The Impact of Dual Role Teaching Principals in Small Schools

Abstract

Teaching principals exist in small schools. These principals have classroom responsibilities, administration duties, and educational instructor duties simultaneously. There are still some uncertainties on the dual role of school principals in small schools due to the lack of studies in this area. It is well-known that principals’ instructional leadership practices are an imperative predictor to the success of small schools. Following this concern, the dual responsibilities taken by principals in small schools must be understood comprehensively. This paper discusses the excellent role of teaching principals in small schools. The objective of this qualitative research is to determine the dimensions of principal’s teaching practices that influence the transformation of ordinary small schools into excellent small schools. Three principals in excellent small schools were interviewed and the themes that emerged from the interviews were matched with the dimensions drawn from the instructional leadership model used in this study. The results suggested that although a dual role teaching principal seemed to be burdened with responsibilities, the principals interviewed took the roles positively and excelled as instructional leaders. The teaching principals interviewed stated that their dual role increased their abilities in providing instructional leadership from many dimensions. The outcomes of this study may assist district school superintendents and preparatory program personnel in developing the right knowledge and in constructing a framework to support teaching principals in small schools in fulfilling their dual responsibilities.