Monitoring bullying behaviours may not enhance principal's awareness of the prevalence

Monitoring bullying behaviours is the key aspect of a successful anti-bullying intervention. Questionnaires among pupils and principals of the same schools were utilised to measure the agreement between pupil-reported frequency and principals' estimations of the prevalence of frequent bullying in the same schools and to identify monitoring methods associated with the best agreement. The correlation between the pupil-reported frequency and the principal's estimate of the prevalence was weak. Two-thirds of the principals estimated the prevalence of frequent bullying in their schools to be four percentage points lower than the prevalence, based on pupils' reports. Questionnaires that were developed and administered by the schools themselves and unspecified monitoring methods were associated with the best agreement between pupils' reports and principals' estimates of the prevalence of frequent bullying. There is a clear need to communicate better the nationally collected data back to schools. It seems that despite the monitoring efforts, school principals were not aware of the prevalence of frequent bullying as perceived by their pupils. Awareness of the problem may require more than just available evidence.     

Perceptions of the principal’s role in democratic school governance in South Africa

This article explores governors’ perceptions of the role played by school principals in the democratic governance of secondary schools in South Africa. The South African Schools Act No. 84 of 1996 has mandated that all public schools in South Africa must have democratically elected school governing bodies, comprised of the principal (in his or her official capacity), educators, non‐teaching staff, parents and learners, but the latter is applicable only in secondary schools. This reform is intended to foster tolerance, rational discussion and collective decision‐making. In the light of this reform an empirical study investigated the role of the principal in the school governing body (SGB), particularly in promoting parent and learner participation in SGBs. The findings highlighted the important functions that principals fulfil with regard to the functioning of the SGB. Principals are viewed by governors as playing a positive role in SGBs. Governors referred to principals as ‘the finger on the pulse of what is happening at school’; they are resource persons for other members of the SGBs and ‘the engines’ of the schools. Governors viewed the principal as in charge of the professional management of the school, ensuring that all duties are carried out adequately, setting the tone in SGB meetings, and responsible for interpreting education policies and ensuring that they are well implemented. Furthermore, principals have the responsibility of ensuring the maximum participation of both parent and learner governors in SGBs meetings. Principals can also contribute greatly to school governance issues, since they are usually at an advantage in terms of their familiarity with official regulations, provincial directives and knowledge of educational reform measures. The findings highlighted persistent power struggles in rural schools that may arise when principals overplay their roles as this creates tension among SGB members. However, principals enabled implementation of democratic values such as tolerance, rational discussion and collective decision‐making in schools through their leadership roles.     

Early Childhood Education and Public School Principals: Constructing a Relationship

This article discusses the results of a statewide study of elementary school principals' perceptions of barriers to the establishment of preschool programs in the public school setting. The study was conducted in response to current federal an: state mandates requiring school districts to provide comprehensive services for developmentally delayed and at-risk preschoolers, as well as other preschool populations. A representative sample of principals responded to a comprehensive questionnaire that included principals' knowledge of child development and their attitudes about establishing programs for preschool children in the public school sector. Results indicate that, across the board, elementary principals foresee major barriers to the effective implementation of such federal mandates as Public Law 99–457. Specific barriers are identified and discussed. Implications for practice and policy are presented.     

CSR Principal Perceptions of Support from the State Department of Education

Elementary school principals who received a Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) award in January or August 2002 (n = 21) were invited to be interviewed in the late spring and summer of 2003. A total of 19 principals consented to audiotaped interviews. The interviews focused on several CSR dimensions, including principals' beliefs about the extent to which schoolwide achievement would increase with CSR implementation, where achievement gains were most likely to occur, and the degree of teacher support for the program. In this article, our focus is on principals' perceptions of their relationship with the Arizona State Department of Education (ADE). In summary, principals perceived the relationship between ADE and CSR schools to be one of benign neglect. The state was only a vehicle for transferring funds and did not provide guidance or oversight after funds were awarded. Hence, federal CSR policies, as mediated by the ADE, resulted in single-school reform, not district or state reform.     

Rural-Urban Differences In Intelligence

Abstract

This study examined possible divergencies between the way elementary school principals evaluated their performance in carrying out certain administrative practices and an evaluation of the principals' performance as judged by the teaching staff. The principals' performance was evaluated on 46 administrative practices. Teachers and principals in 66 elementary schools participated in the study.

The null hypothesis proposed that there was no significant difference between principals' evaluation of their performance and an evaluation made by teachers. The chi square test of significance was used to test the hypothesis. The results were: (1) the two groups differed significantly on their evaluation of the principals' performance on 22 of the 46 administrative practices, and (2) principals rated their performance as more satisfactory than did the teachers.     

