Academic coordination is often seen as a very difficult task to say the least. The work of the academic coordinator can generate days of stress and frustration that discourage many teachers from taking on coordination activities. But what makes the job of the academic coordinator unattractive? To get a correct answer, it pays to go the other way to analyse the factors that drive successful academic coordinators. These factors come from two dimensions: the way they perceive themselves and their work, and the skills they have.
How they perceive themselves and their professional context
To begin with, successful academic coordinators view their work as a valuable opportunity to develop leadership. They are aware that school leadership has become a priority in educational policy programs internationally. An academic coordinator plays a critical role in improving school outcomes by influencing teachers’ motivations and skills, as well as the school´s environment.
Another important factor is how they value their work. Successful coordinators do not carry out their work out of obligation but as a source of personal fulfilment. Achieving goals energizes them and fortifies their character.
They have very clearly laid out goals for their professional development and work to meet them.
They know what talents they have and strive to develop them.
They are not afraid to face new challenges, even if they require a greater effort.
A set of effective personal skills
Effective academic coordinators are people-oriented. They know well the people on their team as well as how to work cooperatively. Also, they know the institution for whom they work and what is expected from their work.
When working with teachers, parents or school authorities, their good communication skills allow them to achieve consensus. In addition, if something is not clear, they know how to ask the right question or give an assertive negative answer.
Proactivity is their hallmark. Instead of waiting to be told what and how to do something they are able to develop their own policies and processes.
They know how to record and keep information up to date. For them, the use of excel is their best ally even if they can only use the basic functions such as calculating averages, percentages, making graphs, etc. They are not afraid to learn new things!
They believe in planning. An important characteristic is that effective academic coordinators know how to identify those important activities that add value to their daily work instead of focusing on routine and mechanical tasks. If they complement their planning skill with an analytical vision capable of identifying bottlenecks…success is assured!!!
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 8 seconds
