I Do as I Think: Exploring the Alignment of Principal Cognitions and Behaviors and Its Effects on Teacher Outcomes

Purpose: Decades of research in educational leadership has extolled the importance of principals in both the effective functioning of teachers and the overall performance of schools. The mechanisms explaining what makes principals effective in the eyes of teachers, however, are not well known. This study builds on prior research to posit that principal effectiveness is the result of their own cognitions, which are translated into specific leadership behaviors directed at teachers, which, in turn, serve to foster trust. Research Methods/Approach: Data came from principals and teachers in 33 French and English Canadian elementary schools. All principals took part in a face-to-face interview which elicited their leadership cognitions, while teachers responded to measures of principal leadership behaviors, trust, and effectiveness. Findings: This research provides empirical support for a sequential mediation model whereby principal leadership cognitions were related to teacher evaluations of principal effectiveness through teacher ratings of principal leadership behaviors and teacher trust in their principal. Specifically, we found support for three specific leadership behaviors (supporting, developing, and active management-by-exception). Implications for Research and Practice: The results reveal the importance of a number of distinctive leadership behaviors in fostering a work context where teachers are able to perform effectively. Principals who “walk the talk” tended to be perceived as more trustworthy and effective. Additionally, the results suggest that principals’ professional development could focus on cognitions related to leadership behaviors and effectiveness.

Hubungan Motivasi Berprestasi, Prilaku Kepemimpinan Kepala Sekolah dan Etos Kerja dengan Kinerja Guru

This study aimed to determine: (1) the relationship between achievement motivation with teacher performance, (2) the relationship between principal leadership behaviors with teacher performance, (3) the relationship between the performance of the teachers work ethic, (4) simultaneous relationship between achievement motivation, school leadership and work ethic with the performance of. This study was designed with a correlational design ex-post facto by using a quantitative approach.The study population was all teachers in SMA N 1 Kubutambahan. The sample retrieval technique using census study with the number 47. Data were collected by questionnaires. Data were analyzed by multiple regression and partial analysis. The results showed that: (1) there is a significant contribution to the achievement motivation with teacher, (2) there is a significant contribution between principal leadership behaviors with teacher performance, (3) there is a significant contribution to the work ethos of teacher performance, (4) there is a significant contribution between achievement motivation, school leadership behavior, and work ethos simultaneously with the performance of teachers

Faculty trust in the principal: an essential ingredient in high-performing schools

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships among faculty trust in the principal, principal leadership behaviors, school climate, and student achievement. Design/methodology/approach – Data from 64 elementary, middle, and high schools in two school districts formed the basis of the study (n=3,215 teachers), allowing for correlational and regression analyses of the variables. Findings – The authors found that faculty trust in the principal was related to perceptions of both collegial and instructional leadership, as well as to factors of school climate such as teacher professionalism, academic press, and community engagement. Student achievement was also correlated with trust, principal leadership behaviors, and school climate. The authors found that both of the composite variables, principal behaviors and school climate, made significant independent contributions to explaining variance in student achievement and that together they explained 75 percent of the variance in achievement. Research limitations/implications – Limitations of the study include the use of a single form to collect participants’ responses that may have elevated the degree of correlations, as well as the exclusion of rural schools from the sample. Practical implications – The findings of this study suggest that principals must foster and maintain trust in order to lead schools effectively. Importantly, trust has both interpersonal and task-oriented dimensions. Thus, principals must be prepared to engage collegially with teachers in ways that are consistently honest, open, and benevolent, while also dependably demonstrating sound knowledge and competent decision making associated with administering academic programs. Originality/value – Situated in a conceptual framework of systems theory, this study explored the interplay of faculty trust in the principal, principal behavior, school climate, and student achievement. The findings suggest that it is necessary for principals to evidence both interpersonal and task-oriented behaviors in order to be trusted by teachers. Furthermore, the strength of the relationships suggests that schools will not be successful in fostering student learning without trustworthy school leaders who are skillful in cultivating academic press, teacher professionalism, and community engagement in their schools.

Gender and Perceptions: Females as Secondary Principals

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of teachers and supervisors toward the principal leadership behaviors of female secondary principals in Ohio. Principal self-perceptions were also included to complete the study. The literature shows that women continue to be underrepresented in a field in which the majority of professionals are women; therefore the reasons for underrepresentation warrant investigation. Although women are beginning to move into such ranks more frequently, line administrative positions continue to be dominated by males, and few women hold the positions of high school principal and school district superintendent, positions which continue to be particularly resistant to the advancement of females. Random selected school districts in Ohio were involved in this investigation, the participants of which completed a copy of Philip Hallinger's Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS), a scale which afforded the opportunity to compare the perceptions of superordinates, principals, and subordinates. The results indicated significant differences between principal gender and the responses of others on most of the subscales of the PIMRS. The mean subscale results were much higher for female principals than for male principals as well. The conclusions of this study indicate that there is significant difference in perceptions of principal leadership behavior regarding gender. Principals also judge their own leadership behavior significantly different based on gender.

The impact of principal leadership behaviors on instructional practice and student engagement

For decades educators have espoused the importance of the principal as the instructional leader of the school. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between principal leadership behaviors and teacher instructional practice descriptors. This relationship was observed among schools participating in a systemic school improvement process. The study included eight elementary, eight middle, and eight high schools in the USA. Teachers in each school were surveyed on the principal’s instructional leadership abilities. Student and teacher engagement data were collected through school‐wide observations using the instructional practices inventory. Instructional leadership dimensions were found to correlate highly with instructional practice descriptors. This study confirms the significance of instructional leadership and provides specific insight into the nature of that leadership.

Gender and Perceptions: Females as Secondary Principals

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of teachers and supervisors toward the principal leadership behaviors of female secondary principals in Ohio. Principal self-perceptions were also included to complete the study. The literature shows that women continue to be underrepresented in a field in which the majority of professionals are women; therefore the reasons for underrepresentation warrant investigation. Although women are beginning to move into such ranks more frequently, line administrative positions continue to be dominated by males, and few women hold the positions of high school principal and school district superintendent, positions which continue to be particularly resistant to the advancement of females. Random selected school districts in Ohio were involved in this investigation, the participants of which completed a copy of Philip Hallinger's Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS), a scale which afforded the opportunity to compare the perceptions of superordinates, principals, and subordinates. The results indicated significant differences between principal gender and the responses of others on most of the subscales of the PIMRS. The mean subscale results were much higher for female principals than for male principals as well. The conclusions of this study indicate that there is significant difference in perceptions of principal leadership behavior regarding gender. Principals also judge their own leadership behavior significantly different based on gender.

Exploring Connections between Teacher Efficacy and Principals’ Leadership Behaviors

This paper reports the results of an exploratory investigation of the connections between principals’ leadership behaviors and teachers’ sense of efficacy in selected middle schools currently involved in building-level change efforts. Our findings indicate that there is a significant difference between general teaching efficacy (GTE) and personal teaching efficacy (PTE), the two dimensions that define the construct of teacher efficacy. When asked to interpret principals’ leadership behaviors, there was a significant difference between teachers’ and principals’ perceptions of principals’ leadership behaviors. Finally, the principal leadership behaviors most strongly related to GTE were models behavior, provides contingent rewards and inspires group purpose. Modeling behaviors and providing contingent rewards were also significantly related to PTE. Implications for further research, for principal preparation, and for administrative practice are discussed.