Leadership In Primary Schools Research Articles

Enactment of Transformational School Leadership—Insights from Primary School and System Leaders

Transformational leadership has been proposed as an approach that can inspire effective change. How this is manifest in schools is understudied in Irish primary schools, which have undergone significant change in recent years. The focus of this qualitative research study was primary school and system leaders’ knowledge of transformational school leadership, perceived benefits, limitations, and feasibility, and how transformational school leadership actually manifests in practice. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling. In-depth interviews were carried out with principals, deputy and assistant principals, and former school inspectors, with the interviews aligned to the following research questions: (1) How can we characterize school and system leaders’ knowledge, understanding and perceptions regarding the feasibility of transformational school leadership? (2) How do transformational school-leadership behaviours manifest in primary-school settings? Data analysis yielded the following themes and sub-themes: (1) Understanding of transformational school leadership: (i) transformation, change and growth, (ii) relationships, (iii) vision, mission, and goals, (iv) leading; (2) Perceptions of feasibility of transformational school leadership: (i) realism, (ii) people and relationships, (iii) practical challenges; (3) Benefits of transformational school leadership: (i) aspiration, (ii) culture, (iii) motivation and modelling, (iv) school community, (v) delivering quality learning; (4) Limitations of transformational school leadership: (i) personality, (ii) pressure, (iii) slow process, (iv) unexpected variables; (5) Manifestations of transformational school-leadership: (i) idealised influence, (ii) inspirational motivation, (iii) individualised consideration, (iv) intellectual stimulation, (v) school development, (vi) improving curricular offerings. Participants’ positive disposition to transformational school leadership was encouraging and suggests the need for further research, specifically to examine potential synergies between transformational and distributed school leadership.

Eksplorasi Professional Learning Community (PLC) pada Dimensi Supportive and Leadership di Sekolah Dasar Program Khusus

Supportive leadership in the teacher community in schools has an important meaning for the formation of professional learning communities. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of teachers involved in the application of PLCs which were limited to the dimensions of Supportive and shared leadership in Special Program-based primary schools. The research approach used case studies. The source of data in this study was 15 teachers in 2 special program elementary schools located in Boyolali district, Central Java, Indonesia. Data collection using semi-structured interviews. The data in this study was analyzed using thematic analysis techniques. The results of this study found that there are 11 themes that describe the dimensions of supportive and leadership, namely (1) types of leadership support (2) school leadership strategies (3) forms of teacher leadership (4) means of leadership guidance (5) forms of implementing decisions (6) leadership attitudes (7) evaluation of decision implementation (8) teacher collaboration (9) collaboration media (10) forms of teacher responsibility to the community and (11) leadership roles.

“It felt a bit wartime”: Teacher perspectives of social and emotional well‐being support in primary schools during Covid‐19

AbstractAlthough primary schools in the UK were required to provide access to remote learning for pupils during Covid‐19 mandated school closures, there was less clarity for teachers and school leaders about expectations and priorities relating to the provision of social and emotional well‐being support for children at home during this period. Using an existing whole‐school approaches (WSA) framework we aimed to understand the extent to which well‐being support was a priority for primary schools during closures, what structures were in place to support well‐being, what factors facilitated or inhibited provision of remote pastoral care, and how schools supported pupil reintegration following school reopening. Twenty semi‐structured qualitative interviews were conducted with teachers and school leaders in primary schools in three counties of southern England during February and March 2020. A hybrid inductive‐deductive thematic analysis approach was used with a critical realist approach. Findings indicate that school closures were associated with radically disrupted home–school partnerships. Lack of national and local policy guidance limited the extent to which schools adapted remote well‐being provision and maintained contact with families. This disruption contributed to a decline in children's emotional well‐being, particularly for those children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Covid recovery recommendations center on a renewed emphasis on universal, ethos‐focused interventions and a strength‐based focus on curriculum change.

