What can school principals and vice-principals do to get to know their students better?

Principals should go into the classroom and teach. They are teachers and not just administrators. Classroom interaction is one of the best ways for you to know your students.

Principals should be accessible. They should always set aside time for students and teachers. Support your school teams when they go out for games. Nothing motivates students more than having their principal cheering for them.

Share your vision during assemblies. It is the best place for principals to talk to students. Mention some of the students who have brought honour to the school.

Toh Soon Guan

School principals and vice-principals can schedule to meet individual classes and chat with students to get to know as many students as possible. There should also be a culture of open communication, conducting regular dialogue sessions, and an open-door policy for students to visit their offices for a chat on anything they wish to talk about.

Care and concern for and interest in students is the duty of everyone in school.

Kevin Tan Students feel special if the principal or vice-principal is willing to mingle with them. He would be showing them what a leader could be like. Imagine having the principal visit your class or team to cheer you on before an exam or a match.

Tan Chin Shin

Teachers and principals know only the good and bad students. A school has too many students for both teachers and principals to know them.

Lee Poh

Let the principal and VP manage the school their own way. I'm sure they are in that position because they do what they do best. There are many ways to educate children. Just because the principal and VP don't constantly interact with all the students doesn't mean it's bad for the child's development.

If parents feel that their kids will benefit more from a principal or VP who interacts more with the students, then maybe transfer to a school that does that.

Darryl Kang

Once a week, invite a small group of students across a range of years (not the same high achievers each time) to share lunch with senior management for informal Socratic conversations.

Graydon C Smith