A framework for Information and Communication Technology integration in schools through teacher professional development

Abstract

The demands of the twenty-first century require effective and sustainable use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in education. Various ICT strategies and initiatives across South Africa have not resulted in system-wide, sustainable ICT integration in schools. Although the roles of principals are acknowledged in educational management, the question remains how principals influence teachers' effective and sustainable integration of ICT through teacher professional development (TPD). A matrix of theoretical criteria selected seven participants across diverse contexts. In-depth interviews produced an integrated dataset that revealed principals' patterns of influence, their perceptions and experiences, their leadership and management styles, their attitudes towards ICT integration, their knowledge on related ICT and related TPD issues, as well as their strategic thinking on ICT integration. The proposed theoretical framework illustrates the interrelatedness of aspects that influence principals' leadership through open distance learning.     

Why principals often give overly high ratings on teacher evaluations

Recent research found that principals who are required to evaluate their teachers often give higher ratings than what they think these teachers deserve. This study aimed to explore principals' considerations while evaluating teachers. Participants were 39 Israeli principals. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and were analyzed in four stages – condensing, coding, categorizing, and theorizing. Four considerations emerged for principals' over-evaluations: (1) time constraints/prioritization (low perceived value for high time investment); (2) evaluation's ineffectiveness for improving teaching (via teacher development or dismissal); (3) the imprecision of teacher evaluation measurements; and (4) impingement on interpersonal relationships. This study demonstrated how principals serve as local mid-level policymakers by actively buffering, rather than bridging, the policies imposed on their schools from above.     

School principals and racism: responding to Aveling

This study responds to Nado Aveling's call in ‘Anti-racism in Schools: A question of leadership?’ (Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 2007, 28(1), 69–85) for further investigation into racism in Australian schools. Aveling's interview study concluded that an overwhelming number of school principals denied the presence of racism in their schools, and that there were no discernible differences in how principals in different schools constructed racism. In contrast, our research found that school principals' constructions of cultural racism are strongly influenced by their school contexts. We elucidate these differences examining the various intersections between race, class and religion deployed by principals in different sites, and argue for the utility of examining and theorising cultural racism using an intersectional approach. By bringing context into our analysis we provide a more nuanced insight into the different ways in which racism is constituted and understood by Australian school principals.     

Blindfolded in a Minefield: principals' ethical decision-making

Schools in Australia, as in most other western nations, face global trends resulting in principals being placed under intense and increasing pressure. Some of this pressure results from their having to make and justify decisions that are complex and fraught with ethical difficulty. Unfortunately, many feel ill-equipped to deal with these challenging decisions. A recent survey of principals' experience in relation to such decisions suggests that many lack the skills necessary to confidently discharge their duties. If we accept that there is a dearth of professional development in ethical decision-making, we must accept that there is an obligation to provide appropriate preparation and support, both on employing authorities such as departments of education, and on external agencies such as universities. However, it is essential that such professional preparation appropriately balances system needs against the needs of individual principals in the community contexts in which they work.     

英国公学校长的教育管理特色

英国公学校长的教育管理特色主要体现在校长以学校为家庭的学校管理观、以自己为家长的教师管理观以及以品格教育为中心的学生管理观这三个方面上。公学校长在学校管理中采取了人性化的管理方式,并形成了一套自上而下的组织管理制度,校长的权威渗透于其中。英国公学校长的学校管理特色,对于我国私立中学的校长具有启示作用。     

The Social Skills and Social Status of Mainstreamed Students with Intellectual Disabilities

This paper reports on the social skills and social status of 22 students with mainly moderate intellectual disabilities who had received an inclusive preschool intervention and were subsequently followed up from 18 months to more than five years later in their mainstream classrooms. Measures included direct assessment of social interaction in the playground, social status obtained by interviewing classmates, and the ratings of classroom teachers, parents and school principals. Large differences were found between the students with disabilities and their typical peers for amount of time spent interacting with peers and amount of time spent in isolation, with a moderate difference found for interactions with teachers. However, no difference was found between the social status of the two groups, and the students with disabilities were still spending more than half their time in the playground interacting with typically developing peers. Parents generally rated their children as having better social skills than did principals or teachers. A moderate relationship was found between the direct measures of peer interactions and teachers' perceptions of peer interaction skills. The relationships between the parents' and principals' perceptions of peer interaction and direct measures of the interaction were only small. Some of the implications of these findings for integrating students into mainstream schools and classes are discussed.     

Principals' views on challenges of their school governance roles

Abstract

This article explores principals' views regarding governance challenges they experience at schools. We conducted focus group interviews with primary and secondary school principals, purposely and conveniently selected from township schools in two Gauteng Province's districts. We found that principals were challenged mostly by having to balance their roles as ex officio school governing body members and their roles as bona fide members of school governing bodies (SGBs). Other challenges found were confirmatory of other school governors' views as reported in numerous studies, related to among others, the specialist nature of governance functions, poor training of school governors, difficulties associated with governor recruitment and unwillingness of parents to serve as governors. There is therefore a need for a re-clarification of the principals' roles, in terms of both their ex officio and bona fide SGB membership with regard to governance in the context of the functioning of the schools. This should include a review of the governing body structure, the re-allocation of specialist functions, customized and needs-based training of school governors and aspects relating to the general functioning of SGBs.     

