they can produce work. Yet it is not the role of the educational leader to create curriculum. It is the role of the leader to see that effective curriculum is actually being implemented. A variety of staff development practices can help teachers stay accountable to each other for the work they do in their classrooms. Peer coaching, mentoring new teachers, teacher portfolios, and Tuning Protocols are all types of professional development principals can bring to their staff. Teachers need to see models of practice that demonstrate students using their minds well. It is the role of the principal to ensure that professional development is designed to challenge staff, to celebrate the work they do, and open it to a public forum.
Certainly there are many aims of a school. I believe a school that is focused on critical thinking has a vision that allows all members of the community to be life-long learners. Weaving the vision of students using their minds well into how a school is structured, who it is staffed by, and that staff is developed will allow that community to develop into a rich educational tapestry.