D.Ed. / The general aim of this research project is to: Investigate the competencies necessary for the development and training of effective principals. In order to attain the general aim of this project, the following specific aims of this research is to: determine the competencies required to manage educators effectively as an aspect of the development and training of principals; ascertain the perception of principals and educators as to the importance of the effective management of educators in the development and training of effective principals; and devise a strategy to train principals in respect of the effective management of educators as an aspect of the development of effective principals. In view of the preceding problem and the aim statement, the method envisaged to research the problem of principal competence in the effective training and development of principals in the management of educators can now be discussed. RESEARCH STRATEGY AND RESEARCH METHODS This investigation is directed at describing principal competence with specific reference to the development and training of effective principals

Submitted to the FACULTY OF EDUCATION in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION in the Department of CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL STUDIES at the UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND, 2004. / The present study examines principals, educators and parents' partnership in creating a culture of teaching and learning in schools. The fIrst aim was to ascertain the extent to which parents, educators and principals play a partnership role in creating a culture of teaching and learning. The second aim was to ascertain the extent to which parents, educators and principals perceive problems that contribute to the decline of a culture of teaching and learning. The third aim was to determine whether parents' educators' and principals' biographical factors such as gender, age, academic qualifIcation nature of stakeholder as well as the highest grade of the school have any influence on their partnership role which they play in creating a culture of teaching and learning. The last aim was to determine whether parents, educators and principals' biographical factors such as gender, age, academic qualifIcation, nature ofstakeholder as well as the highest grade ofthe school have any influence on their perception of problems that contribute to the decline of a culture of teaching and .learning. To this end, a questionnaire was administered to a randomly selected sample of two hundred and four parents, educators and principals, inclusively. The findings reveal that parents, educators and principals, as a group, differ in the ext,,:nt to which they play a partnership role in creating the culture of teaching and learning. A very high percentage (97.5%) ofparents, educators and principals, as a group, report an above average level of partnership role. The findings also show that parents, educators and principals differ in the extent to which they perceive problems that contribute to the decline of a culture ofteaching and learning. A very high percentage (90.2%) of parents, educators and principals, as a group, report an above average level of perception of problems that contribute to the decline of culture of teaching and learning. The findings further indicate that, with the exception of the nature ofstakeholder, parents', educators' and principals' personal variables such as gender, age, academic qualification as well as schools' highest grade have no influence on their partnership role which they play in creating a culture of teaching and learning. The last findings show that parents', educators' and principals' biographical characteristics have no influence on their perception of problems that contribute to the decline of culture of teaching and learning. On the basis of the findings of this study, recommendations to the Department of Education and Culture as well as for directing future research were made.

Principal support enhances the work-place environment and encourages teachers to do their best. Little is known, however, about the support behaviors of principals that teachers perceive to be important. Previous studies have focused on the 'broad concepts' of principal support without addressing specific behaviors. Therefore, a more comprehensive investigation is needed into what general and special education teachers consider important principal support behaviors. The purpose of this study was to identify the support dimensions that both general and special education teachers perceive that they receive from their principalS and determine which dimensions they consider most important. A secondary purpose was to investigate the effects of perceived principal support on teacher stress and personal health, job satisfaction, school commitment and intent to stay in teaching. / Ed. D.

Thesis (Phd. (Psychology of education )) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2013 / This purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the deputy principals in managing conflict among secondary school teachers in the Lejweleputswa Education District, in the Free State Province. Two questionnaires, one for the deputy principals and one for teachers, were developed. The questionnaires were administered on six deputy principals and twelve teachers from six secondary schools in Monyakeng, Nyakallong and Kutloanong townships. The qualitative approach was mainly used for the collection and analysis of data. The study revealed that conflict was common in the surveyed township secondary schools. The study found thatthe causes of conflict for the township secondary school teachers included poor communication, shortage of resources and facilities, work overload, gossiping, high rates of absenteeism and poor performance of teachers. The study further revealed that the role of the deputy principals was crucial in the handling of conflict in schools. The conflict resolution strategies commonly applied by the deputy principals included negotiations, accommodating, collaborating and compromise. However, avoiding, arbitration and competing strategies were avoided by the deputy principals. The role of the deputy principals in resolving conflict was found to focus more on building relationships and collegiality among teachers in the township secondary schools. It was recommended that schools are provided with adequate resources and facilities, as well as adequate teachers; that counseling sessions to be introduced for teachers, and that training in stress and conflict management is also introduced for township secondary school teachers. A conflict resolution model appropriate for the township secondary schools was also developed.

