By Jamlick Bosire:

Oct. 2015

Schools are expected to prepare their students/pupils well in all areas.

A school which concentrates only on one area is likely to be disappointed by the ultimate results of examinations and the type of students/pupils leaving the school.

The scenario in most schools is to concentrate on the curriculum and the co-curricular activities ignoring the hidden curriculum.

The hidden curriculum is crucial in a school.

Through the hidden curriculum, a school develops qualities of integrity and habits of service in its students which in turn enhances teaching and learning hence academic success.

Teaching and learning is based on the curriculum i.e. the core curriculum which examines planned academic programs, the co-curriculum which helps to enhance the physical welfare of students and the hidden curriculum.

Hidden curriculum refers to the unwritten, unofficial, and often unintended lessons, values, and perspectives that students learn in school.

The hidden-curriculum concept is based on the recognition that students absorb lessons in school that may or may not be part of the formal course of study—for example, how they should interact with peers, teachers, and other adults; how they should perceive different races, groups, or classes of people; or what ideas and behaviors are considered acceptable or unacceptable. 

Students:It affects the students attitudes, maturity

growth and behavior.Teachers:Punctuality, the way teachers interact

with each other and personality of each of the teachers

Core functions of a school are oriented towards total development of a student i.e. mental, physical, social and moral development. Such a development creates a happy and harmonious school.

1. Enhance teaching

2. Enhances learning

Leaders have followers and provide the inspiration, the glue that holds people together to work for vision.

Efficiency and effectiveness of any head teacher is judged by the quality of services offered in the school.

In schools, the factors contributing to effective learning are as follows:

Effective teaching 75% Effective use of text books 15% Use of appropriate facilities 9% Teacher support system

From the above:Supervision as well as advising for

quality assurance is important.As a leader, therefore he/she should:• Inspire his staff by winning their

trust• Foster learning and critical inquiry

through reflection• Delegate responsibilities and

ensure that the delegate executes responsibly and promptly

• Promote warm and open honest interpersonal relationship

• Provide symbolic figure for the school to emulate by being exemplary, ensuring continuity and stability in the school

• Present ideas concerning the school and fulfill the emotional role for institution.

• Inspirational attractive to others and the ability to leverage this esteem to motivate others.

• Cooperation- works well with others• Optimism- very sure of achievements• Role model- lead by example• Result oriented- prioritizing activities

to spend time where results most accrue.

• Rejection of determinism- belief in one’s ability to make difference.

• Ability to encourage and nurture those that report to them

• Self knowledge• Awareness of environment-

understands the environment in which they work in

• Empathy- understanding what others say rather than listening to how they say it

• Integrity- the integration of outward actions and inner values

• Sense of humor- people work better when they are happy.

1. Leaders have a vision for schools that they constantly share and promote

2. Leaders communicate clearly and effectively

3. Leaders devote themselves and all necessary resources to achievement

4. Leaders collaborate and cooperate with others

5. Leaders persevere and take the “long view”

6. Leaders support, develop and nurture staff

• Leaders hold themselves and others responsible and accountable

• Leaders never stop learning and honing their skills

• Leaders have the courage to take informed risks- leaders recognize that not everyone may support change. They work to win support and take action in support of their vision even in the face of opposition.

1. Will to manage2. Knowledge of management process3. Intellectually capable4. Ability to command respect5. Good communication skills6. Integrity 7. Loyalty8. Good personality 

1. Ensure the school serves its purpose – efficiency in learning/moulding responsible young citizen

2. To design and maintain the stability of the operations of the institution

3. To take charge of strategy making and adopt the institution in a controlled way to changes in its environment

4. To serve as the key informational link between the institution and the environment

Deputy head teacher is responsible to the head for the following:

1.Organizing and administering the approved school curriculum. i.e.

• Drawing up schools daily routine• Coordinating the drawing up of the

school’s timetable 2. Assisting in the budgeting, collection,

expending, keeping records and accounting for the school funds

3. Competence in basic principles of education management i.e.

• Planning, organizing, coordinating and controlling

• Team building• Time management• Weekly attendance register4. Human management i.e.• Building up of high standards of

discipline in school• Articulation of adherence and

compliance of daily routine.• Permission to be away in school

• Coordination and assisting other in performance of co-curricular activities

• Supervision of teaching process and regular inspection of students books

• Coordinating the supervision, motivation appraisal and development of non-teaching staff

5. Participatory involvement in the overall school management i.e.

• Secretary to all staff meetings• Competence in managing an office –

awareness of internal inspection role of the head teacher

• In attendance of the school board meetings, PTA meetings, taking minutes

6. Management maintenance of physical resources e.g. keeping the school clean

7. Teaching the subject of specialization8. Chairman tender committee.

1. Manages and coordinates a department

• Promotes efficiency• Schemes of work• Record of work maintenance• Record of tests• Specifying subject syllabuses for each

classes• Maintaining text books and equipment

inventories

• Working out needs and priorities or his/her department

• Coordinating the maintenance of pupil performance records by all in the department

• Coordinating the methodology and teaching methods and reviewing them from time to time.

