scholarly journals Raising Māori student achievement in the New Zealand primary sector: Principals perceptions and strategies for effective leadership

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Vanessa Te Huia
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Educational Outcomes ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Effective Leadership ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Primary Sector ◽  
Primary School Principals

<p>The role of the New Zealand primary school principal is fundamental in shaping the learning experiences of primary school students and the environments in which they take place. The decisions these educational leaders make can influence students’ opportunities for achievement and success directly, and indirectly. The Ministry of Education reports nearly one in five Māori children will not have achieved the basic literacy and numeracy standards by the time they leave primary school, and more Māori students are likely to disengage from education at year seven (MOE, 2013a). Improving the educational outcomes of Māori students is an ongoing government priority and numerous resources, initiatives and strategies are available to assist educators in raising Māori student achievement. The Ministry documents also demonstrate that school leaders greatly influence the effectiveness of school-wide practices and strategies aimed at improving the educational outcomes of their Māori students.  This qualitative study explores the perceptions that shape the decisions and practices of primary school principals when aiming to raise Māori student achievement in their school environment. It also seeks to understand how these perceptions manifest themselves within the school organisation and the connection they have to the success of Māori students. This study explores the perspectives and leadership practices of five state primary school principals in Wellington, New Zealand. An online survey via Qualtrics and semi-structured interviews were completed and analysed alongside school charters and recent Education of Review Office evaluations from 2013 and 2014.  Through framing the research within a grounded theory methodology, three significant overarching effective leadership themes emerged from the data: KO AU [ME] (Leadership of the individual), KO MĀTOU [US] (Leadership within the school), and KO TĀTOU [ALL OF US] (Leadership within the wider community). These themes provide indicators for effective leadership practices that could assist principals to raise the achievement of their Māori learners and align directly to the research findings.  Some of the major findings include leading schools to raise Māori student achievement requires principals to have a personal and professional commitment to Te Ao Māori as this enhances the likelihood that the learning environment will reflect these values. Effective principals’ align learning experiences within Te Ao Māori to a shared strategic plan for raising Māori student achievement with a clear focus on both students and staff as the success of each is inter-related. In addition, there is favour for a shift in current assessment measures in the primary sector to include a broader sense of what constitutes educational achievement, as this will enable principals and schools to focus on developing well-rounded students in an inclusive education system.  This study encourages all educators to reflect on these findings as they have the potential to inform school curriculum and policy, and enhance principals’ educational leadership practice to influence, transform, and raise Māori student achievement in the New Zealand primary sector.</p>

scholarly journals Raising Māori student achievement in the New Zealand primary sector: Principals perceptions and strategies for effective leadership

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Vanessa Te Huia
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Educational Outcomes ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Effective Leadership ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Primary Sector ◽  
Primary School Principals

<p>The role of the New Zealand primary school principal is fundamental in shaping the learning experiences of primary school students and the environments in which they take place. The decisions these educational leaders make can influence students’ opportunities for achievement and success directly, and indirectly. The Ministry of Education reports nearly one in five Māori children will not have achieved the basic literacy and numeracy standards by the time they leave primary school, and more Māori students are likely to disengage from education at year seven (MOE, 2013a). Improving the educational outcomes of Māori students is an ongoing government priority and numerous resources, initiatives and strategies are available to assist educators in raising Māori student achievement. The Ministry documents also demonstrate that school leaders greatly influence the effectiveness of school-wide practices and strategies aimed at improving the educational outcomes of their Māori students.  This qualitative study explores the perceptions that shape the decisions and practices of primary school principals when aiming to raise Māori student achievement in their school environment. It also seeks to understand how these perceptions manifest themselves within the school organisation and the connection they have to the success of Māori students. This study explores the perspectives and leadership practices of five state primary school principals in Wellington, New Zealand. An online survey via Qualtrics and semi-structured interviews were completed and analysed alongside school charters and recent Education of Review Office evaluations from 2013 and 2014.  Through framing the research within a grounded theory methodology, three significant overarching effective leadership themes emerged from the data: KO AU [ME] (Leadership of the individual), KO MĀTOU [US] (Leadership within the school), and KO TĀTOU [ALL OF US] (Leadership within the wider community). These themes provide indicators for effective leadership practices that could assist principals to raise the achievement of their Māori learners and align directly to the research findings.  Some of the major findings include leading schools to raise Māori student achievement requires principals to have a personal and professional commitment to Te Ao Māori as this enhances the likelihood that the learning environment will reflect these values. Effective principals’ align learning experiences within Te Ao Māori to a shared strategic plan for raising Māori student achievement with a clear focus on both students and staff as the success of each is inter-related. In addition, there is favour for a shift in current assessment measures in the primary sector to include a broader sense of what constitutes educational achievement, as this will enable principals and schools to focus on developing well-rounded students in an inclusive education system.  This study encourages all educators to reflect on these findings as they have the potential to inform school curriculum and policy, and enhance principals’ educational leadership practice to influence, transform, and raise Māori student achievement in the New Zealand primary sector.</p>

scholarly journals Unlocking the Potential of School Libraries: What Actions are New Zealand Primary School Principals Taking to Integrate the School Library in Information Literacy Initiatives? Final Report

