As a principal I wish to get out and finish my years teaching the children in a manner that respects each
child’s uniqueness. Today I hate being a Principal. I work like a dog because I’m a professional educator and I’m proud of my profession and those who went before me. Where does one start about being a Principal today? Laws that must be obeyed, circulars that are expected to be obeyed, inspectors who hope to be obeyed and teachers praying to be helped. We are administrators, financial controllers, fund raisers, education innovators, leaders, carers, planners, ICT experts, cleaners, organisers, parental advisers, teacher helpers and shields and big eejits!! We are responsible and it keeps coming, we are answerable and accountable, this alone is enough.
20 years ago I resigned my administrative Principal job in Dublin to take up my present Teaching Principal role in Connaught. The work as a walking principal was really light compared to today so for a Teaching Principal there is just no comparison. For me it’s the dichotomy of being a full time teacher and a full time principal in a modern school. They are in fact not compatible and therefore compromises are enacted that have either a negative impact on pupil learning or on teachers teaching. Before we could minimise this impact but today I just can’t and it must be honestly faced up to.
As a teacher my work has changed radically, 2 new curriculums, records and notes to beat the band, parental contact and a very significant increase in diversity of pupil needs. Planning and accountability and responsibilities beyond my imagination when I joined the profession. Inspections which are more result driven and unfortunately less collegiate. Fear is now a constant companion for the class teacher. Our departments drive to be the Best educational system in the world by 2026 is a political stunt that is so narrowly based that our weaker pupils are deemed ‘not the best’.