Effective leadership can positively impact school performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-102
Author(s):  
Brandy C. Sirchia Huguet
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
Standardized Testing ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Performance ◽  
Effective Leadership ◽  
Review Literature ◽  
Effective School ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership Attributes ◽  
Accountability Measures

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review literature about effective leadership’s impact on school performance, as a basis for schools to focus on, to encourage similar results in like school settings. Educational professionals are commissioned with the extraordinary task of instructing students with the acquisition of knowledge that will serve them in all future endeavors. In recent years, education has come under attack and has been scrutinized with the implementation accountability measures, in the form of standardized testing, to produce increased success in populations that have previously been underachieving. Design/methodology/approach The approach to compiling this literature was reflective in nature with identification of effective leadership attributes on school performance. Findings Many schools have used various strategies that have had positive impacts on student achievement. To enhance student achievement, the schools’ leadership should be trustworthy administrators who encourage collaboration and teacher leadership, as well as employment of educators who are genuinely passionate about teaching and love children. Examination of characteristics leading to school success may serve as a foundation for other schools. Originality/value The value of this review of literature is the compilation of numerous studies highlighting effective school leadership and structures used to impact student achievement.

scholarly journals School performance in three South East Asian countries: lessons in leadership, decision-making and training

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
CM Hugues D. Gill ◽  
Elizaveta Berezina
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Teacher Training ◽  
Staff Development ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Performance ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
East Asian ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Student Assessment ◽  
And Training

Purpose The three neighbouring nations of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore participated in the 2009, 2012 and 2015 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) cycles. Despite many similarities between the three nations, Singapore has consistently been a top PISA performer, with Malaysia and Indonesia in the bottom third of the international league tables. This paper aims to sketch the comparative Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) context and uses PISA-derived metrics to contrast how differences in decision-making and school leadership, particularly in relation to staff development and training practices, may impact school performance across Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Design/methodology/approach Ten scales from the 2015 PISA School Questionnaire for Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia were analysed using ANOVA and t-tests as an aid to exploring the extent to which different approaches to teacher training, school leadership and governance may impact student performance. Findings Although Malaysian and Indonesian school principals report higher levels of autonomy than Singaporean peers, other evidence suggests that schools in Singapore may actually have greater decision latitude. Most significantly, Singaporean teachers take responsibility for key staff development decisions and skills transfer, whereas in Indonesia and Malaysia, teacher training is controlled by government administrators, a factor that may be a critical differentiator between the school systems. Practical implications In Singapore, teacher training is controlled by and for teachers through professional learning teams within schools and professional learning communities across schools; in Malaysia and Indonesia, similar decisions are taken by external administrators. Giving Malaysian and Indonesian teachers control over their own training could be a simple and powerful reform to target skills gaps and to generalise improvements in pedagogy quickly across schools and thus to lift school performance in these countries. Originality/value This paper highlights how differences at systemic and school levels, particularly in approaches to teacher training and leadership and may explain differentials in school performance in three ASEAN education systems.

“School banding”

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 686-701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daphnee Hui Lin Lee ◽  
Chi Shing Chiu
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Professional Development ◽  
Principal Leadership ◽  
School Context ◽  
Effective School ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership Attributes ◽  
School Based ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
School Based Management

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how principals’ leadership approaches to teacher professional development arise from school banding and may impact upon teacher professional capital and student achievement. Design/methodology/approach The case study is situated within the context of school-based management, comprising reflective accounts of nine school principals selected by stratified sampling from a sample of 56 Hong Kong schools to represent Bands One, Two, and Three schools. The reflective accounts were triangulated with observations of teachers and analysis of school websites. Findings First, under school-based management, principals remain obliged to recognize the power of state-defined examinations in determining the schools’ future priorities. Second, the exercise of school autonomy in response to this obligation varies, depending upon the competitive advantage schools have in the school banding system. Ideally, effective school-based management is dependent upon the principal’s capacity to facilitate good instructional practices. However, principals need to adjust their leadership practices to school contextual demands. Third, adaptations to contexts result in the varied developments of teacher capacities in schools, corresponding with the types of principal leadership adopted. Originality/value While statistical studies have identified attributes of exemplary principal leadership, few studies have examined the qualitative reasons for the exemplification of these attributes, and the influence of the school context in shaping these attributes. Departing from assumptions that leadership attributes are intrinsic to individuals, this paper considers how principals contextualize leadership in teacher professional development to the schools’ student academic achievement.

scholarly journals KEUNGGULAN SEKOLAH YANG DIKELOLA SECARA EFEKTIF

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Idatul Fitri
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Management System ◽  
Basic Skills ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Controlled Atmosphere ◽  
Effective School ◽  
High Expectations ◽  
Effective School Leadership

