From Michael Winerip in the New York Times:
“A good principal has been a teacher.
While Ivy Leaguers in their 20s can now become principals, Jacqui Getz, 51, the new principal of Public School 126, a high-poverty school in Chinatown, came up the old way. This is her third principal position, but before that, she was a teacher for nine years and an assistant principal for four. It’s hard for principals to win over teachers if they haven’t been one.
“You’re the principal,” Ms. Getz said, “but you have to know how a teacher feels and how a teacher thinks.”
“A good principal feels at home in a cafeteria filled with 800 children eating rubbery scrambled eggs for breakfast.
At Table 510, Ms. Getz discussed “Maniac McGee” with Beckie Zheng; at Table 500, Hula-Hoops with Annika Dalland. At Table 220, Ms. Getz spotted a second grader, eyes closed, resting his head on his arms, and brought him a box of Raisin Bran with a carton of milk. “You need to eat,” she whispered…”