{"id":1768,"date":"2020-05-01T08:58:16","date_gmt":"2020-05-01T13:58:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.graduateprogram.org\/?p=1768"},"modified":"2020-06-08T13:14:31","modified_gmt":"2020-06-08T18:14:31","slug":"the-importance-of-administrator-visibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.graduateprogram.org\/blog\/the-importance-of-administrator-visibility\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Administrator Visibility"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is Administrator Visibility?<\/h2>\n

An administrator\u2019s visibility is the act of being seen by the school\u2019s stakeholders while gauging the temperature of the school\u2019s culture<\/a>. A school leader must be seen by the students, teachers, and parents. The visibility for a school administrator is a crucial element within their job responsibilities. The level of visibility should be prominent, consistent, and authentic.<\/p>\n

Every school leader sets standards for the school\u2019s culture. Prominent daily presence reminds stakeholders of the leader\u2019s expectations, along with developing respect for the leader. A principal\u2019s consistent routine of high visibility provides a feeling among the school stakeholders of reliability from their leader. When a school leader engages authentically with teachers, students, and parents while being visible, the visibility becomes meaningful within the school culture.<\/p>\n

To be seen by stakeholders is the easy part of visibility for an administrator. The challenging task is how the visibility is delivered and what the administrator does while being visible. It is easy to stand in the middle of the school lobby or walk in and out of classrooms, but there is more to just being seen.<\/p>\n

Why is Administrator Visibility Important?<\/h2>\n

Visibility is important and vital for an effective school administrator. The amount of visibility and manner in which visibility is used determines the level of importance for a school administrator.<\/p>\n

Stakeholders see an administrator\u2019s visibility as vested interest in a school. When school leaders are seen regularly, it creates opportunities to build relationships<\/a> with all stakeholders, and relationships grow schools and define a positive school culture. Visibility by a school administrator sets the tone for the whole school.<\/p>\n

Strategies to Improve Administrator Visibility<\/h2>\n

At the beginning of each school day, the school\u2019s administrator should be greeting students with a smiling, \u201cGood Morning.\u201d Eventually the daily \u201cGood Morning,\u201d turns into \u201cAre those new shoes?\u201d or \u201cDid you get a haircut?\u201d Simple questions asked while being visible builds relationships with students<\/a>. Administrators can also share waves with parents as they pass through the morning carpool lines. Visibility in the morning also gives administrators the chance to greet teachers before their day begins.<\/p>\n

Visibility begins each day when an administrator walks through their building. As instructional coaches, principals conduct informal observations while walking in and out of classrooms each day. Mental notes are made, witnessing teachers teach from their desks, teachers squatting next to students\u2019 desks guiding instruction, and teachers\u2019 exceptional classroom management skills. These observations can only be noted when an administrator is actively visible in their school building.<\/p>\n

Visibility provides the opportunity for an administrator to gather information about student achievement. Daily walk-throughs can allow administrators time to engage in authentic real time moments of student learning and also allows them to notice the students unable to pay attention to the teacher\u2019s instruction, along with the students that are following along without any difficulty. Once again these are simple observations that can be discovered with brief daily visibility by a school administrator.<\/p>\n

Other strategies to improve visibility:<\/p>\n