| dc.description.abstract | The new structuring of posts in the Transvaal Education
Department that came into effect in October 1984, has brought
about changes in the managerial posts of the larger secondary
schools. The managerial posts have been extended to include a
senior deputy headmaster. A complex school may now have the
services of two deputy headmaster and one senior deputy headmaster.
This extension has been made necessary by the large
number of teachers and pupils in a complex school, as well as the
variety of subject packages offered.
The headmaster should maintain personal contact with all members
of his staff, and in a complex school, this contact suffers. The
senior deputy headmaster must therefore adopt this extremely
important task, that of building relationships and opening lines
of communication, as his own responsibility.
The school as an organization, functions mainly through personal
interactions that are accomplished by effective communication.
Where the workload on the headmaster makes communication and the
building of relationships difficult, the senior deputy headmaster
should be delegated this task.
To see the building of relationships and the opening of lines of
communication in their correct perspective, they should be
regarded on a religious basis. The Christian educator accepts
the Word of God as instructional and governing in all he does.
To build meaningful relationships and good communications are God-given
instructions. The directions given to man at the
creation, ie. to order and rule, are only possible through successful and effective communication, within a framework of good relationships. The characteristics of relationship and communication building are dealt with in Chapter two.
Research has ascertained that the tasks of the headmaster cover
too wide a field to be dealt with by only one person. He should
have some support and assistance. Time to establish personal
contact with his staff, and to build healthy relationships is limited, and this gap should be filled by the senior deputy headmaster. Chapter three therefore deals with the building of meaningful relationships. Attention is paid to the nature and meaning of personal relationships. The characteristics and
skills vitally necessary in a senior deputy headmaster, to assist
him in building successful relationships are also indicated.
No management is possible without communication. The senior
deputy headmaster is co-manager of the school, and therefore,
establishing good communication is an important task of his.
Chapter four deals with communication as the administrative task
of the senior deputy head; and also highlights the characteristics
and fundamentals of communication. The concept of communication is described by several definitions and the importance of effective communication is stressed. The steps in building communication are discussed, and factors weakening or strengthening
communication are focused upon. A resume, findings, conclusions and recommendations, follow in Chapter five. | en_US |
