School Leadership Qualities by https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2 The Positive and Negative Characteristics of School Leaders en-us 2019-03-02 00:51:28 UTC 2025-12-23 14:25:55 UTC hello@padlet.com The Unrealistic, Out of Touch Administrator john_buono https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337075148 I’ve encountered these types of leaders at times throughout my teaching career.  I would say that leaders that possess this quality are impractical and they don’t remember what it’s like to be a classroom teacher.  Leaders should try and create a high morale amongst the staff and not pile on different initiatives without creating a plan on how they all work together.

Real World Example: I’ve had an instance when an assistant principal asked me and my co-teacher to work more on state testing, asking us to have the students create their own state test by picking excerpts and creating their own test questions.  Doing what was asked, we started working on this with the students because we were told it would better prepare them for the state exams.  However, she did not run the idea by the principal, who did not agree with this strategy. She had us stop working on that with the students a week into starting it with them.  There was little regard as to how starting and stopping projects with the students affected time that could have been used to focus on their needs for the state exam.]]> 2019-03-02 01:59:19 UTC https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337075148 The "I Know Everything" Administrator john_buono https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337075486 I would say that this type of leader is egotistical, not caring about the ideas or the views of their staff.  
 
Real World Example: I’m a special education teacher.  An example I feel that fits into this category is expecting special education students to complete the same work and use the same strategies that are intended for general education students.  If the administrators expect this without hearing the views of the teacher on how to differentiate the work for the students, they would be considered an “I Know Everything” Administrator.
]]> 2019-03-02 02:02:48 UTC https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337075486 The Bullying Administrator john_buono https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337075740 A bully administrator is headstrong, aggressive, and disrespectful to the staff, or to the staff members who they don’t like.
 
Real World Example:  I’ve known teachers who the administrators didn’t like.  They went into the classroom for observations with the idea in their minds that they were going to give the teacher ineffective ratings, no matter how well they taught the lesson.  This was a bullying administrator because they were not being fair to the teacher and used their emotions to control their decision-making.
 
This is one leadership style that I would never let myself get pulled toward. I want to be a fair, unbiased, and nurturing school leader. Precautions I would take to avoid this is making myself available to the staff so they could always come to me with concerns or to share ideas on practices they feel would be beneficial for the students.  I want to create a high morale for the staff and for them to feel that they are truly valued.
]]> 2019-03-02 02:04:57 UTC https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337075740 The Administrator Considers Teachers' Opinions john_buono https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337076294 2019-03-02 02:10:57 UTC https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337076294 The Administrator Considers Teachers' Opinions john_buono https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337076328 This administrator builds a relationship with the staff through trust.  The leader shows that the staff is valued and that they take their input seriously, even implementing the ideas that members of the staff come up with.
 
Real World Example:  An example of this is allowing teachers to become members of the school’s leadership committee, where they can meet with administrators and parents to discuss strategies to help the students show academic success.  Everyone is collaborating and each member’s opinion is valued.

This is a major area that I would want to get pulled towards.  I would collaborate with the staff on a regular basis and would try considering each of their opinions.  I would want to be respectful to my staff and develop a feeling of trust.
]]> 2019-03-02 02:11:19 UTC https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337076328 The Administrator Plans Ahead john_buono https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337076461 This administrator quality is important to have because in order for new initiatives to be successful, there needs to be planning prior to the initiative rolling out.  This administrator collaborates with the staff on challenges that might occur to ensure the plan runs smoothly.
 
Real World Example:  In my previous school, we went fully textbook free and every student had an iPad.  Myself, my colleagues, and my administrators all worked together to ensure it rolled out smoothly. We attended professional developments to be prepared and we learned different areas and subjects in which we could implement different technology, such as using coding and robotics.
]]> 2019-03-02 02:12:55 UTC https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337076461 The Administrator Is Empathetic john_buono https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337076837 An administrator that is empathetic shows they truly care about the staff and the well being of them and their families.
 
Real World Example:  There is a committee in my school that sends the staff flowers and other items when a staff member has a death in the family or if any staff members get seriously ill and ends up in the hospital. This shows empathy by the school leader and that the school community is a family.
]]> 2019-03-02 02:17:09 UTC https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337076837 The Administrator Develops Talent john_buono https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337077009 This leader looks to build mastery in the staff in different areas.  This leader looks to help the staff reach their full potentials.
 
Real World Example:  My former principal allowed the staff to choose professional developments they would like to attend and provided a choice of porfessional developments in which we felt we wanted to learn more about or if there was an area of need that we wanted to focus on.
]]> 2019-03-02 02:18:52 UTC https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337077009 Positive Leadership Culture john_buono https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337077059 I would develop relationships with the staff from the beginning.  I would demonstrate to them that I want to consistently collaborate with them and that I want them to be open with me about sharing their opinions on different matters. This would hopefully develop trust amongst the staff. I would make myself as accessible to the staff as possible. I would greet the staff members every morning, having a smile on my face to show a positive demeanor.  Being positive with the staff and the students and valuing their opinions creates a high morale and I would hope to not make being in school feel like work. I would want to make it enjoyable for everyone in the school community. Even if there were “bad” leadership present in the school, I would hopefully develop relationships with the staff and have them feel comfortable with me.]]> 2019-03-02 02:19:15 UTC https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337077059 The "It’s for the Children" Administrator john_buono https://padlet.com/john_buono/blqq0mbs1tj2/wish/337077283 This type of administrator is very similar to the bullying administrator.  They want to force their own opinions on the staff by stating that “it’s for the children,” when really, they just want to do what they want to do regardless of whether it ‘s in the best interest of the students or not.
 
Real World Example:  An example of this is when giving report card grades out to the students, if the students didn’t complete their tests or refused to take their tests, some administrators require the teachers to still give at least a grade of 50% if it’s not done or incomplete.
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