Comprehensive View
According to a comprehensive view on educational administration, the following are the major components of administration in general and school administration in particular.
1. Planning
2. Organizing
3. Direction
4. Coordination
5. Controlling
1. Planning
The key to efficient school administration is planning. Planning implies the working out of the broad outlines from the beginning to the end. While planning, school administrator should:
- Clearly define the goals;
- Prepare an inventory of the specific activities to be performed.
- enunciate the methods, rules and regulations under which these activities are to be performed;
- sort out the materials that may be helpful at the implementation stage.
A periodical review of the planning activity should be done and opinions of the personnel involved in the process be taken into consideration.
2. Organizing
Organization is the primary consideration. Organization refers to "any collection of persons, materials, procedures, ideas or facts, so arranged and ordered that in each case the combination of parts makes a meaningful whole" (J. B. Sears) Organizations involves a healthy merger of human as well as non-human materials. Human elements comprise classes, committees, staff and other personnel. The non-human-element consists of school building, future, library and other similar education equipment. Besides, organization refers to time-table and curriculum without which organization will remain only half-way.
3. Direction
Direction is leadership. It is guidance as well as counseling. Explaining the meaning of 'direction', J. B. Sears says; "Direction in administration is that part that affects the decision, gives signals to act, indicates what the action is to be and when it is to start and stop." In this sense, direction refers to (i) making of decision; (ii) enunciating those decisions; (iii) and ensuring their implementation. Successful direction depends on successful leadership and successful leadership depends up on cordial support between the co-workers in the process of administration.
4. Coordination
Coordination involves harmonious proportion between the various elements which comprise administration. The activities of different personnel can be effectively coordinated only if they work in a cooperative spirit and organize into a team for achieving the desired ends.
5. Controlling
Proper administration pre-supposes intelligent control over the total school situation. Control is to be exercised over school finances, curricular activities, text-books and general puts organization into action; co-ordination ensures better on-going of various activities. Both these activities are covered by intelligent control of the situation.