This study investigated the management of learner discipline by female primary school principals in the Bojanala Region of the North-West Province. The main focus was on strategies used by female primary school principals to manage learner discipline and the challenges they encounter in managing learner discipline in their schools. A qualitative research approach was used. Participants included four female principals, four deputy principals as well as four senior teachers in primary schools. Data was collected by means of an open-ended qualitative questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis began as soon as the first set of data was collected. Recorded data was transcribed verbatim. The main findings were that the gender of the principal does not matter in the management of learner discipline and that it all depends on the character and the leadership style of the principal. Female managers are capable of changing behaviours and attitudes of their subordinates and handle discipline by applying effective discipline strategies in the running and managing of primary schools. Role modeling and use of guidelines for discipline in the school are some of the strategies used by female principals. Disciplinary problems stem from both the home and the school and this presents a challenge for the effective management of learner discipline. It is recommended that a uniform well-communicated system of discipline and effective leadership styles be adopted in order to manage learner discipline appropriately. / Thesis (M.Ed ( Educational Management) North-West University, Mafikeng campus, 2013

published_or_final_version / Real Estate and Construction / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

No description available.

This study explored secondary school teachers’ experiences of their principals’ use of power and control at schools in the Matlosana area in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda district, North West province. The aims of the study were to (i) explore and describe secondary school teachers' experiences of their principals’ power and control at school, (ii) explore how their principals’ power and control affects secondary school teachers at school, and (iii) provide suggestions for secondary school teachers to help them to deal with their principals’ power and control at school. The theoretical framework was based on a number of theories of power and control. The study was situated in an interpretive paradigm. The researcher chose a qualitative research design and methods that were appropriate for a phenomenological approach. The participating teachers were purposefully selected for the data-generation process that involved photo-elicitation-narratives (written) and photo-elicitation group interviews. Ethical requirements were met by ensuring confidentiality and the anonymity of these participants. The following criteria were applied in order to ensure the trustworthiness of the study: truth value (credibility), applicability (transferability), consistency (dependability) and neutrality (confirmability). The data analysis was done by means of interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA). The main themes that emerged from the data analysis process were: * Theme 1: principals’ expression of power and control evoked a range of feelings in secondary school teachers, and * Theme 2: teachers were oblivious to their own role in managing their experiences of their principals’ power and control at school. The findings of the study were used to provide suggestions for secondary school teachers to help them to deal with their principals’ power and control at school and to sustain their overall well-being. / MEd (Educational Psychology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

This study investigates the perceptions surrounding the role Virginia elementary school principals play in supporting the induction of new teachers. Attention is given to the type of the principal’s support, the frequency of support, and the perceived importance assigned that support. Because the Virginia Department of Education has encouraged the use of one of three specific models of induction (the ETS Pathwise model, Fairfax Virginia’s Great Beginnings model, or the New Teacher Center “Santa Cruz” model) or a locally, research-based model, additional attention is placed on the impact training and experience in one of these models has and the degree to which varying levels of that training influences those perceptions. In this non-experimental, comparative study, a census of new teachers and principals throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia was conducted, using an adaptation of an instrument developed by Gurule-Gonzales (1995). Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted to confirm findings from the survey. Results indicate there are statistically significant differences in some principal and new teacher perceptions of the Virginia elementary principals’ role in supporting programs of induction. These are found more often in the perceptions regarding frequency than regarding importance. Statistically significant differences were found among principals’ perceptions of certain categories of support when considering the amount of training and the type of induction program utilized. While statistically significant differences in teachers’ perceptions could not be determined because of the small n, there appear to be practical differences based upon the type of induction program and the amount of new teacher program training. There are a number of implications resulting from this study. New teachers need to be integrated into the life of the school, and programs of induction should be certain to include the careful pairing of mentors with new teachers. Frequent observation and feedback by the principal are necessary to support new teachers. Principals must maintain a frequent presence throughout the work with the new teachers and must be more transparent regarding support efforts. The type of program and the amount of training provided principals and new teachers alike are also critical aspects of induction.

