Characteristics of an Effective Principal

A few years back when I was still teaching English, I served on a principal interview committee. The day before we began the interviews, I asked my students to list the characteristics that make a good principal. I still have the list. In fact, I keep it tacked to my bulletin board at work.

• Good attitude
• Nice
• Non-discriminatory
• Real
• Sense of humor/personality
• Flexible
• Honest/fair
• Well mannered
• Someone who isn't dumb
• Involved
• Belief in students and know their potential
• Remember what it's like to be a teenager
• Support students in the extracurricular things
• Non-judgmental
• Understanding
• Young and fun

I was deeply touched when one of my students turned to me and said, "You know Ms. Crandall, you could be a principal. You have all these characteristics." From that moment on, I have sought to embody what my students think makes a good principal. I'm not sure I can always be young, but I am certainly young at heart . . . and I'm trying my best to keep from being dumb.