Still Water Moments: The Art of the Principal
Jeremiah 32:17 Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.
An effective principal has good communication and management skills as they have to oversee numerous positions and systems to ensure that the school runs efficiently. Monitoring various employees in the school includes offering proper support to help them do their jobs well to contribute to the school being a quality one. They monitor the performance of students and hold teachers accountable for their instructional practices to ensure quality academic engagement in students, (sidebar- this does not excuse parents/guardians from their pivotal role of providing academic support at home. *Steps down from soapbox).
Additionally, an effective principal also needs to make sure he or she is visible, approachable, and makes others feel valued. There are so many categories within that term “others”: parents/guardians, students, teachers, office staff, custodial staff, culinary staff, special education staff, testing/academic coaching staff, PTO, etc. This list does not mention the various other entities they are involved in such as committees, clubs, fund raising organizations, community partnerships, after school event organizers, etc. They are also responsible for being accountable to superiors of their own. When it comes to managing the various people that make up the school community, it would be one thing if it was just overseeing individuals in their assigned roles. However, things get more complicated because these roles intersect and may cause issues among those involved. The special education department may not be able to provide proper support for a student due to a staff shortage which stresses the general education teacher… A parent may be upset with a teacher or administrator because they don’t approve of how a situation with their child was resolved… Some personality conflicts among staff require mediation… Thus, it is also vital that the principal have good conflict-resolution skills.
All of the previously mentioned responsibilities seem overwhelming for one person to manage at once. Surely, the principal is assisted by various other administrators e.g. the vice principal, secretary, department heads, etc. Even still, being the face of the school carries its own weight. Comparatively, when we think of all that God manages and how He does it seamlessly, we should be in awe. Our trust should be bolstered because this amazing God sees all and knows all the details of the situations we find ourselves in. This includes ALL of the details we’re unaware of. These are just some of the attributes that make Him God. Proverbs 15:3 tells us, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.”
He knows the motives of hearts, outcomes before they occur, and what would and would not be in our best interest. Thus, if he says “Yes”, “No”, or “Wait”, we should willingly obey no matter what it looks like to us because He knows every single solitary detail of it all, especially the things we’re blind to within ourselves that affect outcomes.
As stated previously, effective principals have good communication, management, and conflict-resolution skills. God’s skills are perfect- we need only to be intentional about taking the time to hear what He is communicating to us. We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading as He doesn’t force Himself on us but He is present, waiting daily to be acknowledged and invited into the intricacies of our lives. As this year comes to a close, let us look to the next with hope because we know He is already there orchestrating things for our good and His glory, (Romans 8:28). Let us take comfort in the simple yet authentic words of the old children’s song, “He’s got the Whole World in His Hands”, for surely He does -He created it!
Reflection: What situation(s) in your life are you having trouble entrusting to God? Try reflecting and journaling why you think that is.
