Organizational Loneliness of School Administrators

This study explored the loneliness experienced by school administrators, the causes and results of this loneliness, and the ways the administrators cope with loneliness through their experiences. The study employed the phenomenology design, one of the qualitative research designs. The study group consisted of 14 elementary and middle school administrators working in Zonguldak Karadeniz Ereğli. Criteria sampling and snowball sampling techniques were used while determining the study group. The study data were collected with a semi-structured interview form. The school administrators were asked about their loneliness, the reasons and results of their loneliness, and their ways to cope with it. School administrators stated that they mostly experienced loneliness in situations of power hierarchy and during the execution of work. They also stated that their loneliness was caused by organizational communication problems and the personal demands of their colleagues. In addition, school administrators expressed that organizational loneliness caused disruption of work and ineffectiveness at work the most. Finally, they also expressed that they try to overcome loneliness through organizational communication and individual socialization. Comprehensive and social measures should be taken in consideration as well as individual and organizational measures in order to eliminate school administrators’ loneliness.

Counselor Perceptions: Let Us Do Our Job!

Elementary and Middle school administrators continually struggle with developing instructional programs that will address the academic and human developmental levels of the students in their care. Addressing the human development and the academic issues related to the elementary and middle school student is only a small percentage of the attention required for that student. Many students at the elementary and middle school levels encounter issues related to social and emotional development that are often overwhelming and many times detrimental to the academic development of those students. School administrators address those issues by utilizing the existing infrastructure of the schools. One of the key components of the school infrastructure is the school counselor. In some situations, school counselors are being required to perform duties outside the realm of their perceived responsibilities. This study was conducted to ascertain school counselor perceptions with respect to job performance, expectations, satisfaction and responsibility. The results of the study indicated that the counselors involved in the study believed that they are being required to perform duties outside the realm of their responsibilities and that the performance of these duties has an impact on their effectiveness as school counselors.

Opening Access to STEM Experiences One Day at a Time: Successful Implementation of a School-wide iSTEM Day

Creating partnerships that leverage skill sets from universities and corporate entities to improve STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education is often discussed in theory. However, examples of successful models that might inform practice are scarce. This article describes how one STEM business, university educators, and middle school administrators and teachers successfully developed and implemented an integrated STEM education (iSTEM) experience for all eighth-grade students at a local middle school. We created a professional learning community to establish the goals and vision for the iSTEM day, which included the use of instructionally sound pedagogical methods, intellectually stimulating learning experiences, and a deeply developed understanding of the school context. Our team successfully completed a one-day learning experience that focused on the fundamental concept of osmosis and problem-solving skills. However, the broader impacts of this day included a new collaborative network between the university, the company, and the middle school that remains intact and productive.