I get asked all the time do I enjoy being a principal. Every time I am asked, my answer comes and quick and is always the same. “I have the best job in the world.” When people hear how sure I am about enjoying being a principal, they assume it must be really easy. Let me squash that early; it is not easy. If anything, it is one of the most challenging jobs to have; however, at the same time, it is the most rewarding. Here the five reasons I love being a principal.
Reason 1: I work at an elementary school
There is nothing like five-year-olds looking up at you every morning with a smile on their faces. The love you get working in an elementary school is like no other. My scholars can quickly turn a bad day into a good one. The fact that every day I get to help mold and shape the minds of our future leaders brings me joy. Being in an elementary school will always keep you on your feet. There is never a dull moment with my scholars, and every day, I get a good laugh at something one of them does or says.
Reason 2: I can make a greater impact
As a teacher, you can make an impact. As a principal, you can make a more significant impact. As a teacher, there were roughly 25-30 students that I was responsible for. Now, as a principal, I impact 300 students a year. Not only do I have a chance to impact the students but I also impact their families and even can make an impact in the community. The role of a principal allows me to spread my reach further and touch more lives than I did as a teacher.
Reason 3: I can still be in the classroom
When I first started my teaching career, I was content with being a classroom teacher for my entire career. I saw myself teaching for 20-25 years and then retiring. Luckily for me, someone saw something in me and gave me an opportunity. Even though I am no longer a classroom teacher, I have not let the classroom go. Even in my role, I find time to be in the classroom engaging with students while they learn. Often I will jump in with the teacher to help teach a lesson. The joy and love of teaching has not gone away, and even in my role as principal, I find time in my day to be in the classroom and find time in my schedule to teach. It feels good to be a principal and not have to walk away from the classroom altogether.
Reason 4: I can impact the next generation of principals
The same talent someone saw in me, I can illuminate in others. I was mentored and poured into, and now I have the same opportunity to do the same for someone else. Regardless of age or experience, I can mentor the next generation of principals. I take that seriously because some are hungry enough and motivated enough to have an impact on the lives of children in the same way as me. I love being a principal because I can help those coming up behind me. There are not many who are willing in the early stages of their career to help someone else, but I feel that is part of the job and a part that I look forward to doing daily.
Reason 5: I can be a role model
One of the greatest parts of being a principal is that I can be a role model for my students. There is something to say about a young, educated, black man. Some of my black students don’t have a positive male role model in their lives. Many of them do not know black men who have graduated from college and earned a master’s degree. My position as a principal allows them to see a glimpse into what future could be there.
Being a principal takes a lot of time and dedication. I know it is worth it in the end.