The role of the school administrators in the country’s school system is being redefined in the 21st century. Perceptions about the need for a new leadership model focused on the relevance of the organizational style, skills and practices in the 21st century, because educators at present are continuously searching for more effective and efficient ways of school management. School managers have to deal with these changes to master skills in the educational system.
Management skills are an important component of the quality of an educational leader and manager competencies. In terms of the quality of a manager these is a component of knowledge, skills and ethical values that he/she should possess to do his/her management job will. These are two ways of forming a skill, imitating and practicing. Practice is the most effective, since to develop a skill, learners have to do practical assignments like dealing with practical things and practice in the real life situations.
Those who are planning to be school administrators must be aware that the people are the organization’s biggest asset, and in words, action and attitude and relationship he/she should manifests this philosophy. This thinking moves people towards new mindsets. It makes for fluid management, it should liberate the human spirit and endeavor.
There is nothing more interesting than watching a school administrator adroitly draws the faculty, community and students’ attention, sways the undesired and encourages the schools critics to agree on a point and magnanimously accept their eager enthusiasm to do what’s requested of them for the welfare of the school. Machiavelli, a well-known theorist stressed that “whosoever desires constant success must change his conduct with the time.” He aptly describes the core idea that the leadership at present must apply a paradigm shift on the leadership styles of administrators.
Management is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively, while management practices refers to the methods, techniques, strategies and processes utilized in managing the school and school community in terms of goal setting, planning, organizing, leading and controlling.
Managing a school truly needs skillful one-Many jobs are filled with the wrong people because the leaders who promote them are comfortable with them. Many educators and non-educators alike often known a capable, skillful manager when they meet one. A skillful manager is one who practices clarifying optimism, teaching, mobilizing, implementing, managing, and nurturing. They may be forceful in practicing their skills. Skillful managers enjoy learning and thinking and are not threatened by the unfamiliar. They may be forceful, but are low key enough that people feel free to offer suggestions or questions their ideas. They are collegial with people’s skill. They actually enjoy complexity and are not overwhelm much by constant change or considering what that change might mean for what they do.
A school manager plays the most vital role when he/she practices management skillfully, he/she always finds ways in improving the environment that will yield better results. However, to be able to yield this results, the school administrator should be highly motivated to achieve such role and make themselves part of the system or the family, rather than a mere implementer of the actions. One of the skills of a school administrator is practicing collegiality. Collegiality is defined by Garcia (2005) as the state of sharing power equally between colleagues. The principal- teacher relationship happens when both desires freely about topics, wives and comments about each other, observe and respect one another and take part in developing curriculum for an improved educational management.
Education touches every aspect of human endeavor. Educators must prepare their teachers, and pupils for the future. They must be connected to the complex, fast-moving world around them. Developing a constantly useful vision for education will not be easy, however it is the most significant things a school manager can do, and this will be possible upon the management skills and practices of the school managers.
The positive management skills and practices of the school managers is an developing relationships with the teachers, students, the community and the school as a whole. Most of the time, in a common educational setting, the mandate of leadership is bestowed upon and must begin with the school manager. The school head must lay the foundation of the school. He/she must be highly motivated to achieve such role and make himself/ herself part of the system, in addition to his/her being the implementer of actions.
As the school administrator, he/she should considerably get included with the teachers, thus build relationships, with communication flowing from both directions. This will eventually form a community of highly- motivated educators with respect to each other and share in the development of a well-balanced educational system. The school managers must evaluate his/her work habits, behavior or attitude and work values.
Leaders in the present century should be highly aware of these special skills. They must be eager to connect a broad range of people and ideas. They must constantly and enthusiastically seek to build communication with both the people in the community and in the school. Through this, they can discover, and analyze both the strengths, weaknesses, better opportunities and even threats. As deemed appropriate by the Department of Education (DepEd), the school heads are now more empowered to infuse systemic change rather than simply manage the school and the people in them. They are now expected to be dynamic and execute progressive moves, unlike the former uncompromising disciplinarians that they were several decades ago. Abad (2005) emphasized that despite the efforts of the school administrators, our country is still in the midst of education crisis. Even more seriously, we are seeing signs that our educational failures are coming back to haunt us, as many of our underachieving graduates comeback as under qualified teachers seeking to teach in our schools.
“We are going to start to turn around of this crisis. And it starts in each of your schools. As the school manager ,you must realize that the school is where reform meets crisis and with you leadership, reform will resolve crisis. We shall stop thinking schools as outposts of our organization as more extensions of our national network. Instead ,we shall place schools as front, top and center of our agenda. To educate Filipinos better, our schools need to transform themselves into community- based educational institutions that keep on improving the education they deliver. The school principal are the prime agents of this transformation as leaders of change for school improvements.”
The role of the school administrators goes beyond the walls of the school. Consistent with the schools vision and mission, the school head must take an active role in building and maintaining partnership with pupils, teachers, parents and the community. Without a doubt, the challenge is clear; the school heads are agents of change. They must evaluate their management skills and practices.
As Blanchard puts it “ Choose a work you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
Reference:
G.Marx. Future-Focused Leadership USA.
By: Julieta M. Agcaoile Head Teacher III E.C. BERNABE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
