Bio
Meet Mr. Watson
Principal
Mr. Watson came to Visitation Catholic School in 2009 from Our Lady of Peace in North Hills where he served as the Principal. Prior to working in a leadership role, Mr. Watson started out at St. Bernardine of Siena School in Woodland Hills as the P.E. Teacher. From there, he moved to Our Lady of Lourdes in Northridge where he taught 3rd grade.
Mr. Watson holds multiple degrees - a Bachelor of Arts in History and Master of Arts in Educational Administration from Cal State Northridge, and a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from Loyola Marymount University. Additionally, Mr. Watson possesses two credentials, one in Elementary Teaching and a second in Educational Administration (Tier II).
As a Principal, Mr. Watson enjoys being able to work with and help families achieve the goals that they have for their children. He appreciates meeting new families and welcoming them into the Visitation community. Additionally, Mr. Watson takes great pride in the end of the year when we send our graduates off to high school - seeing all of their hard work and academic dedication pay off is such a rewarding experience. Working with the teachers and staff is another incredible blessing for him because our teachers and staff come to us with amazing experiences that drive their teaching methodologies and philosophies - something that leaves Mr. Watson feeling inspired by the people who make up our school community.
Mr. Watson's leadership philosophy is rooted in the idea that respecting and valuing all individuals is by far the most paramount issue in education. Every single act an educational leader performs should stem from the idea that we believe in the worth of each individual in our school and on our staff. If we truly have respect for all of our students and faculty and staff members, then we believe that they all have the potential to be successful. Effective educational leadership has to incorporate a large level of respect for diversity - especially in academic abilities and cultural ideals. With schools that contain students of a variety of academic levels, language learners, and students with special needs, an effective leader demonstrates respect for these differences by providing an inclusive climate in which students will feel comfortable to explore and challenge themselves.
On top of providing subject matter, teachers should utilize socio-cultural and constructivist theories to maintain the classroom focus on the students. Mr. Watson feels that teachers should blend the direct instruction of basic, universal concepts with constructivist class projects that require students to create their own knowledge and demonstrate authentic mastery. Mr. Watson pushes teachers to embrace Gardner's Theory of Multiple Forms of Intelligence and Bloom's Taxonomy and to count them as integral components of their educational practices and lesson planning. Pushing our students to become high-level critical thinkers will allow them to show this authentic mastery.
Being a leader involves making decisions that could change lives. Leading in order to facilitate transformation should be the main goal of any great educational institution. Therefore, Mr. Watson believes that the only way to transform and improve our society is through teaching children that their own success, and the success of the community, rests upon a strong education. By leading students to understand the value of education beyond merely grades, Mr. Watson hopes that they will learn to become agents of change in their society. It is also his belief that all children in this nation should have the opportunity to attain an excellent education. Mr. Watson firmly feels that every single child that enters a classroom at the beginning of the school year is capable of improving themselves beyond their current level and attaining a certain measure of excellence. This belief rests upon the constructivist theory that students do not have a "fixed" level of intelligence, but given the proper tools, and approaching them at the appropriate level, they are all capable of learning and achieving. As educators, it is our responsibility to inspire students to be innovative thinkers, to tap into their own creativity, to have the confidence to try new things, to challenge the status quo, and to make new discoveries - this is our call as leaders of education.
Mr. Watson holds multiple degrees - a Bachelor of Arts in History and Master of Arts in Educational Administration from Cal State Northridge, and a Master of Arts in Elementary Education from Loyola Marymount University. Additionally, Mr. Watson possesses two credentials, one in Elementary Teaching and a second in Educational Administration (Tier II).
As a Principal, Mr. Watson enjoys being able to work with and help families achieve the goals that they have for their children. He appreciates meeting new families and welcoming them into the Visitation community. Additionally, Mr. Watson takes great pride in the end of the year when we send our graduates off to high school - seeing all of their hard work and academic dedication pay off is such a rewarding experience. Working with the teachers and staff is another incredible blessing for him because our teachers and staff come to us with amazing experiences that drive their teaching methodologies and philosophies - something that leaves Mr. Watson feeling inspired by the people who make up our school community.
Mr. Watson's leadership philosophy is rooted in the idea that respecting and valuing all individuals is by far the most paramount issue in education. Every single act an educational leader performs should stem from the idea that we believe in the worth of each individual in our school and on our staff. If we truly have respect for all of our students and faculty and staff members, then we believe that they all have the potential to be successful. Effective educational leadership has to incorporate a large level of respect for diversity - especially in academic abilities and cultural ideals. With schools that contain students of a variety of academic levels, language learners, and students with special needs, an effective leader demonstrates respect for these differences by providing an inclusive climate in which students will feel comfortable to explore and challenge themselves.
On top of providing subject matter, teachers should utilize socio-cultural and constructivist theories to maintain the classroom focus on the students. Mr. Watson feels that teachers should blend the direct instruction of basic, universal concepts with constructivist class projects that require students to create their own knowledge and demonstrate authentic mastery. Mr. Watson pushes teachers to embrace Gardner's Theory of Multiple Forms of Intelligence and Bloom's Taxonomy and to count them as integral components of their educational practices and lesson planning. Pushing our students to become high-level critical thinkers will allow them to show this authentic mastery.
Being a leader involves making decisions that could change lives. Leading in order to facilitate transformation should be the main goal of any great educational institution. Therefore, Mr. Watson believes that the only way to transform and improve our society is through teaching children that their own success, and the success of the community, rests upon a strong education. By leading students to understand the value of education beyond merely grades, Mr. Watson hopes that they will learn to become agents of change in their society. It is also his belief that all children in this nation should have the opportunity to attain an excellent education. Mr. Watson firmly feels that every single child that enters a classroom at the beginning of the school year is capable of improving themselves beyond their current level and attaining a certain measure of excellence. This belief rests upon the constructivist theory that students do not have a "fixed" level of intelligence, but given the proper tools, and approaching them at the appropriate level, they are all capable of learning and achieving. As educators, it is our responsibility to inspire students to be innovative thinkers, to tap into their own creativity, to have the confidence to try new things, to challenge the status quo, and to make new discoveries - this is our call as leaders of education.
- Name
- Mr. Christopher Watson
- Position
- Principal