Convergent and Discriminant Validity of the Bafadal`s Leadership Morality Questionnaire in Indonesian Context

Objective: This study aims to address the lack of quantitative, culturally contextualized measures for evaluating moral leadership in Indonesian primary schools. The objectives are threefold: 1) to assess the convergent validity of Bafadal's Leadership Morality Questionnaire (BLMQ) within the Indonesian educational setting; 2) to evaluate the discriminant validity of the BLMQ; and 3) to derive actionable insights for administrators and policymakers based on the findings. Method: A quantitative survey-based approach was employed, gathering data from 362 prospective school principals in East Java, Indonesia. A series of scales including the BLMQ, Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ), Moral Competency Inventory (MCI), Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Locus of Control (LoC) were administered. Results: The study revealed significant positive correlations between the BLMQ and other moral metrics such as the MFQ and MCI, suggesting convergent validity. On the other hand, low and non-significant correlations were found between the BLMQ and scales like the SES and LoC, which suggests discriminant validity. Notably, the correlation between the BLMQ and MCI was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The BLMQ demonstrates both convergent and discriminant validity, as it aligns closely with other moral metrics like the MFQ but not with unrelated scales like the SES and LoC. However, the non-significant correlation between the BLMQ and MCI suggests that these two instruments may be capturing different facets of moral competency.
 
 Received: 21 September 2023 / Accepted: 4 December 2023 / Published: 5 January 2024

THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCY MODEL FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL LEADERS IN THE ERA OF SOCIETY 5.0: A PILOT STUDY

The self-emotional competency model can be used as a measurement tool to increase the emotional qualities of school leadership in facing the change in the education era of Society 5.0. However, validation of the self-emotional competency model using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is still scarce. Therefore, this pilot study is conducted to identify the applicability of the emotional competency model of middle leaders in primary schools through exploratory factor analysis (EFA). This study employed a quantitative approach using a survey method. A questionnaire was used as a research instrument. The instrument contained 18 items. A total of 179 respondents participated in this pilot study. The validity and reliability of the instrument were obtained through descriptive analysis of Cronbach's Alpha reliability and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using SPSS version 27 software. The overall analysis shows that 13 items meet the EFA fit requirements with Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) values of more than 0.6. Bartlett's test values were significant, with item communalities values exceeding 0.3 and Eigen values exceeding 1.0 at a percentages of variance exceeding 60 percent. The Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was above 0.70 for all items. A total of five items were removed. The findings of the study show that the instrument of self-emotional competency instrument has very high validity and reliability and has the potential to be used as a guide in the development of self-emotional competence of middle leaders in Malaysia. A positive impact is essential in generating emotionally intelligent leaders who are competitive and capable to lead the school community towards the era of Society 5.0 especially in primary school in Malaysia.

Designing and Compiling the Supervisory Pattern of Instructional and Educational Leaders in Primary Schools

Designing and Compiling the Supervisory Pattern of Instructional and Educational Leaders in Primary Schools

The Impact of Positive Leadership on the Professional Growth of Primary School Teachers

This paper presents the outcomes of a research study that examined the views of heads of schools and teachers on what positive leadership meant to them and the impact positive leadership can have on teachers’ professional growth. The research followed a mixed-methods convergence model approach. Six heads of schools from church and independent schools participated in an online interview, and 106 teachers from all church and independent schools participated in an online questionnaire. The results showed that both heads of schools and teachers agree that positive leadership improves communication, trust and support between them. These factors allow teachers to be more innovative in their practices, which also contributes to their professional development and growth. The findings also highlighted the importance of key practices in positive leadership and revealed valuable information regarding the application of positive leadership in Maltese primary schools. Furthermore, the research also recognised that the impact of positive leadership on teachers’ professional growth also influences the school culture. The research concluded that positive leadership is an effective approach to promoting professional growth in teachers and suggests recommendations for educational leaders to adopt positive leadership practices to support teacher development and enhance school culture.

Discourses Shaping Primary School Leaders’ Approaches to Transition to School in New Zealand

Discourses Shaping Primary School Leaders’ Approaches to Transition to School in New Zealand

Narratives of School Leadership to Support the Well-Being of Teachers in Karachi Pakistan

The teaching profession is one of the professions that leads to challenges, and these challenges impact teachers’ well-being. School leaders play a pivotal role in supporting and brightening teachers’ well-being. This research project which is based on qualitative phenomenological research, seeks to explore the narratives of primary school leaders to foster their teachers' well-being through structured interviews. School leaders belonging to various educational settings were engaged. Structured interviews were used to collect the primary data collection, for a comprehensive exploration of eight primary school leaders of District Korangi Karachi’s perceptions, experiences, challenges, and strategies to support in improve their teachers’ well-being. The main findings divulge extraordinary roles and multifaceted responsibilities of primary school leaders in nurturing the well-being of their educators. School leaders expressed and shared their experiences in providing opportunities for professional development, creating healthy positive organizational cultures, managing workloads and time management, and addressing psychological concerns. School leaders' narratives also enlighten on the ramifications of leadership in administrative challenges and demands. These narratives provide a nuanced understanding of the strategies and initiatives that support teacher well-being. Such insights are instrumental in informing policy.