Bush and Glover (2003) argue that, in order for principals and other leaders to focus on the management of teaching and learning, they need to be instructional leaders. Instructional leadership focuses on teaching and learning in a school, with a major emphasis on the man-agement of teaching and learning as a key activity of the principal. This research is, however, underpinned by Lambert‟s argument (2000), cited in MacNiel and McClanahan (2005:1), that one administrator cannot serve as the instructional leader for an entire school and that the par-ticipation of all other educators is necessary. This sharing and participation is necessitated by the fact that the task of management of teaching and learning is too huge a task for one per-son to accomplish. Furthermore, Elmore, cited in Harris (2004), points out that teaching and learning is a „knowledge-intensive enterprise‟ involving many complex tasks that cannot be performed without distributing the responsibility for leadership amongst others in the school. The inception of the new democratic dispensation in South Africa in 1994 has been associ-ated with a move to a decentralized system of schooling – a site-based education system. Thurlow (2003:27) has argued that inherent in this new model is a move towards institutional autonomy, to a more school - based management system (SBM). SBM involves the devolu-tion of power and responsibilities to principals, the empowerment of educators and increased participation of parents in the decision making process. This new system is vastly different from the „control‟ model of school leadership during the Apartheid era (Chisholm 1999), cited in Moloi (2007:466). Within the SBM system it becomes necessary for the school prin-cipal to share and distribute his/her leadership role in order to cope. Rutherford (2006), cited in Khumalo and Grant (2008:3) points out that the decentralizing of management in schools lends itself to the distribution of leadership throughout a school. Distributive leadership in-volves the view that leadership can be distributed or shared among those not only in formal leadership positions but those members of staff not in leadership positions. The movement towards a decentralized or school based management system falls within the transformation agenda of education in the new South Africa, which is committed to building democracy in schools by emphasizing the sharing or distribution of school management. This study entailed a small scale purposeful case study of two secondary schools in Gauteng, investigating the role of the principal in managing teaching and learning. It examined how vi and to whom principals distributed the management of teaching and learning in schools. Various qualitative research methods and approaches were used to collect relevant informa-tion on the role of the principal in the management of teaching and learning, and on how the management of teaching and learning was distributed in the two schools. Questionnaires and structured interviews were used to collect relevant data from Principals, deputies and HODs. The research findings revealed that the principal‟s role in managing teaching and learning is to create the necessary environment that will enable effective teaching and learning to take place. Principals therefore ensure that educators have all the necessary resources to teach, that educators are in class, that discipline is maintained and that educators are prepared to teach. It can therefore be argued, as Kruger did (2003:209), that the principal‟s role in managing teaching and learning is an indirect and supportive role. The study did, however, show that the task of managing teaching and learning was predomi-nantly that of the HODs. They were involved in monitoring of educators‟ work through learner‟s books, conducting class visits on a regular basis to observe educators teaching, en-suring that educators planned for lessons and had the necessary resources to teach. The study revealed that the leadership distribution in both schools was based either on the hierarchy of the school or distributed among staff as a whole. An important criterion for choosing who would be involved in sharing tasks was the skills and knowledge of the staff. Both schools tended to distribute tasks among those staff that had the necessary skills and knowledge to complete tasks successfully.

Thesis advisor: Fr. Joseph O'Keefe / One of six studies examining one district’s implementation of the Massachusetts Model System of Educator Evaluation (MMSEE), this study examines how central office administrators (COAs) implement one of the central components of MMSEE, feedback. Feedback is intended to provide educators information and insight from supervisors with the intent to reflect on, improve and develop educators’ professional practice. Although there has been much research on principal evaluation, there has been little research on how feedback supports principals through the evaluation process making this study relevant and timely. By analyzing data collected through semi-structured interviews, findings revealed that principals and COAs had differing views of the type, frequency and relevance of feedback. To create a coherent and supportive structure for principal feedback recommendations include ensuring structures for effective communication and creation of collaborative professional development – COAs and principals – that include principal voice with explicit discussion and instruction on feedback. / Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2016. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

Thesis advisor: Joseph O'Keefe / Thesis advisor: James Marini / Using social capital theory as a conceptual framework, this qualitative study of one Massachusetts district analyzed how principals’ relational trust and interconnectedness with central office administrators (COAs) correlated with their perceptions of district efforts to support their growth and development. Data included interviews with principals and COAs and document analyses. Findings revealed a decided split among principals, with some reporting high trust levels and close connections with COAs and others reporting distrust and isolation. Of the district’s five major initiatives designed to support principals, two were perceived positively by most principals, two received mixed reactions with connected principals more favorable than isolated principals, and one received widespread negative perceptions. District initiatives widely perceived to be effective mirrored principal goals, provided opportunities for COA direct assistance, and were structured to facilitate the development of professional assistance relationships. Conversely, the initiatives with mixed or negative perceptions lacked such relationship-building opportunities. / Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2016. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education.

by Yu Chi-wan, Yusuf. / Thesis (M.A.Ed.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1989. / Bibliography: leaves 142-144.

Retention of quality high school assistant principals is a problem in a suburban Georgia school district, where 35% of administrators left their schools in a 3-year period. Researchers indicated that high turnover rates in school leadership influence student achievement and school climate. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of high school assistant principals concerning factors that influence them to stay in their current roles. Herzberg's 2-factor framework was used to explore the perceptions of 10 high school assistant principals regarding their decisions to remain in their administrative positions. The research questions examined how high school assistant principals in a suburban Georgian school district perceived motivating and hygiene factors that influenced them to remain at the school district or leave their job roles. Open coding was used to identify patterns and themes. Findings from the data collected with semi structured interviews revealed (a) 3 themes related to motivating factors that included relationships with students, teachers and leaders, and (b) 2 themes related to hygiene factors regarding external issues outside assistant principals' control but may influence job retention. The resulting project consisted of a white paper that recommended the school district institute the initiation of an assistant principal leadership academy as well as an assistant principal open forum to minimize the negative influence of the 2 identified hygiene factors on assistant principals' job retention. The project contributes to positive social change by providing insights to potentially stabilize the attrition of high school assistant principals and improve student and academic achievement.