The Importance
of Quality Leadership
by William R. Cecil,
Michigan Teacher of the Year, 2003-2004
 In
my career as a teacher, I have worked with four different principals.
Each time the school principal changed, the school climate changed.
A great leader can have a positive effect on school climate, staff
morale, and especially student performance. The opposite is true
for a poor leader.
If you think about it, principals are as important to running
a school as pilots are to flying planes. Passengers could have
a well-built airplane, a wonderful crew, and still be in danger
if the pilot doesn’t have the knowledge to do all the things
necessary to fly the plane. The same is true of a school.
Flying a plane is a huge responsibility. An airplane pilot takes
people from where they are and safely transports them to where
they want to go. Pilots are highly skilled, confident, poised,
and able to problem- solve quickly and successfully. Good principals,
too, must be skilled in many different areas and safely lead teachers,
staff, and students within their school to where they need to
be.
A principal’s leadership sets the tone for the whole building.
A strong principal usually indicates a strong school. The equation
is simple—principal + training in leadership skills + community
support = principals capable of piloting their staff and students
to success.
William (Bill) Cecil, a
16-year teaching veteran most recently taught fifth grade at Waverly
Intermediate School, Waverly Public Schools, Lansing, Michigan.
Bill was chosen for his upbeat and imaginative teaching style.
Bill is currently taking a sabbatical year with the Michigan Department
of Education after receiving Michigan’s 2003-04 award for
top teacher of the year.
For more information, contact: William R. Cecil, State Board of
Education, Michigan Department of Education, P.O. Box 30008, Lansing,
MI 48909, (517) 241-1160, billcecil@bestyearever.net,
or visit him at the John A. Hannah Building, 608 West Allegan
St., Lansing, MI 48933.
To read more about past Michigan teachers of
the year and to find out how to nominate teachers for this position,
visit www.michigan.gov/mde
and click on Recognition Programs in the Featured Services box
on the lower left-hand side. |
