Working as a Principal in Finland

1
Working as a Principal in Finland

• Presentation by Päivi Sillanpää

2
Working as a Principal in Finland

• Changes in National School Politics in last
  fifteen years
• Decentralization and delegation of
  decision-making
• The scope of school politics is used more and
  more at the local level municipalities and
  schools
• More freedom in curriculum development
• Big differences in local management cultures
• Tight economy has led to a significant decrease
  in the number of schools
• Competition between schools has increased 
•  

3
Working as a Principal in Finland

• Principals new position
• From professional-bureaucratic framework to
  professional-managerialist framework
• More room for principals to manage their schools
• Implementer and actor in local school policy
• Strategic leadership roles are increasing and the
  principals own role as an educator has decreased
• The field of school leadership is becoming more
  complex

4
A new Principal

• Most of the new Principals have a long career as
  a Teacher
• Exam in School Administration is needed most of
  the Aplicants have courses in School Leadership
  at university Level
• Open recruitment, local School Board makes a
  decision. A School Staff and parents can tell
  first who has to be appointed
• Tests and interviews are used

5
Principals career

• Ends usually to retirement most of the
  Principals stay at their Schools over ten years
  some of them even over 30 years
• Highly dignified Position often active persons
  in local politics, sport and other hobbies
• Principals personality is seen in the Image of
  the School

6
Principal as a Leader

• recruits teachers and students
• has nowadays more and more freedom in deciding a
  salary level of a teacher
• has to evaluate teachers work yearly
  discussions concerning evaluation, working
  wellfare, professional development and leadership
  with every teacher
• has responsibility for his or her schools
  success and has to report to local School Board

7
Training plan for principal trainingin Finland
Learning in work
Further studies continuous personal improvement
Basic studies 6 credits
Preparatory training
Training program E
Training program C
Training program D
Trainingprogram F
Training program A
Training program B
Special training program in leadership (JET) 40
credits
Tutored further training
8
The elements of a principals competence in
Finland
Schools basic mission IMPROVE LEARNING
Schools development, visions, strategies
Administration and finance
SELF DEVELOPMENT - professional improvement -
self management
Human resources leadership
Educational leadership
Foreign minister
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
9
The curriculum for the basic training of
principal training (6 credits) National Board
of Education 9.10.2003

• Schools organization, administration and finance
• Curriculum and learning results
• Human resources management and leadership
• Strategic planning

10
The curriculum for the basic training of
principal training (6 credits) National Board
of Education 9.10.2003

• School organization, administration and finance
• to examine the schools organization on the basis
  of the schools basic mission and continuous
  development
• internal and external communications and
  decision-making
• financial management.

11
The curriculum for the basic training of
principal training (6 credits) National Board
of Education 9.10.2003

• Curriculum and learning results
• continuous further development of the curriculum
• extensive co-operation with the schools contact
  group
• both local and regional co-operation with the
  schools owners
• development of learning environment
• schools quality assessment and confirmation
• utilizing of teachers further training

12
The curriculum for the basic training of
principal training (6 credits) National Board
of Education 9.10.2003

• Human resources management and leadership
• employment contracts
• recruitment
• ethics of leadership
• leading compentences
• staff development
• collaborative Management
• development of self knowledge and interactivity

13
The curriculum for the basic training of
principal training (6 credits) National Board
of Education 9.10.2003

• Strategic planning
• changes in the working environment and their
  effects on the national and local school politics
• schools vision and strategy
• managing competition
• managing cooperation