Personal Traits
A school administrator is someone who is constantly in contact with students, parents, people in the community, school board members, local legislators, and a wide range of individuals and professionals. If you are seeking to start a career as a school administrator you should have good people skills and be able to communicate with a wide variety of people. You should be polite and should be able to make your point clear to everyone.
Someone who is highly organized and extremely motivated is a great candidate for a school administrator. You should also be able to look ahead and plan out future events and be able to stick to a timetable.
Educational Requirements
Getting started as a school administrator starts with your desire to continue in the field of education. You can do this while you are still a student by helping to lead a class, volunteer to help teachers, and even do some job shadowing in the lower grades.
Enrolling in a bachelor's program in education, or in the subject of your choice, would enable you to complete the next step of your educational requirements. In order to be involved as a teacher or administrator you must be certified by your state. You should then earn your teaching credentials by completing a required certification exam or specialized graduate courses.
Most, but not all, school administrators are also pursuers of higher education such as a Master's and even Doctorate's with a special emphasis on educational administration.
Experience Requirements
Being a school administrator means that you have not only gone through the required educational requirements, but have also spent time in the classroom. Many teachers go on to become principals and superintendents after their time in the classroom is over. This does not mean it is required, but it is very helpful. A few years of teaching, planning, and interacting with students, and their families, will give you an invaluable experience. This will help you in your future as a school administrator as you would know how to deal with students as well as parents.
Educational Administrators - The Future
Education is going to continue to play a major role in the shaping of the country. Good school administrators are going to be in high demand as new educational opportunities arise, with a wave of current administrators retiring or leaving office. This will be most evident in urban areas where the population levels are exploding with younger families. New schools are being built every year in these areas that are growing in population.
If you have a desire to work with the public, help shape the future lives of students, and be involved in the way they learn, then the job of a school administrator will be very rewarding and fulfilling. Begin the process by looking into educational opportunities, either part time or full time.