2. Resource management3. Chairs departmental meetings, inducts

new members into the department, supervision and carrying out inspection within the department.

4. Teaching subject of specialization.

1. Planning and preparing learning materials

2. Carrying out all teaching and learning activities as assigned, planned and targeted

3. Assisting in the management of the school i.e. class teacher; staff on duty; patron of students clubs; guidance and counseling

4. Agent for improving school community relations image

1. Present in a schoolA teacher cannot teach in absenteeism.

All lessons are compulsory for both teacher and the student. At the end, the bulk of time is spending with the student in class. There is no known good substitute for this.

2. Punctuality This is expected at all times for both

teacher and the student

3. Level preparednessA teacher should go to class prepared

totally for the lesson and remain in class throughout the lesson

4. Preps Setting assignments for prep and

checking that the work set is done regularly is part and parcel of our responsibility as teachers.

5. School timeChief inspector of schools

recommendation (ministry of education policy) is that the teaching load be 27 lessons per week.

The extra time is supposed to be spent as follows:

• Preparation of lessons• Evaluation of previous lesson• Monitoring assignments and marking

quizzes and tests• Drawing strategies for better

performance during the next lesson• Attention to weak students and slow

learners• Interaction with colleagues in the

department on the school work.

The so called free time is not free time. It is the time when the teacher should be in school and working. Presence in school has a positive impact on the teacher’s class work and the total responsibility. A teacher is a full time teacher in the school.

1. Preparation of school budgets, receiving revenue and responsible for the expenditure of all monies in the school received in.

2. Planning and implementation of development projects for the school based on priorities

3. Appoints or terminates members of non-teaching staff in accordance with their terms and conditions of service

4. Reviewing discipline cases of students/pupils and making recommendations on action to be taken by disciplinary committee in case of serious disciplinary problems.

5. Maintenance of high spiritual tone and high ideals among staff and pupils of the school

• Act with integrity, loyalty, honesty, tolerance and compassion

• Relate well with authority• Have a sense of humor• Demonstrate ability to forgive and

accept forgiveness• Demonstrates an acceptance of other

people• Exhibits self discipline• Demonstrates willingness to learn• Exhibit a positive outlook on life

• Communicate effectively with adults and students

• Must be healthy and should have a respectable disposition and be honest in all aspects of his/her role

• Use a variety of tools and maintenance of equipment

• Maintain positive and consistent personal management and discipline strategies

• Maintai good relationships with members of the school community

• Have the ability to report any difficulties with students to senior administrative staff where necessary

• Be competent in or willing to learn the use of gardening equipment to maintain a high level of grounds appearance

• Effectively maintain grounds to high standards of appearance

• Effectively maintain waste management to a high standard.

• Property fencing and maintenance as required.

• Be punctual on all occasions as far as possible, forwarding appropriate apologies when necessary as well as being responsible with confidential matters.

• Be diligent with duties as per assigned work schedules and rosters

• Report areas of maintenance needed to the property overseer

• Perform other duties as required.

1. Establish menus in cooperation with administrator.

2. Prepare meals for students/pupils3. Serve meals to students/pupils4. Clean and maintain utensils necessary

to prepare meals5. Clean and maintain area where meals

are served, if separate from classroom area.

6. Prepare food orders in cooperation with administrator.

7. Other duties as assigned related to food service at local sites.

• Responsible for implementing and maintaining all office and school recordkeeping systems;

• Prepares, creates, and composes letters, reports, bulletins, and other documents for the school or instructional programs;

• answers routine correspondence for the administrator;

• Acts as liaison between the school site and the general public by researching and conveying information concerning rules, regulations, policies, and laws;

• greets and directs visitors;

• Prepares, sorts and delivers mail within the Office and other sites;

• Prepares the school's conference rooms for meetings;

• Delivers board agendas and documents to board members' homes;

• Does servicing of equipment and furniture;• replaces electric bulbs; • Moves filing cabinets, desks and chairs

when required; • Assists in the tasks assigned to the

printing room; receives; performs custodial work as required.

• Addresses standard inquiries by letter, phone, e-mail, fax or personal contact;

• Ensures that appropriate calendars of activities are maintained for the school including establishment of schedules for parent conferences, Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, school visitors, and other meetings;

• Assists in the process of registering new students;

• Coordinates and schedules transportation for students and staff

• Assists in the development of office procedures;

• Carrying out security procedures for school buildings and grounds. The routine and non-routine opening and closing of school premises and grounds.

• Preventing trespass on the school premises or grounds and in some cases, ensuring that unauthorized parking of vehicles does not occur.

• Respond when school alarm system is set off and arrange for the system to be re-set.

• Replacing light bulbs/tubes if necessary and reporting any defects in the lighting systems to the head teacher immediately.