Instructional Leadership Practices and Challenges: The Case of Primary School Principals in Liban Jawi Woreda of West Shoa Zone

This study was conducted to assess the practices and challenges of instructional leadership in primary schools of Liban Jawi Woreda of the West Shoa Zone. In order to address this objective of the study, a descriptive survey design was employed. About 114 teachers, seven principals, six vice principals, and one vice head of Woreda Education Office (WEO) participated in the study. Questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis were data gathering tools. The results showed that most of the problems instructional leaders have a communication gap with the stakeholders on issues related to the vision, mission, and goals of the schools and had problems in relation to lack of educational management profession. It was concluded that instructional leaders have a gap in taking a measure to overcome problems. Therefore, the study mainly recommended that Ministry of Education (MOE) and other stakeholders should give training to instructional leaders to overcome their leadership knowledge and skills, and also principals should create communication channels to overcome communication problems.

Culturally responsive leadership in a pandemic context: a case study of three primary schools in a low socio-economic area of New Zealand

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the results of a case study investigating the COVID-19 pandemic response of three school leaders in regional primary schools in New Zealand. The leadership practices and decisions made by school leaders in crisis situations, particularly in schools with indigenous and minority students, is an ongoing area of interest for researchers. This study seeks to contribute to the literature in this area through the discussion of case study results that reveal similarities and differences between the leadership practices of school leaders which were influenced by context, technology access and social cohesion. Principals described the tensions they faced, their culturally appropriate responses, and the caring and adaptive leadership approaches required to support the wellbeing of students in a time of crisis.

SCHOOL PRINCIPALS' RESPONSES AND CHALLENGES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PERMENDIKBUDRISTEK NUMBER 40 OF 2021

This study aims to explore principals' responses and understandings related to the implementation of Permendikbudristek Number 40 of 2021 on the assignment of teachers as principals, as well as identify the challenges faced in implementing the policy. The research used qualitative methods involving observation, interviews, and documentation. The results show that the implementation of the policy has been carried out in stages and coordinated. However, in responding to the policy, there are several challenges faced. One of them is the lack of qualified teachers to become principals, which has an impact on the selection and assignment process. Thus, the implementation of Permendikbudristek Number 40 of 2021 has the potential to improve the quality of education in primary schools in Sukabumi district. To overcome the challenges, it is recommended that the government evaluate the burdensome articles. Good coordination between all relevant parties is needed to reach a mutual agreement. This research contributes to the understanding of principals' responses to the implementation of the policy on teacher assignment as principals and identifies the challenges faced. The results of this study can be the basis for developing more effective policies and strategies in improving the quality of principal leadership and education in primary schools.

Reimagining the language of disability and inclusion in primary teacher education through a translanguaging framework

ABSTRACT Whilst words such as ‘disability’ and ‘inclusion’ have some shared meanings across cultural and linguistic contexts, they also have meanings that are fluid and changing according to individual, institutional, and environmental dimensions. Deconstructing these differential understandings in special education needs and disabilities (SEND) provision is essential to challenge deeply-rooted societal deficit-based assumptions and stigmatisation that can have detrimental impacts on children and young people’s life experiences. In this UK-Vietnam collaborative project we aimed to uncover the ‘languaging of disability and inclusion’, using Vietnamese primary teacher education as an illustrative case study with experiential insights gathered from primary school teachers, leaders and teacher educators. This paper presents findings from our six in-depth qualitative interviews. Our analytical framework, informed by key concepts in translanguaging and affective pedagogies, enables us to uncover nuances in meanings that went beyond solely Vietnamese-English linguistic translations, to take account of semiotic understandings, body language, and movement. Key findings revealed a prevailing medical-based terminology associated with SEND, practice-based contradictions attached to bureaucratic recognitions of disability, as well as repertoires associated with ‘circles of friendship’. Our paper opens up an international dialogue that both challenges potentially homogenising and harmful labelling processes and celebrates the sharing of asset-based languaging practices.

