A school is like a company in some sense. A school also has employees, products, expenses, revenues, profits, balance-sheets, etc. So, a school also needs the equivalent of a CEO, CFO, CTO and a COO. Recently, there also has been the emergence of a new post called the Chief Belief Officer (CBO). As the CBO of Future group, Devdutt Pattanaik's main role is to bring the wisdom of Indian mythology into Indian businesses. This reminds me of the moral science classes that we used to have in school. And these classes were always taken by the principal or the vice-principal. This probably hints at the fact that one of the major roles of a principal is that of a CBO. The principal does not necessarily have to be an expert in mythology. But s/he should surely be able to instill some moral values in the students and teachers alike. However, there should not be any element of moral policing in the process. Instilling moral values should be done in a way such that the students are themselves able to relate to the ideas and accept them whole-heartedly. It's a tough task for sure!
Apart from being a CBO, the principal also has to play the role of a CEO and a COO. The principal is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school activities and also taking care of the long-term vision. In private schools, there is also pressure on the principal to take efforts in order to increase the student-strength and maximize their final results. Though these two are desirable goals, the direct focus should not be on them. Otherwise, there is the danger of creating another Enron or Satyam. On this front, the primary focus of the principal should be on taking efforts to improve teaching standards in the school and to keep the students motivated to perform well. The principal should be inspiring enough to be able to light the fire within each student and teacher of the school. The students themselves should be motivated enough to feel the irresistible desire to perform well. Teachers should not become like washer-men who push donkeys around. Instead, teachers should be like the gentle spring, in whose presence the students blossom into their best. Its again a tough task, but worth making a serious attempt. The idea is to constantly keep striving for perfection. The pleasure lies in the journey and not in the destination.
One important role of a teacher and a principal that used to be prevalent in ancient times, but has vanished in the modern age is the aspect of general social responsibility. In ancient times, teachers and principals of schools in India (gurukulas, as they were called) also used to be advisers to the general public. The schools of ancient times played a much larger role than just teaching students. I think its now time to revive the ancient practice. I think its important for teachers and principals to be involved in meaningful interaction with parents of the students and also with the general public in order to educate them about various things. As someone said, "Working together is essential for success; even freckles would make a nice tan if they would get together". If corporates have a social responsibility, schools also certainly do. A school should be a temple of learning in every sense, not just for those who are enrolled in it, but also for those who are seemingly outsiders.
If society is like an unlit land, schools are like the beacons of hope. And teachers and principals are the ones who hold that beacon in place. A beacon does not have to make any extra efforts to spread its light around the world. It just has to keep burning. The light will spread on its own. The key thing is to burn bright and remove all obstructions from the path of light!
Apart from being a CBO, the principal also has to play the role of a CEO and a COO. The principal is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school activities and also taking care of the long-term vision. In private schools, there is also pressure on the principal to take efforts in order to increase the student-strength and maximize their final results. Though these two are desirable goals, the direct focus should not be on them. Otherwise, there is the danger of creating another Enron or Satyam. On this front, the primary focus of the principal should be on taking efforts to improve teaching standards in the school and to keep the students motivated to perform well. The principal should be inspiring enough to be able to light the fire within each student and teacher of the school. The students themselves should be motivated enough to feel the irresistible desire to perform well. Teachers should not become like washer-men who push donkeys around. Instead, teachers should be like the gentle spring, in whose presence the students blossom into their best. Its again a tough task, but worth making a serious attempt. The idea is to constantly keep striving for perfection. The pleasure lies in the journey and not in the destination.
One important role of a teacher and a principal that used to be prevalent in ancient times, but has vanished in the modern age is the aspect of general social responsibility. In ancient times, teachers and principals of schools in India (gurukulas, as they were called) also used to be advisers to the general public. The schools of ancient times played a much larger role than just teaching students. I think its now time to revive the ancient practice. I think its important for teachers and principals to be involved in meaningful interaction with parents of the students and also with the general public in order to educate them about various things. As someone said, "Working together is essential for success; even freckles would make a nice tan if they would get together". If corporates have a social responsibility, schools also certainly do. A school should be a temple of learning in every sense, not just for those who are enrolled in it, but also for those who are seemingly outsiders.
If society is like an unlit land, schools are like the beacons of hope. And teachers and principals are the ones who hold that beacon in place. A beacon does not have to make any extra efforts to spread its light around the world. It just has to keep burning. The light will spread on its own. The key thing is to burn bright and remove all obstructions from the path of light!
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