The problem of this study was to determine what relationships exist between teachers' perceptions of principals' executive professional leadership and teachers' perceptions of principals' behavior in five aspects of administrative behavior. These administrative areas include Principals' support of teachers' authority (EPA), principals' egalitarian relationship with teachers (EPR), principals' involving teachers in decision-making processes for the school (EPI), principals' support of teachers in managerial matters (EPM), and principals' social support. Subjects for the study were grouped according to gender, length of service and level of education for descriptive purposes and to determine variations in their perceptions of the principals' administrative behaviors. Significant relationships were found to exist between teachers' perceptions of principals' EPL and EPI leadership and teachers' perceptions of principals willingness to involve them in decision—making processes for the schools (EPI). A significant negative relationship was also found to exist between the teachers' perceptions of principals' leadership (EPL) and teachers' perceptions of the managerial support (EPM) provided by principals. A slight negative relationship was found between teachers' perceptions of principals' leadership (EPL) and teachers' perceptions of social support (EPS) received from principals. There was a slight but insignificant positive relationship between teachers' perceptions of principals' executive professional leadership (EPL) and teachers' perceptions of egalitarian relationships (EPR) which existed between the teachers and principals. A positive but not significant relationship was also noted between teachers' perceptions of principals' leadership (EPL) and teachers* perceptions of the manner in which principals granted them professional authority (EPA). When teachers were grouped by demographic variables, two important trends in^perceptions were noted regarding principals' executive professional leadership. (a) Female teachers had a tendency to perceive principals as having lower professional leadership than did male teachers. (b) Teachers with higher educational levels perceived principals as having less professional leadership ability than teachers with relatively low educational levels. Teachers' level of experience did not appear to have any systematic significant impact on their perceptions of the principals' executive professional leadership. It was recommended that those who train principals should be aware of the need to emphasize professional administrative areas which are critical to teachers' perceptions of leadership in the schools because teachers' perceptions affect their teaching performance.

School leaders in the elementary and secondary levels are continually in search of ways to raise student achievement. It is acknowledged that a quality teacher is the most effective means to ensure student success. However, school leaders cannot stop at hiring quality teachers. They must take steps to provide support for those teachers so they will remain engaged in their jobs. This research study sought to examine how various supportive actions by school principals can affect teacher engagement. It addressed the research questions of “Can administrative support factors predict teacher engagement?” and “Can teacher engagement predict student achievement?” This was accomplished through a literature review of the topics associated with teacher engagement as well as a quantitative analysis of responses solicited from high school teachers in a large urban school district in the Southeastern United States. The results indicate that administrative support factors can predict teacher engagement as the model predicted that a significant amount (54%) of the variance in teacher engagement was due to the predictor variables. It was found that the social events factor significantly predicted teacher engagement (b=.419) with the next highest weight being the assessment factor (b=.246). However, the study did not show a predictive relationship between teacher engagement and student achievement. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Teacher migration occurs frequently in public schools across the United States. As teachers transition and move to new schools, this can have implications for student achievement (Adnot, Dee, Katz, & Wyckoff, 2017; Ronfeldt, Loeb, & Wyckoff, 2013), school/family relationships (Simon & Johnson, 2015), and school administrators (Ingersoll, 2003b). The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study is to better understand the experiences that led teachers to voluntarily migrate to different schools within their district. Data for this study was collected through semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Public district documents were evaluated to better understand specific policies and/or restrictions on migrating teachers. All data was compiled and categorized into four major themes: 1) school characteristics, 2) school-based relationships, 3) professional atmosphere, and 4) leader support. While this study shows that there was no essence to the phenomena of teacher migration, it does make light of the fact that extremely negative relationships with either teaching colleagues or the school principal were important considerations in teacher’s voluntary, intra-district migration decision.