The effective school assessment model is one of the instruments that is expected to be used by education managers to determine the level of success of each school. The results of the assessment can then be taken into consideration for efforts to improve schools. Schools that have a good, transparent and accountable management system, and are able to empower every important component of the school, both internally and externally, in order to achieve the vision and mission goals of the school effectively and efficiently. The concept of an effective school is a school that is able to optimize all the inputs and processes for the achievement of educational output, namely school achievement, especially student achievement marked by having all the abilities in the form of competencies required in learning. The characteristics of an effective school are: 1) the leadership of the principal is strong. 2) high expectations of student achievement, 3) emphasizing basic skills, and 4) orderliness and controlled atmosphere. Effective school leadership by the principal because the principal is a figure (key person) in realizing the vision, mission, and goals of the school, which is an effective and efficient school

Analyzing abusive school leadership practices through the lens of social justice

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 546-555
Author(s):  
Shuti Steph Khumalo
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Performance ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Social Institutions ◽  
Teacher Behavior ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Conceptual Paper ◽  
School Leadership Practices

Purpose The present study contributes to the growing body of research on abusive supervision in school settings, particularly by principals. School leadership (principal) behavior has been a topical issue for decades in educational research. This paper attempts to add to scholarly knowledge in the area of school leadership and specifically the effect of abusive school leadership on organizational productivity and organization citizen behavior. Put succinctly, the purpose of this paper is to examine the implications of abusive school leadership on school performance and teacher behavior. Abusive leadership is attributable to behavior that is deviant, antisocial and counter-productive and that which is uncivil. Design/methodology/approach In examining abusive school leadership behavior and its effect on school performance and teacher behavior, this conceptual paper draws heavily from an in-depth analysis of extant scholarship and uses Rawls theory of social justice as a conceptual tool. Social justice theorists believe that social institutions are embedded with immense responsibility of dispensing justice, fairness and equity. Findings Building from these relevant literatures and grounding the argument from the Rawlsian perspective of social justice, it can be argued that abusive school leadership perpetuates unfair and unjust practices toward teachers, which negatively affects performance. Literature reviewed convincingly indicates that abusive tendencies are practiced in school by school leadership. Further, these abusive practices negatively impact on the following: teacher productivity, teacher turnover and, finally, staff members’ well-being and health. The findings confirm that these practices perpetuate social injustice. Schools are social institutions and have to ensure that justice is served on all members of the organization, and, for this reason, Rawls (1971) argues that justice is the first virtue of social institutions. Practical implications The findings of this study have a number of important implications for future practice. It is critical in this study to suggest that in trying to deal with scourge, tougher measures need to be taken by various education departments to ensure that the problem is dealt with effectively. One of the interventions that is suggested is tougher policy positions on matters related to abusive leadership. In education departments that have legislation regarding consequences regarding abusive school leadership practices, tougher action should be taken against leadership which practice abuse. Originality/value School leadership is a highly contested research space and this conceptual paper is of great value because it adds to the already existing insights and understanding in abusive leadership in educational settings. This paper is of great significance because it focuses on the effect of abusive school leadership on teachers’ behavior and school performance.

There is no “T” in school improvement: the missing team perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 922-929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pascale Benoliel ◽  
Izhak Berkovich
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Change ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Team Leadership ◽  
Coupling Mechanism ◽  
Effective School ◽  
Central Function ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Teams

Purpose The concept of teams tends to be marginalized in the scholarly discussion of school improvement. The purpose of this paper is to argue that teams play a crucial role in promoting an holistic integration of school operation necessary to support school change. Specifically, the paper outlines the dynamic of effective teams at times of school improvement. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents the concept of teams, elaborates on their central function as a “coupling mechanism,” and describes the reciprocal relations between teams and school change. Findings The paper emphasizes the reciprocal effects of teams and change, suggesting that teams can serve as key change agents in school restructuring processes, specifically when balancing between “coping” and “pushing” forces. Based on the model, effective team leadership and effective school leadership at times of school change are introduced. Practical implications are discussed for school leaders. Originality/value The integration of the concept of teams into the school improvement discourse might assist school leaders to develop processes and procedures that will enable both school teams and schools to react more effectively in times of change and restructuring.

School autonomy, leadership and student achievement: reflections from Finland

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (7) ◽  
pp. 1268-1278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni Saarivirta ◽  
Kristiina Kumpulainen
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
Leadership Development ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Autonomy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership And Student Achievement ◽  
Student Achievements ◽  
International Audience ◽  
Educational Staff ◽  
National Information

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide national information on school autonomy, leadership and student achievements in Finland. Design/methodology/approach The paper is a literature review on Finnish studies focusing on school autonomy, leadership and student achievement. The studies have been reviewed on the basis of a content analysis. Findings There exists a shortage of studies connecting school leadership to student achievements. School leadership in Finland has been investigated in previous research, especially from the perspective of shared or pedagogical leadership, but vast majority of the studies have focused on teachers and educational staff, not directly on students. An evident reason for this is inaccessible information on school-based data and the nature of education being a “public good”, which is supposed to meet the same standards across the country. Originality/value This review will provide the international audience a deeper understanding in the school autonomy and leadership development in Finland.

