Principal+Mentorship

Kenna Dawson Article Summaries for PBL (Wiki)

Building Bridges: Strengthening the Principal Induction Process Through Intentional Mentoring By Pete Hall

New principals need guidance just as new teachers need a mentor in order to be successful. Recent research shows an increase in principal mentorship programs but not enough for new administrators to have adequate support. In order for the mentorship to be beneficial the mentors must have proper training and know the objectives ahead of time. The mentor must be able to identify the mentee’s strengths and push him/her beyond where the mentee thought was possible and then help the new administrator engage in self-reflection.

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I emailed my former assistant principal this week because he recently experienced his frist year as a principal. His staff was comprised of many veteran teachers which made change difficult for him so I thought his perspective on support as a new principal would lend itself to this section. He emailed me back to say that we will touch base on Thursday at a district meeting.

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The current principal at Hickory Ridge High School, Jim O’Connor, was previously a middle school teacher for eight years, assistant principal for thirteen years and is currently in his second year as the principal. Although he has extensive knowledge of the community and shows deep concern for the students and parents, he lacks the ability to understand their needs in the context of today’s society. The staff at Hickory Ridge sees Mr. O’Connor as knowledgeable however, they do not respect him and many have requested transfers so they can work for someone who has the ability to help promote them. Many of the younger teachers feel that Mr. O’Connor is critical and sides with the veteran teachers. On the contrary, Mr. O’Connor views the young teachers as not respecting the community and quick to make changes that will be unsuccessful. It is obvious that Mr. O’Connor has a desire for Hickory Ridge High School to succeed; however, he has been unsuccessful with bringing the staff together and leading all groups toward the mission. Given the complexity of the staff dynamics and the fact that Mr. O’Connor is a relatively new principal, all involved would benefit from significant support through his involvement in a professional mentorship program. Mentoring will not automatically solve the problems that Mr. O’Connor faces as a new administrator. However, it is an important way to assist him as he develops skills and confidence needed in leading an organization. Perhaps most importantly, mentoring creates opportunities for self-analysis and reflection (Saban & Wolfe, 2009). Mentoring not only benefits the principal and teachers, but it also benefits the students. According to Robinson, Horan and Nanavati (2009) the effects of improved leadership on student engagement and achievement are positive. Mr. O’Connor would benefit from learning through professional support that a mentorship provides. It would allow him to build his leadership capability to be specific and results-driven in a non-threatening and comfortable environment (Robinson et al., 2009). This relationship that he builds with his mentor will also serve as a model for the type of relationships he can create with his staff members. The assigned mentor would benefit Mr. O’Connor in these ways in addition to becoming a master at relationship building. The differing views at Hickory Ridge High are splitting the staff and breaking down necessary relationships which are needed for the school’s success. The teachers do not feel trusted which in turn creates a lack of respect for Mr. O’Connor. The daily interactions between colleagues and administrators have a direct effect on the trust and morale of an organization (Saban & Wolfe, 2009). His mentor can assist Mr. O’Connor in recognizing how increased encouragement will motivate the staff and move them toward sharing the vision of Hickory Ridge High School. In order for the staff to change their view of Mr. O’Connor, he must build relationships based on trust and confidence. Saban & Wolfe (2009) express that, “people will take risks, make changes, and move forward when the relationship is solid” (p. 2). Mr. O’Connor can develop this type of relationship by recognizing accomplishments and showing appreciation for the work and effort of his staff. Assuming this is an area that is difficult for him, his mentor would be wise to provide specific examples of where this would apply. The principal’s role is constantly changing and requires a continually expanding knowledge base. According to Cunningham & Cordeiro (2009), many school districts have developed institutes to provide administrators with an opportunity to enhance knowledge and skills. In fact, “through the National Mentor program, the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) and Nova Southeastern University (NSU) created the first national mentoring certification program for principal mentors” (Hall, 2008, p. 1). The idea is seasoned principals interested in mentoring new administrators attend the Leadership Immersion Institute and earn the National Principal Mentor Certification. Receiving a mentor trained to this level, would be beneficial for any new principal especially Jim O’Connor, principal at Hickory Ridge High School. In addition to connecting Mr. O’Connor with a mentor through the National Mentor program, he will also have direct connection with another principal that has experience as an administrator in the district. The purpose of this relationship is that Mr. O’Connor will have access to someone who can answer specific questions about district operations and provide helpful insight from a district perspective. Ideally, this person serves as a colleague and not someone whom Mr. O’Connor answers to. A mentoring program would benefit Mr. O’Connor, staff, parents and community in many ways. The tangible support that he will receive with the professional mentorship through the National Mentor program and local administrator will assist Mr. O’Connor in building relationships with and among staff members. This will create an environment where staff members feel trusted and, in turn, Principal O'Connor is viewed as a respected leader.

Hall, P. (2008). Building bridges: strengthening the principal induction process through

intentional mentoring. //Phi Delta Kappan,// 32, 449-452.

Robinson, J., Horan, L., & Nanavati, M. (2009). Creating a mentoring coaching culture for

ontario school leaders. //Adult Learning//, //20//(1/2), 35-38. Saban, J., & Wolfe, S. (2009). Mentoring p rincipals around leadership practices. //Catalyst for// //Change//, //36//(1), 2-6.