Remind Yourself
As the new school year begins filled with both promise and challenge, perhaps this an opportune time to take a step back to remind yourself why you are so dedicated to your job. What are the pleasures, the joys, the satisfaction that you enjoy your invaluable work at the helm of an educational institution, entrusted with the lives and well-being of your students?
Joys of Being a Principal
Most administrators believe that their purpose in life is to be of service to others. They sincerely want to help others be all that they can be. Their venue of giving is the world of education which they know can be transformative.That is why they intuitively understand that students must be at the center of every educational initiative.
Principals have a natural love and enjoyment in working with young people. One has to love kids to become a caring and successful teacher and principal. The children keep teachers young and open-minded. And seeing how children even at a young and tender age can care for others is truly heartwarming.
If you enjoy boredom, don’t even think of becoming a principal. You can be assured that each and every day is different from any other one. One thing you can be sure of is that you can’t be sure of anything. Just about anything can happen at any time in a school, and several things often occur at the same time, which all call for the principal’s attention and intervention.
Sure you have your daily task list to which you must attend. But don’t take it too seriously, and don’t plan on getting home on time every day. While those extra hours, perhaps unnerving at times, do increase the challenge and consequently the satisfaction. If nothing else, they certainly dispel monotony.
The opportunities to help others are endless. Of the greatest joys of being a principal is the having the constant ability to help students, teachers, and parents in many ways. There is no lack of problems that need to be solved. But aside from solving problems is the opportunity to help the students develop their abilities, teaching them to open doors for themselves.
Aside from helping the students, there is a lot of joy and satisfaction that comes from developing meaningful relationships with many students and teachers. Getting to know your students and educators as individuals, and engaging them in discussions about life and various issues is deeply gratifying.
Challenged Students Can Bring Even Greater Satisfaction
And sometimes the biggest joy comes from watching students who are at risk make strides in their attitude, behavior, and eventually academically and socially. It just fills your heart with joy. These are kids who could someday become drop-outs and end up on the street without your concern and careful intervention. And now look at them!
Perhaps not as dramatic are those students who are challenged emotionally or in their ability to express themselves. While their problems don’t seem to present such a serious issue, you come to realize that providing the right therapy at the right time can make all the difference both now and in the future. The responsibility and opportunity to help these children are awesome.
And sometimes resources seem scarce, perhaps even unavailable. It is then that a principal experiences an entirely different satisfaction in “pulling a rabbit out of the hat.” Take speech therapy for example. There just aren’t enough therapists to go around. So finding teletherapy, a comparable alternative to face to face therapy, and being able to help children who otherwise would have slipped through the cracks can provide a principal unbridled joy.
Draw Strength From Your Well
So as the problems and challenges come rolling in, take a moment to sit back in your chair and focus for a moment on the joys and satisfactions that you will enjoy not only despite the challenges, but sometimes because of them. Drawing strength from those wells of joy and satisfaction will gird you with the strength to confront those challenges you are sure to face.