中小学校长教育科研能力现状与对策建议

依据研究能力的内涵界定,采用自编问卷,以294位参加北京教育学院校长培训项目的中小学校长为样本,调查了当前中小学校长的教育科研能力。调查结果表明:整体上,校长对教育科研的价值和目的有着较为清楚的认识,具备一定的研究能力,但对研究文献的收集和利用相对薄弱;没有研究时间、知识与能力不足,是制约校长进行研究的最主要因素;来自城区学校、乡镇学校和农村学校的校长,在研究能力上有较为明显的差距。基于此,建议加强学习和培训,增强校长对研究的知识积累和实践能力;加强行政支持,给校长从事自主研究的时间和空间;正视城乡差异,增强对农村校长的培养和支持力度。     

Contemporary challenges and changes: principals' leadership practices in Malaysia

This article outlines the findings from a contemporary study of principals' leadership practices in Malaysia as part of the 7 System Leadership Study. Recent policy developments within Malaysia have increased principals' accountability and have underlined the importance of the role of the principals in transforming school performance and student learning outcomes. This article draws upon emerging empirical evidence about principals' leadership practices and highlights some of the challenges associated with the new accountability expectations and demands placed upon principals in Malaysia. It provides a contemporary insight into the way in which principals in Malaysia view their leadership practice. The article proposes that despite the pressure on them to secure better school and student outcomes, principals in Malaysia increasingly view their leadership practices as transformational and distributed.     

Pupils,the forgotten partners in education action zones

Education action zones (EAZs) involving local partnerships are one of the government's policies set up to help raise standards in pupils' performance and behaviour in areas of economic and social disadvantage. This article explores the nature of these partnerships and the fact that pupils are excluded. It reviews literature on student voice and describes interviews with 139 Year 8 pupils in two inner city zone schools to gain an insight into their perceptions about their learning. The data highlights some differences by gender and ethnicity and also the steps pupils believe are necessary if improvements are to be made. If zone schools are to live up to the promise of ‘empowering people and communities’, the paper argues pupils need to be included as stakeholders who shape the implementation of policy and become part of the solution to the difficulties EAZs are charged to address. The paper concludes by suggesting this will require a shift in the dominant epistemology to recognize pupils as co‐constructors of learning and a shift towards more democratic forms of relations in order to encourage pupil participation and enable their voices to be heard.     

Teachers' perceptions regarding school principals' coaching skills

The purpose of this study was to find out teachers' perceptions about school principals' coaching skills. The study was carried out within qualitative research methods. The study group included 76 teachers in Elazig and 73 teachers in Kahramanmara? provinces of Turkey. All the data were processed using Nvivo 9 software. The results indicate that teachers' perceptions about their principals' coaching skills do not differ according to the age, marital status, sex and education status variables. The teachers think that their principals are successful at some coaching skills such as being experienced and knowledgeable, being an effective listener and setting achievable targets. Principals fail to show empathy, communicate effectively, praise, give feedback, motivate and have effective inquiry coaching skills. According to teachers' opinions, being a role model, showing empathy, praising, effectively communicating and motivating are important coaching skills that they would show if they were to sit in the principal chair.     

Teacher Hiring Practices: Illinois Principals' Perspectives

A growing body of research has confirmed the link between excellent teachers and increased student achievement and school success. Consequently, selecting outstanding teachers is critical. This study examines Illinois principals' teacher hiring practices as well as their perceptions of what teachers do to enhance or hinder their selection. Included also is advice from principals on how candidates can best prepare and present themselves during the job search process.     

Hijab and principalship: the interplay between belief systems,educational management and gender among Arab Muslim women in Israel

This paper discusses the decision of Muslim female principals in Israel to don the hijab following their appointment to school principalship. This research employed narrative life-story interviews to understand the women's decision to alter their appearance and how this transition is connected to their role as female school principals in the indigenous Muslim community in Israel and the reaction they faced both in personal and professional spheres. The principals' narratives elucidate that transition to wearing the hijab was a matter of choice and collective belonging; it empowers them and affected their leadership style, although it also provokes others' resistance and reactions. Findings clarify the social and personal identity of Arab Muslim women school principals in Israel, and point to the need for consideration of traditional cultural contexts, to enrich managerial theory. This understanding also supports the argument that governmental and organizational policies and initiatives should recognize the diversity in Muslim women's backgrounds and the dangers of privileging mainstream women's perspectives.     

‘It’s not about punitive’: exploring how early-career teachers in high-poverty schools respond to critical incidents

ABSTRACT

This article explores how early-career teachers working in high-poverty schools in Australia account for their decision-making during critical classroom incidents. Classroom management solutions are problematized by investigating how two teachers take up particular positions, make decisions, and enact what they believe to be ‘quality teaching’ in context. Through a combination of interviews and observations of teachers ‘in situ’, we examine what these teachers do, why they do it, what informs their decisions, and how they reflect on their actions. The complexity of teachers’ work in schools located in high-poverty areas is highlighted. We argue that both early-career teachers prefer to position themselves within ‘pastoral’, in contrast to ‘disciplinarian’, discourses, as part of constituting the school as a site of possibility and teachers who advocate for youth growing up in poverty.