Transformational Leadership and Educational Innovation

This study explores the relationship between transformational leadership and educational innovation in primary and secondary schools. The study used a qualitative phenomenological research design and conducted in-depth interviews with six school heads in Toledo City Division. The results of the study show that transformational leadership plays a critical role in promoting and supporting educational innovation in schools. Transformational leaders empower teachers and other stakeholders to participate in the implementation of educational innovation initiatives and create a positive and supportive learning environment that fosters growth and development. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for educational leaders, policy makers, and practitioners on the importance of transformational leadership in promoting and supporting educational innovation in schools.

A Review of Resilience Leadership in Challenging Circumstances: A Case Study of Malaysia Primary School Head Teachers

Educational leaders were faced with the combined difficulty of handling noticeable improvements outside their organisations and all across the ministry of learning plan and execution in addition to reacting to unprecedented requires the social. Education in Malaysia saw an unusual rate and degree of change over some few fortnight in March 2020, trying to equate earlier worldwide trends. The outbreak made it the more crucial to act quickly in the field of education. The syllabus has already been altered, facial expression instruction is in jeopardy, and the public primary school test has already been delayed. Effective school administration is the responsibility of school administrators, especially in basic schools. There were many decisions that needed to be made, conveyed, carried out, and evaluated, all of which called for resilience. Throughout this study, we provide a number of important resilience elements and lessons discovered from the head teachers' perspectives as educational leaders in Malaysian primary schools, both in the now and in the years to come. We depend on the knowledge of six principals of Malaysian public primary schools. Resilient leaders must meet stringent standards in primary schools. The standards are broken down into leadership categories where school leaders' social skills and compassion more towards the school community, parents, and stakeholders should be handled. People as educational leaders gained a fresh appreciation of the resiliency and ingenuity of teachers and elementary school students as a consequence of the ramifications of these responses. In order to prepare for an exceptional event that may emerge in the modern day, we provide illustrations of these classes and topics, as well as suggestions for how to operate the school mostly in "new baseline" of dealing with COVID-19 and help overcome.

Principal instructional leadership and its influence on teachers’ professional development at Vietnamese primary schools

ABSTRACT Principal instructional leadership plays a key role in promoting teachers’ professional learning and development. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study investigating the principal instructional leadership in Vietnamese primary schools from the perspective of teachers and school principals. The study also examined the relationship between principal instructional leadership and teachers’ professional learning and development. The study was conducted at 12 schools across four provinces of Vietnam. Data included in-depth interviews with 12 principals and 24 teachers. Analysis of the data revealed that teacher professional development was highly recognised and respected by both the principals and the teachers. The teachers were generally satisfied with the principal instructional leadership in their professional learning and development. Moreover, the findings showed a positive effect of principal instructional leadership on teachers’ professional learning and development practices. These findings contribute to the body of knowledge on the status quo of principal instructional leadership and its effects on teachers’ professional learning and development. The implications of these findings provide valuable insights for policy-makers to develop appropriate policies and strategies to enhance principal instructional leadership capacity and the effectiveness of teachers’ professional learning.

Distributed Leadership in Primary Schools, a time for change?

Distributed Leadership in Primary Schools, a time for change?

Building back better: lessons learned from a year with COVID 19 caused changes to school and teaching

ABSTRACTAs part of the large-scale ‘COVID-19, Building Back Better’-project, primary school (grade 0-6) stakeholders (students (N = 2.427), parents (N = 153), school staff (N = 176) and school leaders (N = 14)) answered the open-ended survey-question: ‘What have you learned during the COVID-19 pandemic that could be used to make school and teaching better in the future?’. The responses are inductively organised. The analysis points at several learning potentials from COVID-19 and suggests different politically and ethically feasible focus points for quality teaching and education after COVID-19 (e.g. more efficient teaching/worktime, a focus on students’ and school staff’s well-being in school, outdoor teaching/outdoor time, movement in teaching, online teaching, new and creative teaching methods, clear and simple structure, shorter school days, no parents at school, improved school-home collaboration and information/communication from school). We discuss the feasibility of implementing the suggestions and argue for cooperative procedures paying attention to contradicting perceptions when reimagining education in the future.

