There is a growing need for quality educational leaders in schools across the country. While the number of individuals enrolled in school administration programs has not decreased, the number of individuals putting those degrees to work has. Teachers have opted to earn a master’s degree in educational leadership and stay in the classroom and earn master level pay without some of the headaches and time commitments placed on administrators.
It is important for individuals that are pursuing a degree in educational leadership to know what to expect in the administrative position as well as how to make themselves marketable.
First of all, there are plenty of administrative jobs to be had. However, there is fierce competition for jobs in wealthy school districts and schools that have a good academic reputation. To get the jobs at these locations require you to separate yourself from the competition. The first way to do that is by having impeccable references. To do that you must do the right things in the classroom as well as during your internship. Throughout your Ed leadership program you should latch on to a principal or assistant principal and learn from them as much as possible. During this time you should make yourself available to do various administrative tasks that they can delegate to you. These hands on experiences will only help you in the future. Another way to stand out is by creating a portfolio with programs or experiences you have that show your leadership ability. For example, if you have implemented a program at your school or written a grant to start a program in your school you should detail this in your portfolio and emphasize this at your interview. You can also stand out by communicating with confidence what you feel are your strengths. I have found that persistence pays off when looking to get a specific job. Principals are often looking for individuals that blend in with the leaders they already have at the school. They want people with different strengths and abilities to create a complete administrative team to lead the school to success.
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6 comments:
Rich,
Thanks for the tips. I am still uncertain of what my future holds but if I decide to pursue an administrative position, I will definitely take heed to your tips.
Charla
Hi Richard,
Your tips accentuate what one should do as an intern. What might you suggest to get the attention of administrators to let them know about your interest in administration? My school has new assistant principals in the building- who are so busy learning what they need to, they really have no time to look to others. >L.
Great advice. Sometimes I get so caught up with the assignments and projects in the courses that we are taking, that I forget the goals. I believe that taking these leadership positions in the school will be most challenging, because the employees that I am leading know me already. Everything changes when you are in charge! It's lonely at the top, and I need to work on my confidence while I attach myself to my administration. I feel fortunate that they are caring and believe in empowerment.
Hey. Thanks for the advice. I would like to get more involved with the administration, but it is hard with all the stuff we had to do besides teaching and grading.
Thanks for your comment on my blog, I left you a replay, so here it is:
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Since we do not have family living near us, we are lucky to have friends that are willing to take care of our baby, and what we do is we take care of their children when they go out, and then they do the same for us.
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November 6, 2007 10:27 AM
I would say being in the office and showing the initiative to go above and beyondare probably the 2 most crucial aspects when preparing for an admin. role. Volunteer for anything and everything. If you can show your determined and follow through you will impress people!
It is so important to develop a mentor relationship within our school districts to grow good leaders. I think some districts are better than others at this. Training for administrators can take on many forms, but it should be done.
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