Examining US principal perception of multiple leadership styles used to practice shared instructional leadership

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 152-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Urick
Keyword(s):  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Leadership Styles ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Restructuring ◽  
Effective School ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Principal Perception ◽  
Shared Instructional Leadership ◽  
Building Community ◽  
Nationally Representative

Purpose – Decades of research on different leadership styles shows that effective school leadership is the degree of influence or synergy between teachers and principals around the core business of schools, instruction. While various styles, such as transformational, instructional, shared instructional, point to the similar measures of high organizational quality, the inconsistency in how these styles are defined and relate make it unclear how principals systematically improve schools. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This study used the 1999-2000 schools and staffing survey, n=8,524 of US principals, since it includes a nationally representative sample of administrators who responded to a comprehensive set of leadership measures around a time of school restructuring reforms. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to identify different styles, and to measure the extent of their relationship. These factors were used to test a theory about why principals practice each of these styles to a different degree based on levels of shared instructional leadership. Findings – Based on the theoretical framework, principals should have a similar high influence over resources, safety and facilities regardless of degree of shared instructional leadership since these tasks address foundational school needs. However, principal and teacher influence over these resources differed across levels of shared instructional leadership more than principal-directed tasks of facilitating a mission, supervising instruction and building community. Originality/value – Differences in the practice of styles by shared instructional leadership did not fit changing, higher ordered needs as theorized instead seemed to vary by a hierarchy of control, the way in which principals shared influence with teachers.

scholarly journals PENGELOLAAN MANAJEMEN SEKOLAH YANG EFEKTIF DAN UNGGUL

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wahyu Bagja Sulfemi ◽  
Arsyad Arsyad
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
Effective Schools ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Management System ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Controlled Atmosphere ◽  
Effective School ◽  
High Expectations ◽  
Effective School Leadership

The effective school assessment model is one of the instruments that is expected to be used by education managers to determine the level of success of each school. The results of the assessment can then be taken into consideration for efforts to improve schools. Schools that have a good, transparent and accountable management system, and are able to empower every important component of the school, both internally and externally, in order to achieve the vision and mission-goals of the school effectively and efficiently. The concept of an effective school is a school that is able to optimize all the inputs and processes for the achievement of educational output, namely school achievement, especially student achievement marked by having all the abilities in the form of competencies required in learning. The characteristics of effective schools are: 1) the leadership of the principal is strong. 2) high expectations of student achievement, 3) emphasizing basic skills, and 4) orderliness and controlled atmosphere. Effective school leadership by the principal because the principal is a figure (key person) in realizing the vision, mission and goals of the school which is an effective and efficient school

scholarly journals A review of state policies on principal professional development

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Keith Davis ◽  
Deborah Rogers ◽  
Martin Harrigan
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Student Achievement ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Performance ◽  
State Level ◽  
State Policies ◽  
Department Of Education ◽  
Principal Professional Development ◽  
Multiple Indicators

Although principal professional development (PPD) has been proven to improve school performance at various levels, professional development (PD) for teachers receives more time, resources, and attention at both district and state level. When PPD is provided it often does not meet research-based recommendations. The literature was reviewed and five criteria areas with multiple indicators for effective PPD outlined; these were subsequently revised and validated by experts in the field. The PPD certification policies of each U.S. state that made this information publicly accessible was examined through Department of Education websites, with clarification by phone when necessary. This study revealed that only one state met all indicators, and that most states did not have comprehensive, research-based PPD policies. Given the significant effect school leadership has on student achievement and school improvement, further research on PPD implementation should be prioritized.

School leadership and its impact on student achievement

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 941-958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vartika Dutta ◽  
Sangeeta Sahney
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Student Achievement ◽  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
School Climate ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Student Outcomes ◽  
Leadership Behaviors ◽  
Teacher Job Satisfaction ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of teacher job satisfaction and school climate in mediating the relative effects of principals’ instructional and transformational leadership practices on student outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – Guided by strong evidence from theories on school leadership and work psychology, the authors hypothesized relations among dimensions of principals’ instructional and transformational leadership behaviors, teachers’ perception of the school climate (social and affective, and physical environment), their job satisfaction and student achievement. The benefits of the principal’s leadership behaviors for student achievement are primarily hypothesized as indirect, with either a weak or statistically non-significant direct positive effect on student outcomes. Path modeling was applied to validate a mediated-effects model using cross-sectional survey data (306 principals, 1,539 teachers) obtained from 306 secondary schools in the two Indian metropolitan cities of New Delhi and Kolkata. Findings – Principal leadership behaviors were not associated directly with either teacher job satisfaction or school-aggregated student achievement. Rather, the transformational leader behavior showed an indirect effect, through the social and affective component of the school climate, on teacher job satisfaction. The physical climate, however, appeared to play a dominating role in mediating the instructional leadership effects on teacher job satisfaction. Comparing the relative indirect effect sizes of the instructional and transformational leadership behaviors on student achievement, principals appear to favor the former approach. Originality/value – This study provides further empirical evidence that instructional leadership better captures the impact of school leadership on student outcomes, when compared to its transformational counterpart. By identifying the relative effects of different leadership practices, school leaders and educational practitioners can focus more on altering the distribution and frequency of those practices that work best for ameliorating student achievement levels.

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