These days the term "management" is almost considered a bad word in the education realm when referring to school principals. It seems that if a principal focuses too much on management issues they are shirking their duties as educational leaders. As we did an activity during class considering the 21 Competencies for School Administrators this theory seemed to ring true as we rated where specific tasks fell between management or leadership tasks. After completing the activity the class seemed much more accepting of the importance of management vs. educational leadership. To be successful a principal must somehow find a balance that will allow both to be done effectively.
Management tasks are extremely important in schools and although they may not seem to directly affect learning you can be assured that they have an influence. One of the most important management tasks is providing a safe learning environment for students. Providing a safe learning environment naturally creates a positive culture for students, and parents certainly appreciate knowing their children are safe. With this positive learning environment and culture creating a shared vision with all stakeholders becomes much more realistic.
Another management task that cannot be overlooked is discipline. An administrator who lacks a backbone when dealing with unruly students and their parents can truly do a disservice to student learning and teacher morale. If students know that there are not any real consequences coming from the principal, their behavior is not likely to change. If this is the case, the classroom teacher loses respect for the principal and the child's behavior continues during class. As a huge side-effect, classmates lose out on instructional time and in some cases have their safety jeopardized. These are but a few examples of how management tasks can affect student learning. The importance of management tasks and how they affect student learning cannot be underestimated.
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