3. Let’s Get Started
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3.3 The Principal at Heart
The support of the school principal is critical to the success of any international trip!
Regardless of the fact that the initiative for the Japan trip may have come from an enthusiastic teacher, the principal is the one who gives the initial approval and is the gatekeeper to the senior administrators within the board. The principal can provide advice and assistance in the area of budget, internal and external funding sources, as well as help to steer you through the multitude of paperwork. As the leader of the school, he or she will ensure that the project has the support of school staff and parents.
The daily demands of managing a school makes it impossible for the principal to look after the leadership of the trip. The principal will select, through an interview process, a teacher coordinator(s) (male and female teacher if the group is co-educational) who will organize all aspects of the trip and who will travel with the group. The principal should also be an ad hoc member of any committees formed.
3.4 Teacher Coordinator
Like the Greek god Atlas, the teacher coordinator will feel as though they are carrying the whole world on their back most days. Luckily, that burden will not be for a lifetime (just a year or two) and it does have the reward of great memories and lasting friendships. Although this list is not exhaustive, here are some of the qualities a principal should look for in a prospective teacher coordinator:
- sensitive
- flexible
- creative
- self-motivated
- fair and firm disciplinarian
- active in extracurricular activities
- enjoys new challenges
- works well with adolescents
- shows interest in other cultures
- organized
- good fundraiser
- good bookkeeper
- good communication skills
- enjoys working with the public
- good public speaker
- compassionate
- able to delegate responsibilities
- some travel experience
- reasonably good health
- good temperament