Implications For Principals Research Articles

Student Leadership and Democratic Schools: A Case Study

In practice, educational leadership is most often associated with the role of the formal administrator, even though research and literature have recognized educational leadership as being the role of all stakeholders (Renihan & Sackney, 1999; Sergiovanni, 1989, 1990; Walker, Sackney, & Hajnal, 1996). However, this literature seldom recognizes student leadership as being part of the leadership equation. The purpose of this study was to describe the leadership processes and satisfaction and/or dissatisfaction students felt about their level of involvement in leadership positions and decision making. The implications for principals to facilitate such democratic practices and processes in rural schools are delineated.

The Politics of Teacher Quality: Implications for Principals

The academic and political arguments about teacher quality affect how secondary principals do their jobs. Educational research provides useful guidance about which teacher candidates may be most likely to increase student achievement, but it must be used critically and cautiously. When individuals with varying political agendas interpret the same findings in completely different ways to advance very different solutions, confusion results. Principals who understand the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 know how to create and maintain a positive work and learning environment for teachers and students.

Suicide Prevention in Schools: Court Cases and Implications for Principals

This article discusses the role of educators in suicide prevention. First, the incidence of adolescent suicide in the United States is discussed. Next, case laws related to suicide in educational settings are reviewed. Court rulings indicate that educators can be found negligent in cases involving suicide only if the court finds that they owed a duty to the victim. Finally, suggestions for school principals related to implementing suicide prevention programs in school settings are presented.

Developmentally Responsive Curriculum and Standards-Based Reform: Implications for Middle Level Principals

The need for middle level principals skilled in curricular and instruc tional reform and school restructuring has never been more important. The hope for highly implemented and fully functioning programs lies in the principal's ability to facilitate comprehensive restructuring, restructuring that has broad-based involvement in establishing new visions of teaching and learning and collaborative decision making.

Two New Mental Models for Schools and Their Implications For Principals' Roles, Responsibilities, and Preparation

Full-service schools are arguably the most popular examples of the transformation of the public school. Why have local leaders created these new schools? Are they all alike? If they differ, how and why? What are the benefits? What are the limitations? What are the roles and responsibilities of principals?

Legalisation of education: implications for principals’ professional knowledge

In recent years there has been a significant increase in the involvement of Australian schools with various aspects of the law and this has led to a number of claims that education has become legalised. A major consequence of this development is the need for principals to have a level of legal literacy sufficient to identify when a legal problem is developing in their school. Moreover, given the increased involvement of schools with the law, there would seem to be a need for principals to introduce preventive legal risk management strategies into school policies and practices. However, to implement such programmes, principals require a sound knowledge of those aspects of the law that they are required to manage. A recent study of some 300 principals from government schools in Queensland raises serious questions, however, regarding the level of principals’ professional knowledge of the law. This paper examines the concept of the legalisation of education and the extent to which school principals’ professional knowledge is adequate to meet the demands the law is making of them.

Factors in the Selection of Secondary School Teachers

The move toward more heavily field-based teacher education pro grams and professional development schools has implications for sec ondary principals seeking to hire teachers. Unfortunately the stan dard interview questions and processes for selecting teachers may not allow highly qualified and better prepared candidates to rise to the top of the list.

Toward an It-Driven Education System in Singapore—An Interpretation of Delphi Data

Data from a set of four Delphi studies suggest a definite trend toward sustained computer technology usage in schools as Singapore moves into the twenty-first century. An attempt at interpreting the data by the authors has enabled them to suggest a tentative framework for an IT-driven education system of the future, which this article describes. Implications for teachers and principals working within such a system are highlighted at the end of the article.

Alternative Schools: Research Implications For Principals

Alternative Schools: Research Implications For Principals

Recognizing How Adults Learn: Implications for Principals

Educators have historically supported the position that learning is a lifelong procedure, but few have acknowledged that learning is accomplished in different ways at various stages of life. Research indicates that a child seven years of age has a different learning pattern than a high school senior, or an adult. Until re cently, however, the same principles of learning, or pedagogy, were applied to all learning situations regardless of the learner's maturity.

Public Education as a Private Enterprise: Implications for Principals

In the 1990s, key decisions affecting education will be made in the political arena. Since those who have political skills can influence policy, principals must extend their leadership role to include active political involvement.

Cultural Diversity in the School: Implications for Principals

A profile of African American students places in context a subsequent discussion about the implications of the cultural diversity in schools. Implications for principals and suggestions for realing with the increasingly diverse population are offered.

Sexual Harassment in the School: Legal Implications for Principals

Sexual harrassment does occur in the schools, and when it does, the administrator may be held liable, warns this writer. She looks at the need to educate administrators, teachers, and students about the problem.

Implementing NCAA Rule 48: The Principal's Role

Implementation of NCAA Rule 48 has serious implications for principals and other school staff members, say these writers, who review those implications in this article.

Suicide in Middle Level Schools: Implications for Principals

Prevention of teenage suicide and dealing with that tragedy when it occurs is an increasing concern for middle level principals. This article focuses on specific implications of the youth suicide problem for middle level school principals with considerations for other principals as well.

Direct Instruction Research in Australia

A series of studies in metropolitan and rural areas involving Direct Instruction methods (Becker, Engelmann, and Thomas, 1971, 1975) have been conducted in Australian schools over the past eight years. These studies involved the use of DISTAR®, Corrective Reading, and Morphographic Spelling instructional programs with children in regular classes, special classes, withdrawal classes (e.g., pull out groups), and special schools at the elementary and junior high levels. Retarded, migrant, aboriginal, learning disabled, and socially disadvantaged children have participated in these investigations. The results demonstrate that the Direct Instruction programs have been effective across settings and populations when independently evaluated against norm-referenced and criterion-referenced dependent measures. In addition, the results exceeded the usual expectations held for these populations in relation to academic and intellectual achievement The positive learning outcomes achieved in all these studies, many of which were longitudinal, highlight the fact that there is now a body of data-based evaluations across settings and populations that show Direct Instruction programs to be effective. The implications for educational administrators, principals, teachers, teacher educators, and parents is clear. Effective instructional programs are now available which can reduce learning gaps, and in many instances completely close the gap between “normal” academic and intellectual development and learning deficits. The body of empirical data on Direct Instruction which now exists offers new options for the administrators, principals, teachers, and teacher educators who seek the best in teaching strategies for children.

Attitude Formation: Direct Experience Best

George Gallup for five years has surveyed the public about its opinions of the nation's public schools and now the results are compiled under one cover. The author of this article, whose organization published the book, com ments about the survey findings and their implications for school public relations and principals.

Program Budgeting: Implications for Secondary Principals

The focus here is on program budgeting, with the author paying special heed to how the prin . cipal as a member of the administrative team can contribute significantly to this component of PPBS.

Comments on Research

The role of the principal in conflict resolution differs with the nature of the conflict. Does it involve scarce resources, problems of control, or problems of coordination? Here Mr. Gold man summarizes implications for principals of Pondy's techniques for institutionalizing ways of dealing with recurrent conflicts.