Administrator Participation in Promoting Effective Problem-Solving Teams

Abstract

Although the participation of administrators in problem-solving consultation teams is frequently mentioned in the literature as an important factor in the effectiveness of those teams, there has been little research into the impact of administrators on such teams. The impact of administrator participation on problem-solving consultation teams (including prereferral, teacher assistance, mainstream assistance, intervention assistance, and instructional support teams) is discussed, and a model of administrator impact is proposed. A literature review suggests that in determining the efficacy of collaborative problem-solving teams via enhanced student outcomes, the relationship between specific variables that contribute to an interactive model of principal—teacher influence, shared instructional leadership, and specific administrative support mechanisms should be examined. In particular, investigations into the the impact of an interactive teacher—principal influence model on principal characteristics and administrative supports and into the way those supports in turn affect school culture to influence successful collaborative problem-solving teams are of primary interest.