Abstract
This paper reports on the ways in which teaching principals in rural schools in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, Canada enact instructional leadership within the five leadership domains conceptualized by Robinson, Lloyd, and Rowe (2008). Although participants suggested that they were “not where they wanted to be” in their efforts to enact instructional leadership, their actions demonstrate exemplary practice in this regard. The nature of the discourse perpetuated by leadership groups and teachers’ associations that equates instructional leadership with classroom visits only has the effect of decreasing teaching principals’ self-efficacy as instructional leaders. We argue for recognition of these leaders’ efforts to support learning, and a reconstitution of the role of the teaching principal such that instructional leadership expectations are realistically manageable for leaders in small rural schools.
Highlights
The tone of a conversation in which a leader states, “I’m not where I want to be” is telling
When we inquired into the reasons why teaching principals felt this way, we realized that their conceptualization of instructional leadership was limited to classroom visits
The messaging they received from school district leadership teams and teacher associations echoed messaging commonly found in the literature that suggests principals need to spend time in classrooms to effectively monitor and encourage curriculum implementation and quality instructional practices (Stronge, Richard, & Catano, 2008). Support for this conclusion can be found in commentary from teaching principals who talked about district implementation of classroom based observational models (i.e. Classroom Walkthroughs) accompanied by regularly scheduled accountability meetings with senior leaders
Summary
The tone of a conversation in which a leader states, “I’m not where I want to be” is telling. When the statement is articulated in a tone of utter defeat, the listener senses that has all hope for achieving success been lost, but that the leader has internalized a sense of failure and guilt for not living up to expectations s/he has of her/himself. This becomes an awkward space of vulnerability for the leader, the listener, and the people who are implicated in this perceived inability to achieve the goal
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