Shaking trees for good principals. Few to be found.

Shaking trees for good principals. Few to be found.

Really good principals are hard to find. No news there, any teacher can tell you the same thing. A principal needs to walk a fine line between caring and harsh, between micromanaging and being too lenient, between being a leader or a dictator. I have worked under a great Principal (Darryl York) and under a really bad principal (name withheld). I was the same person, but so much was changed by the leadership I worked for. Under a harsh principal, I felt unappreciated, I worried more, I always felt I was being watched for faults or mistakes, and most of all, I felt stressed and miserable. When working for someone who made me feel heard, involved, and like a quality teacher, I flourished. I loved my job, I loved coming to work, and most importantly I was a better teacher. In my current position I often see both kinds of leaders, I only hope that the good outweigh the bad.