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Forum -> Chinuch, Education & Schooling
Qualifications for principal/menahel



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Motek




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jan 07 2007, 6:34 pm
What do you think ought to be the qualifications for a principal/menahel, whether male or female, Limudei Kodesh department of an elementary school or high school?

what experience do you think they need?
do years in the classroom contribute towards being a good menahel?
how old do you think a principal needs to be?
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gryp




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jan 07 2007, 6:36 pm
I think one of the qualifications should be that he/she is still teaching on some kind of regular basis in the classroom.
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amother


 

Post Sun, Jan 07 2007, 7:00 pm
1- CARING MORE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS THAN THE REPUTATION OF THE SCHOOL

2- AVAILABILITY TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS

3- WILLINGNESS TO DO HIS UTMOST TO MELD AND BRING OUT THE MAXIMUM POTENTIAL OF EACH OF THE DANCERS IN THE THREE CONCENTRIC CIRCLES BEING FORMED IN EVERY CLASSROOM, AS PER RABBI HOROWITZ'S BRILLIANT DESCRIPTION.


Quote:
I’d like to ask you to conjure up a mental image of the dancing in the men’s section of the last wedding that you attended. In your mind’s eye, there are probably several concentric circles of participants – each of them with varied levels of intensity. In the inner circle, you have the chosson and his friends dancing with great fervor. The second ring probably consists of middle-age guys (like myself) operating at a much slower RPM (for readers who occupy the inner ring at weddings, RPM stands for revolutions per minute), while the outer circle of the dance is comprised of SMV’s (slow moving vehicles). In addition to these three groups, you have individuals sitting at tables not partaking at all in the festivities. Finally, there are those outside the wedding hall, smoking or chatting on their cell phones.



Now imagine if you asked people from these diverse groups for their perception of the dancing at the wedding. The inner, lively group would say that the dancing was fantastic. Middle age guys would say the music was too loud for their taste. Outer group members may tell you that the boys were a bit on the wild side. And the fellows outside on their cell phones will say, “Dancing; what dancing?”



That is a thumbnail sketch of the children our community is raising. The ‘inner group’ – those achieving success in our schools – are doing extraordinarily well, Baruch Hashem. The ‘middle group’ thinks that things are too intense for them, but they are still part of our community, while the ‘outer group’ operates at the fringes of our society – barely participating and feeling rather disenfranchised. And then there are the people outside the wedding hall … those who completely abandoned Yiddishkeit. So, how are we doing as a society in the raising of our children? Well, it depends on your vantage point.



If I may stay with the wedding analogy for another moment, I am that restless fellow who bounces around among the three dancing rings – and keeps running out to chat with the guys outside the hall. You see, there is an extraordinary dichotomy in my professional life (or rather lives). Daytime, I am the quintessential inner-ring participant. I serve as the menahel of a Yeshiva elementary school, where I get to walk the hallways and listen to the sweet sounds of tefilah and the beautiful singsong chanting of the timeless Torah thoughts of Abaya and Rava (two sages of the Talmud). But as the sun sets each night, I am confronted with the horrific agony of the children who are not succeeding in our school system and the unspeakable anguish of their parents, siblings and grandparents. The phones at Project YES and so many other outstanding organizations ring with stories of frustrated, unhappy children; with reports of gambling, drug use, molestation, promiscuous activity – even deaths and suicide (I personally know of three frum children who committed suicide in the past nine months alone).



What are the numbers – the percentages of our children in the various ‘rings’? Accurate information and research-based studies are not readily available, but I would estimate that during the past few decades, about five to fifteen percent of children from observant homes completely left Yiddishkeit – which is far more than we would like to admit or believe.
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red sea




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jan 07 2007, 7:12 pm
Motek wrote:
What do you think ought to be the qualifications for a principal/menahel, whether male or female, Limudei Kodesh department of an elementary school or high school?

what experience do you think they need?
do years in the classroom contribute towards being a good menahel?
how old do you think a principal needs to be?


Out of order here - years in the classroom would be a plus to a qualified candidate, that said def not a must.

Need to be experienced and/or trained in management, educated in education up to date, latest methodology and all, very detail oriented, take charge, confident, committed, caring, people personality and generally well versed themselves in limudei kodesh.

Age is really irrelevent as long as the qualified person possess the equiv of a strong "stage presence".
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shoy18




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jan 07 2007, 7:16 pm
Charismatic, he/she needs to be well liked and personable, and have it come easy, in order to gain the respect of the children.
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tzipp




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Jan 07 2007, 7:55 pm
At least five to ten years in the classroom, preferably if not neccisarily having worked with various ages, subjects and with different types of learners. Better not to go straight to principal- better to first be an assistant principal or similar position. One of the most important attributes is to be a good communicator- on every level this is impotant- dealing with teachers parents and students- and by this I mean he/she can communicate clearly and positively and be approachable. And yes an educational background is important- I guess it could be attained in different ways but he/she must understand and e able to apply educational theory and have a good grasp of the subjects being taught. Good at giving compliments, and generally positive and encouraging. Gets things done quickly, without needing to be bugged. One more- does well under stress.
Well that's a lot to ask for- and if someone has all of that they deserve to be paid whetever it takes to keep them!
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Imaonwheels




 
 
    
 

Post Tue, Jan 09 2007, 1:12 pm
Ten fruitfual and successful years in the classroom, no younger than 35, continuing both limudim and teaching each class in the school one shiur a wk. Good communication skills. Slow to anger and quick to calm down. True concern for all of the talmidim. Fulfills the requirements in the Kuntress Clalei Chinuch v'Hadracha.
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