This study examined the nature of teacher conflict and conflict management strategies employed by teachers in sixteen selected primary schools in the Pitseng region, Lesotho. The study was informed by the micro-political and organizational theories of Ball (1987), the two-dimensional model of conflict management proposed by Rahim (1983), and the model of oppression conceptualised by Young (2000). The study utilized a mixed methods approach. The sample included 16 schools and 163 teachers. The data collection techniques included a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings revealed that teachers experienced institutional, cultural and personal conflicts within the micro-politics of the school settings. The complexity of teacher conflict becomes evident in the intersection of factors such as educational policy, religion, cultural norms and beliefs, ideologies and social groupings within schools. It is argued that embedded in teacher conflict are forms of oppression and domination and related power struggles. Four cross cutting issues exacerbate teacher conflict in the study schools, and these are: poor communication or lack of dialogue, inadequate conflict management skills, ineffective school leadership, and teacher stress within schools. The study revealed that teachers used strategies that were located mainly in three conflict management domains: integrating, obliging and compromising. Power dynamics within schools, religious and cultural ideologies, norms and beliefs, and lack of support were viewed as barriers to effective conflict management. Lack of support from the school management was cited as a major problem in addressing teacher conflict in these schools. The study has important implications for policy implementation at school and national levels, teacher development and school leadership training. The focus of conflict management training should be on getting teachers to analyse conflict and situations that trigger conflict through a social justice lens. A key aim would be to build socially just and inclusive school cultures located in a rights discourse, and grounded in the principles of participation, accountability, social inclusion, non-discrimination and linkages to human rights standards. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

This study investigates the relationship between the school climate, as perceived by the professional staff, and specific leadership behavior, as reported by the school principals in a selected school district in the state of Washington, The purpose of the study is to determine the extent to which the leader behavior of the principal correlates with- the total school climate as well as with the individual factors comprising the school climate. There are no statistically significant relationships among the variables studied. The hypothesis that the higher the leadership skills of the principal the more beneficial would be the climate of the school is not supported. The results suggest that the school climate is independent of the leadership behavior of the principal. Since no difference was found when the factors of climate were considered cumulatively, the individual factors were analyzed for significance. The seven factors of climate, identified by James Tunney and James Jenkins from the CFK Ltd. School Climate Profile, were independent of the leadership ability of the principal.

D.Ed. / In order for a principal of a school to be competitive, it is imperative to take decisions creatively. This process of making a decision should therefore be considered seriously, as it could to a great extent influence the effective running of a school as organisation. A creative idea or action might generate change in a school. To be able to bring about a change which will benefit the school and community, the principal needs to have a thorough knowledge of the following: Creativity within management. Establishing a creative climate; and The qualities of a creative person. Apart from the fact that the school need to function effectively, the primary duty of the school to provide sound educational teaching, adds in interrelateds with the general function of the school. The successful performance of the above-mentioned duty requires a sensible implementation of decision making which could influence the effective management of the school. The principal therefore needs to ensure that this duty in respect of decision making is adequately implemented. Because of the comprehensive duty of the principal, supportive aids and techniques should be considered before a decision can be made. Members of staff should need be consulted in order to contribute creative ideas and to facilitate the taking of decisions. The creation of such an atmosphere at the school will give both the principal and members of staff the opportunity to consider the suggested alternatives, in order to comply with the challenges faced by a modern community. The aim of this thesis is therefore to develop an approach which can be used by principals to add creativity to their decision making and ultimately lead to the effective solution of a particular problem.