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.

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>

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 Including migrant students in the primary school: perspectives of Italian principals

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Biasutti ◽  
Eleonora Concina
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
School Principal ◽  
Migrant Children ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Migrant Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Primary School Principals

PurposeThe aim of this article is to examine the perspectives, experiences, roles and values of Italian primary school principals regarding the inclusion of migrant children.Design/methodology/approachThe method of the study is qualitative and consists of a semi-structured interview, which was carried out with 17 primary school principals and examined using content analysis.FindingsThe following six categories emerged: (1) school organisation and services, (2) projects and activities for inclusion, (3) teaching methods and strategies, (4) assessment, (5) networking and (6) challenges. The findings highlighted the complexity of the principals' role; they have to take on several tasks to foster a positive school experience for migrant students. A student-centred approach was considered relevant for intercultural education to promote inclusion and well-being. Curriculum activities were designed according to student needs.Research limitations/implicationsThe number of participants was limited, and they all worked in a small area of northeast Italy. Future research should examine the perspective of other school stakeholders such as teacher coordinators, the Commission for School Inclusion, teachers and tutors.Practical implicationsThe findings could be used as a framework for defining a model of the organisation of the school useful for discussing the relevance of the activities and for comparing schools in different contexts. The development of reflective practice to analyse the activities inside the schools could be considered.Social implicationsStakeholders could consider the findings before making decisions and developing policy actions countrywide.Originality/valueThe key factors included the awareness of the school principal role in managing the school and of the importance of connecting their school with the local community and external agencies.

How Middle School Principals of Small Rural Schools Address Cyberbullying

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-41
Author(s):  
Christina M. Force
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Rural Schools ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Middle School Principals ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Rural Setting ◽  
School Activities ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Small Rural Schools

Cyberbullying affects almost half of the teenagers in America (National Crime Prevention Council [NCPC], 2010). The effects of cyberbullying can be detrimental to teens and may include withdrawal from school activities, illness, depression, eating disorders, or suicidal ideations (Dehue, Bolman, & Vollink, 2008; Mason, 2008). In order to effectively deal with this issue, it is imperative that front-line middle school principals are prepared to address this growing problem. The purpose of this study was to examine how middle school principals of small rural schools address cyberbullying and their beliefs on its effect on the school climate and students. This study examined what middle school principals have experienced with regard to cyberbullying and the ways in which principals have responded to incidences of cyberbullying. A qualitative design using an exploratory multiple case study approach was utilized for this study. The results of this study describe how middle school principals in a small rural setting address cyberbullying and its impact on the school environment.

scholarly journals “Constant Communication”: Rural Principals' Leadership Practices During a Global Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonya D. Hayes ◽  
Jamon Flowers ◽  
Sheneka M. Williams
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
School Principals ◽  
The United States ◽  
Rural School ◽  
School Buildings ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Leadership Frame ◽  
Rural Principals

Rural school leaders are met with serious challenges and opportunities to lead rural schools in times of normalcy, but these challenges are amplified during a crisis. Rural school principals in the United States faced an unprecedented crisis when school buildings closed in spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure of rural school principals and their response to this crisis is exemplified through their leadership practices. Through qualitative methods, we examined the leadership practices of rural principals through the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine, and we found that rural principals exhibit the practices of caretaker leadership. From the findings, we used a meta-leadership frame to discuss the caretaker leadership practices of rural school principals.

scholarly journals Supporting Online Learning for Advanced Placement Students in Small Rural Schools

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Irvin ◽  
Wallace H. Hannum ◽  
Thomas W. Farmer ◽  
Claire de la Varre ◽  
Julie Keane
Keyword(s):  
Advanced Placement ◽  
Rural Schools ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Distance Education ◽  
Rural Districts ◽  
Small Rural Schools ◽  
Online Distance ◽  
Education Support ◽  
Conceptual Foundations ◽  
Development Center

Note: This work was supported by a Research and Development Center grant (R305A04056) from the Institute of Education Sciences to the National Research Center on Rural Education Support. This paper examines the need for interventions to support students who are taking advanced placement courses in small rural districts and describes the Facilitator Preparation Program (FPP) as a strategy to address this need. Issues in the delivery of Online Distance Education (ODE) in small rural schools are summarized and the conceptual foundations and service delivery considerations of the FPP are outlined. Future research needs are also considered.

How Middle School Principals of Small Rural Schools Address Cyberbullying

2016 ◽  
pp. 80-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina M. Force
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Rural Schools ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Middle School Principals ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Rural Setting ◽  
School Activities ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Small Rural Schools

Cyberbullying affects almost half of the teenagers in America (National Crime Prevention Council [NCPC], 2010). The effects of cyberbullying can be detrimental to teens and may include withdrawal from school activities, illness, depression, eating disorders, or suicidal ideations (Dehue, Bolman, & Vollink, 2008; Mason, 2008). In order to effectively deal with this issue, it is imperative that front-line middle school principals are prepared to address this growing problem. The purpose of this study was to examine how middle school principals of small rural schools address cyberbullying and their beliefs on its effect on the school climate and students. This study examined what middle school principals have experienced with regard to cyberbullying and the ways in which principals have responded to incidences of cyberbullying. A qualitative design using an exploratory multiple case study approach was utilized for this study. The results of this study describe how middle school principals in a small rural setting address cyberbullying and its impact on the school environment.

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