The relationship between teachers' day‐to‐day classroom management practices and anxiety in primary school children: A systematic review

AbstractAnxiety problems are common in children and can have profound adverse effects on personal, social and academic life. Almost 40% of anxiety disorders emerge before age 14, making primary schools invaluable settings for prevention and early support of child anxiety. Research indicates that school‐based interventions can be costly and difficult to schedule, school staff lack confidence to deliver them effectively, and outcomes are mixed. One solution may be for school staff to adapt and enhance their day‐to‐day practices to better support children with anxiety. This systematic review aims to summarise what is known about the relationship between teachers' classroom management and anxiety in primary school‐aged children. We searched ASSIA, British Education Index, Education Abstracts, Embase, ERIC, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Scopus in December 2020 and June 2022, using a predefined strategy. We included studies of any design, published in peer‐reviewed journals at any time, in any language, reporting associations between day‐to‐day classroom management strategies/methods and anxiety/internalising outcomes in children aged 4–11 years, taught in mainstream primary schools. Studies were assessed for quality/risk of bias. We identified eight studies (six quantitative, two qualitative) including 4505 children. We found some evidence that authoritarian, controlling and punitive classrooms may be linked to higher levels of anxiety, although, overall, existing evidence indicates either a weak or no association between classroom management and anxiety. This review highlights a paucity of research in this area. Furthermore, variability in design, measures and quality makes drawing firm conclusions difficult. Recommendations for future research are discussed.Context and ImplicationsRationale for this studyThis review explores what is currently known about the relationship between teachers' day‐to‐day classroom management practices and anxiety in primary school‐aged children.Why the findings matterAnxiety problems are common and often start in the primary years, however there is scant evidence to inform primary school educators on how day‐to‐day classroom practices can be used to better support children with or at risk of anxiety problems.Implications for researchers and practitionersThis review is relevant for primary classroom practitioners, school leaders, education professionals, academics, researchers and policymakers keen to better understand how to support those with or at risk of anxiety. Although overall findings indicate very small associations between teaching styles/practices and anxiety in children, there is very little research to draw on. Research is urgently needed that uses robust designs to focus on whether specific, feasible, day‐to‐day strategies can be used by school staff to effectively manage and minimise children's anxiety problems and, if so, how school staff can best be supported and equipped to deliver them.

Instructional Leadership Role of Primary School Principals in Sri Lanka

This study explores the instructional leadership (IL) role of primary school principals in Sri Lanka. The purpose of this study was to examine the practices of primary school principal’s role as instructional leader. The main research questions of the study were to find out what roles principal’s play as instructional leader in primary schools; Identify how primary school principal fulfill his/her instructional leadership role? And which activities do principals as instructional leaders engage in promoting the education of students and upgrading the pedagogy of teachers in primary schools. The multiple case study method was used in the current study. Accordingly, Semi-structured interview, focus group discussion, observation and document analyses were used as data collecting tools. As the study sample four principals, and four teachers were selected using purposive sampling for interviews. The study found that all principals in the sample experienced in implementing instructional leadership roles. Also, the study shows that the traditional role of principals as school leaders has been changed to instructional leaders. All the primary school principals mentioned that they implement innovative methodologies to overcome challenges that they face when implementing instructional leadership roles in their schools. Also the study found that a significsnt attention was paid on instructional supervision, giving feedback on instruction, provision of instructional materials and incentives for teaching and learning and protection of instructional time by primary schools principals as instructional leaders. The study further revealed that the opportunities available for primary school principals to acquire leadership training at an appropriate stage in their career are limited. It was further revelaed that Irrespective of education Zone the management of curriculum and instructional programs is a shared responsibility of principals and teachers in schools. However, principals should engage in all the roles related to instructional leadership in order to promote effective teaching and learning and thereby transform the school as an organisation into an environment where teachers and students reach their full potential. Therefore it is recommended that the primary school principals need to be trained in school management and leadership in order to be further competent as instructional leaders in primary schools in Sri Lanka.