Administrator Inquiry

Administrator inquiry is a very important process a principal should utilize in order to be more effective. Self-reflection is necessary in order for meaningful change to happen in schools. The first step according to Harris (2010), is for a principal to pose questions or "wonderings". From there data can be collected and analyzed and new solutions can then be recommended and tried out. It is better than traditional research because it is more personal. It requires one to examine an issue or problem that he/she feels strongly about and then seek out meaningful ways to "fix" the problem. It can be used in a variety of educational settings from educational course assignments, to principal/superintendent meetings, to professional learning communities (PLCs). It serves as a type of therapy for an administrator because it forces one to step away from the daily required tasks and focus on fixing one problem. It can also be done by one individual or can be worked on with a group who are concerned about the same issue. As a future administrator, I will use this process monthly to reflect on areas I see that I need to improve as an administrator. I will keep a journal and jot down areas needing improvement and strive to work on 2 items on the list the next month. I will re-visit at the end of the month to see how I did and seek out new areas or continue with the same problems until they are fixed. I will also use it to guide my inservices. I will try to use PLCs to encourage my teachers to work together to fix grade level problems and concerns.


Administrative Uses for Blogging

Educational leaders might use blogs for many purposes. Blogging can be a wonderful reflection tool because administrators can re-visit it, and it is also a powerful tool for collecting data. It could also be used by the principal to share a love of writing with students and faculty members. Finally it could serve as a wonderful feedback tool. Blogs can receive comments and suggestions by other administrators, by campus faculty, and even by community members. They would provide a great place for input by others. `Blogging also provides the collaboration of ideas with others and support for one another.