69传媒

School & District Management

What Teachers Think Makes a Principal Great

By Caitlyn Meisner & Hayley Hardison 鈥 July 26, 2023 2 min read
Image of teamwork with strong, collaborative leadership.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Principals are a central figure in any school. Their job is to set the direction for the school, create a safe and healthy environment for students, and lead the teaching staff. But what makes a good principal a great one?

That timeless question was on Education Week鈥檚 social media last week. After a 2009 Education Week Opinion piece on the topic was brought out from the archives, dozens of teachers flew to the comment section to share their thoughts on the qualities of a great principal.

Many of the teachers who weighed in commented on working with understanding and communicative principals and shared personal anecdotes of their experiences. Here鈥檚 a roundup of their thoughts.

Collaboration is key

Some educators pointed to a principal鈥檚 ability to foster a collaborative environment between school leadership and staff as one top-notch quality.

鈥淭he best principal I had was collaborative, not directive. Also, they created an environment of trust and teamwork. We need to get away from calling your workplace a family. We are a team that works together, helps each other, and supports each other.鈥


鈥淎 good principal is [one] you work with, not for. One is a leader who you follow willingly; the other is just a boss.鈥

鈥淏est principal I ever had said, 鈥業鈥檓 here to make your job easier.鈥欌

It鈥檚 important to value teachers and other staff

Educators also emphasized the importance of principals valuing teachers as professionals and trusting them to perform the responsibilities for which they were hired.

鈥淎 good principal listens to teachers, is kind, doesn鈥檛 stigmatize, and is professional.鈥


鈥淎 good principal hires well and then trusts who they hire to be professionals.鈥


鈥淎 good principal trusts the professionals he/she has hired to do their job. They do not micromanage or have control issues. Why hire the best and then tie their hands once they鈥檙e on the job?鈥

Good principals are also good teachers

A principal鈥檚 proximity to the classroom can help sharpen their leadership skills, say some educators. Check out how teaching principals can foster trusting relationships with their teachers鈥攁nd read why there鈥檚 a growing movement of teachers who feel that all principals and administrators should teach in some capacity.

鈥淎 good principal misses being a teacher.鈥

鈥淚t鈥檚 actually pretty simple. The BEST principals are the ones you can tell were super classroom teachers that you would want teaching your own kids.鈥

鈥淎 great principal never forgets what it was like in the classroom.鈥


Events

School & District Management Webinar Crafting Outcomes-Based Contracts That Work for Everyone
Discover the power of outcomes-based contracts and how they can drive student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in 69传媒
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
School & District Management Webinar EdMarketer Quick Hit: What鈥檚 Trending among K-12 Leaders?
What issues are keeping K-12 leaders up at night? Join us for EdMarketer Quick Hit: What鈥檚 Trending among K-12 Leaders?

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide 鈥 elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

School & District Management Reports Strategic Resourcing for K-12 Education: A Work in Progress
This report highlights key findings from surveys of K-12 administrators and product/service providers to shed light on the alignment of purchasing with instructional goals.
School & District Management Download Shhhh!!! It's Underground Spirit Week, Don't Tell the 69传媒
Try this fun twist on the Spirit Week tradition.
Illustration of shushing emoji.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Opinion How My Experience With Linda McMahon Can Help You Navigate the Trump Ed. Agenda
I have a lesson for district leaders from my (limited) interactions with Trump鈥檚 pick for ed. secretary, writes a former superintendent.
Joshua P. Starr
4 min read
Vector illustration of people walking on upward arrows, symbolizing growth, progress, and teamwork towards success.
iStock/Getty Images
School & District Management Opinion How Social-Emotional Learning Can Unify Your School Community: 7 Timely Tips
It鈥檚 a stressful political season. These SEL best practices can help school leaders weather the unpredictable transitions.
Maurice J. Elias
4 min read
Modern digital collage of caring leader surrounded by positivity. Social Emotional learning leadership.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week via Canva