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Elisabeth Mei-Xing Ngan
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Library ◽  
External Support ◽  
Final Report ◽  
Primary School Principals ◽  
Literacy Initiatives

<p>Information literacy is implicit in the national education curriculum’s key competencies for students, yet primary schools lack an explicit path to develop students’ information skills. The literature shows that school library programs can foster information literacy and improve student achievement, with the principal’s support identified as a significant factor. This study investigates the actions of New Zealand primary school principals to integrate the school library in information literacy initiatives. An online survey collected quantitative and qualitative data from a random sample of primary school principals, stratified by decile rating to reflect the school population in microcosm. Sixty-nine responses were collected and the low response rate meant it was not possible to generalise the results of the survey. Key findings of the research were that a majority of principals supported information literacy initiatives through advocacy; professional development; use of external support; student assessment; separate library budgets; and reasonable library opening hours. A minority maintained a separate information literacy policy; adequately resourced the library with trained staff; or promoted collaborative planning between teaching and library staff through flexible scheduling of class library time. Actions were not affected by decile rating but differences by school size and locale were identified, particularly for small and rural schools. Principals’ perceptions of information literacy did not appear to affect their actions. Suggestions for further research are made to expand upon the findings.</p>

Assessing and strengthening instructional leadership among primary school principals in Vietnam

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 396-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hảo Thi Nguyễn ◽  
Philip Hallinger ◽  
Chia Wen Chen
Keyword(s):  
Educational Leadership ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Leadership And Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Primary School Principals ◽  
Principal Instructional Leadership

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to add to an emerging literature on educational leadership and management in Vietnam by addressing several goals. First, the study sought to translate, adapt, and validate an existing measurement instrument, the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) Teacher Form, for use in Vietnam. Next, it aimed to describe patterns of instructional leadership evidenced among a sample of urban and rural primary school principals. Then, the researchers examined if these patterns of principal instructional leadership could be linked to one or more “antecedent variables”: school size, school location (urban/rural), principal’s gender and prior teaching experience. Finally, the paper sought insights from principals and teachers on how instructional leadership could be strengthened in the Vietnamese education context. Design/methodology/approach Both quantitative survey and qualitative methods were used in this study. The sample consisted of 569 teachers and 117 principals working in 117 primary schools located in Ho Chi Minh province of Vietnam. Data collection employed a translated and adapted Vietnamese language form of the PIMRS Teacher Form. An open-ended question posed to both teachers and principals was included in the survey instrument to gather recommendations for strengthening instructional leadership in Vietnam. The research used Rasch analysis, Cronbach’s test of internal consistency, confirmatory factor analysis, t-tests, and analysis of variance in data analysis. Findings The research achieved a preliminary validation of a Vietnamese language Teacher Form of the PIMRS. The analysis of PIMRS data gathered from teachers found that the primary school principals were perceived to be exercising instructional leadership at a surprisingly high level. Consistent with international research findings, selected evidence indicated stronger instructional leadership from the female principals, though the pattern was not strong. None of the other antecedents evidenced a significant relationship with patterns of principal instructional leadership. A number of overlapping recommendations were made by teachers and principals for strengthening instructional leadership in Vietnam. Research limitations/implications Although a Teacher Form of the PIMRS Vietnam was successfully validated, follow-up studies should be conducted with both the Teacher Form and Principal Form of this instrument. More broadly, the high scores on the PIMRS accorded to the principals in this study were deemed “surprising” in light of the lack of prior policy focus and training on this role of the principal in Vietnam. Thus, the authors recommend that this research be extended to a larger cross-level study of schools from different parts of Vietnam in order to provide additional confirmation of these preliminary findings. Practical implications Feedback from principals and teachers indicated a need for system leaders to articulate instructional leadership more explicitly as part of the principal’s role set in Vietnam. Only then will it become part of the formal expectations that shape principals’ practice and the preparation and professional development programs in which they participate. The principals also suggested that instructional leadership could be strengthened by enabling model principals to share instructional leadership practices with colleagues. Finally, teachers and principals highlighted the need to broaden, legitimate, and strengthen sources of instructional leadership within the school beyond the principal. These suggestions are not only consistent with policy actions taken in other societies, but are also grounded in the context of education in Vietnam. Originality/value The first internationally published study of educational leadership and management in Vietnam only appeared in 2012. In the succeeding years, several qualitative studies have emerged describing principal leadership practices in a handful of schools. The current study represents the first published quantitative study of school leadership from Vietnam. Although the results are preliminary in nature, the study provides both baseline data on principal instructional leadership and a validated instrument that can be used in future research.

scholarly journals A Descriptive Analysis of the Leadership Practices of Primary School Principals in Promoting Sustainability Through Motivating Teachers

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-54
Author(s):  
Shuti Steph Khumalo
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Teacher Motivation ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Primary School Principals

Abstract Enhancing sustainability in primary schools is apposite because primary schools are the building blocks in any education system. In its examination, the study provides insights on the role of primary school principals in promoting sustainable education through inspiring teachers. Teacher motivation is a very critical focus research area, particularly in the present depressing times and particularly in promoting sustainability. Without ignoring and dismissing other factors that have a bearing on the poor performance of the South African primary schools, teacher discouragement is one of the factors. The purpose of this investigation was to explore the extent in which the leadership practices of primary school principals promote teacher motivation and ultimately achieving sustainable teacher workforce. This study was based on random sampled primary school teachers in South Africa, Waterberg District. Hundred and fifty survey questionnaires were distributed to participating primary schools and only 96 responses were received. The respondents were from a mix of both male and female teachers who responded to the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was applied to analyse data. Even though the results indicated that there were issues with teacher motivation, to a significant extent, the majority of respondents demonstrated that most primary principals do take efforts in trying to ensure that teachers are motivated. The results of the study deepen the already existing scope of knowledge regarding teacher motivation, particularly in primary schools.

scholarly journals Unlocking the Potential of School Libraries: What Actions are New Zealand Primary School Principals Taking to Integrate the School Library in Information Literacy Initiatives? Final Report

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Elisabeth Mei-Xing Ngan
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Primary School ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Library ◽  
External Support ◽  
Final Report ◽  
Primary School Principals ◽  
Literacy Initiatives

<p>Information literacy is implicit in the national education curriculum’s key competencies for students, yet primary schools lack an explicit path to develop students’ information skills. The literature shows that school library programs can foster information literacy and improve student achievement, with the principal’s support identified as a significant factor. This study investigates the actions of New Zealand primary school principals to integrate the school library in information literacy initiatives. An online survey collected quantitative and qualitative data from a random sample of primary school principals, stratified by decile rating to reflect the school population in microcosm. Sixty-nine responses were collected and the low response rate meant it was not possible to generalise the results of the survey. Key findings of the research were that a majority of principals supported information literacy initiatives through advocacy; professional development; use of external support; student assessment; separate library budgets; and reasonable library opening hours. A minority maintained a separate information literacy policy; adequately resourced the library with trained staff; or promoted collaborative planning between teaching and library staff through flexible scheduling of class library time. Actions were not affected by decile rating but differences by school size and locale were identified, particularly for small and rural schools. Principals’ perceptions of information literacy did not appear to affect their actions. Suggestions for further research are made to expand upon the findings.</p>

scholarly journals Context, Curriculum, and Community Matter:

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa F. Smith ◽  
Darrell Latham ◽  
K. Anne Wright
Keyword(s):  
Rural Schools ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Effective Leadership ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Use ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
Primary School Principals ◽  
Small Rural Schools ◽  
Rural Principals

  This research examined the leadership practices of rural primary school principals in the Otago province of New Zealand. Principals of large (>150 students) and small (<60 students) rural schools served as participants in an investigation to learn how their practice creates and maintains effective rural schools. The goals were to investigate the interrelationships of principal, curriculum, and community and effective leadership in their schools. A mixed methods approach included a survey completed by rural principals (n = 63), followed by observations and interviews. Key findings were that leadership practices varied across contexts of large rural and small rural schools; having a local curriculum was critical; and, communication and involvement with parents and the community were essential. The survey had good psychometric qualities; validation through future research use is needed. Results are discussed in terms of factors to consider for effective leadership in rural schools.

The future face of school guidance and counselling: what will it look like in 25 years?

1997 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 23-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul C. Burnett
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Primary School ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Qualitative Survey ◽  
Primary School Principals ◽  
The Future ◽  
School Guidance

A total of 130 guidance counsellors and primary school principals completed a quantitative and qualitative survey which focused on perceptions of what school guidance and counselling would be like in 25 years. There were a few differences noted between the guidance counsellors' and the principals' responses but in general similar beliefs were held by all who participated. All respondents were bullish about the employment outlook for the future, with primary principals the most optimistic. There were a number of similarities between the quantitative and qualitative findings and these are outlined. These included noting the increased importance of technology, counselling, consultation, and professional development.

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