scholarly journals Leadership Styles of Principals and Teachers of Nigerian Unity Schools: Using School Environment as a Tool For School Achievement

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 98
Author(s):  
Khalil Yusuf Uthman ◽  
Yahya Bn Don ◽  
Abd Latif Kasim
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
School Environment ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
School Level ◽  
Learning Collaborative ◽  
The North ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Teachers And Students

Collaborative, non-traditional leadership practices have attracted little attention in research about sustainable school achievement in Nigerian unity schools.  The involvement of teachers in the administration of schools is well justified and arise from the need to boost school environment for the sake of attaining school achievement. The absence of teachers in the administration of unity schools impedes the proper attainment of school achievement. The purpose of this research is to reports on the outcomes of transformational leadership efforts in Nigerian unity schools aimed at enhancing the use of teachers in the administrative set-up.  This study was carried out in seven selected unity schools all located in the north-eastern part of Nigeria. The study used  Multifactor questionnaire 5x, School level environment questionnaire (SLEQ) and School Improvement questionnaire (SIQ) with 5 Likert-scale that involved the use of 800 questionnaires which were sent in which 790 were returned and 760 found valid for data analysis. Participants were drawn from a wide range of disciplines across the sampled schools. The establishment and operation of these school relied on a transformational leadership methodology by principals that facilitates acts of initiative, innovation, vision and courage through group interaction rather than through designated hierarchical roles. This research used the quantitative approach.  The study found out that transformational leadership approach is effective in overcoming problems associated with lack of involvement of teachers in the building of a fruitful environment capable of bringing a good school achievement through cultivating the habit of a transformational leader, the principals of unity schools enabled teachers and other stake holders to engage in peer-led professional learning, collaborative curriculum and pedagogical development, and to facilitate wider institutional change (school achievement). This paper demonstrates that the transformational leadership model for a high school achievement reported here is effective in building capacity for both teachers and students via involvement of teachers in building the environment. The model is flexible enough for a variety of institutional settings, and hence, recommends the use of teachers in secondary school’s administration.

The effects of integrated transformational leadership on achievement

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Eric Boberg ◽  
Steven J. Bourgeois
Keyword(s):  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Teacher Efficacy ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Mutual Influence ◽  
School Level ◽  
Collective Teacher Efficacy ◽  
Emotional Engagement ◽  
Teacher Student

Purpose Greater understanding about how variables mediate the relationship between leadership and achievement is essential to the success of reform efforts that hold leaders accountable for student learning. This multi-source, quantitative study tests a model of integrated transformational leadership including three important school mediators. Design/methodology/approach 5,392 students provided data on student engagement, and 569 teachers provided survey data on principal leadership and the collective teacher efficacy and extra effort of their colleagues. Data were analyzed at the school-level (N = 51) using mediation analysis with the PROCESS macro to calculate the direct and indirect effects of all of the variables in the serial multiple mediator model. Findings The model explained a significant amount of variance in both reading (38%) and mathematics (35%). Collective teacher efficacy and student engagement mediated all of the leadership effects, demonstrating the importance of teacher and student relations in school improvement. The combined effect sizes are significantly greater than the effects of earlier TL models. Originality/value This study contributes to “leadership for learning” research by demonstrating that refining TLBs to include instructional management can enhance a leader's impact on achievement. As one of the few studies to examine student engagement as a mediator along with teacher mediators, the current study highlights the importance of teacher-student relations in school improvement. While collective efficacy mediated all of the effects of leadership on achievement, student emotional engagement also contributed to mathematics achievement. The study’s findings advance research into mutual influence processes, indicating that reciprocity may extend throughout the leader-teacher-student loop.

A Systematic Test of the Effective Schools Model

1990 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
John F. Witte ◽  
Daniel J. Walsh
Keyword(s):  
Parental Involvement ◽  
Effective Schools ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Standardized Test ◽  
School Achievement ◽  
Intervention Programs ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Teacher Control ◽  
Wide Range

This article presents cross-sectional data on the relation between school achievement and measures of school environment, particularly “effective schools” characteristics. The data are for 38 high schools, 32 middle schools, and 134 elementary schools, across 22 districts in the Milwaukee metropolitan area. The achievement measures include standardized test data in math and reading, as well as dropout rates. In addition to a wide range of school characteristics, key measures of school environment were collected through lengthy mailed surveys of 5,500 teachers in the districts. In addition to an effective schools index, we analyze the effects of parental involvement and variation in teacher control of key decisions in schools. The findings offer support for the notion that school environment has an effect on achievement. They also show that the complex of environmental variables that are significantly related to achievement are themselves highly intercorrelated and very much affected by the location of the school (city or suburbs) and the student population in the schools. These results lead us to question the direction of causality and thus the certainty of success of intervention programs along current effective schools lines.

scholarly journals The middlescence principal : professional growth in times of increased accountability

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Charlotte M. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Career Development ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
School Level ◽  
Negative Effects

Middlescence is a term coined for a professional in mid-career and how this can be "a time of burnout or rejuvenation" (Morison, Erickson, and Dychtwald, 2007, p. 1). This qualitative narrative case study explores the lived experiences and perceptions of a highschool principal in mid-career and the challenges that he, as do other public school administrators, face when confronted with increased accountability and student performance demands across the country. Effective school research, leadership and career development provide a theoretical foundation for this study. Although the study examines the participant's entire professional experiences, much emphasis has been placed on his mid-career period and the school's improvement implementation process. Specific focus identifies the signs of burnout and his desire and need for rejuvenation. The story of one identified principal is studied to understand what lead to burnout and the strategies that supported his growth and rejuvenation. In relation to middlescence, in-depth unstructured interviews allow for an understanding of the lived experiences of this principal and how it relates to career development and professional growth. The principal selected in this study had a historical career change in principal positions every three years during the first part of his career in school administration. What we know about principal retention suggests that school leaders are crucial to the school improvement process and that they must stay in a school a number of consecutive years for the benefits of their leadership to be realized. In addition, emerging research and theory has found that "Principal turnover has direct negative effects on student- and school-level achievement, and that the strongest impact appears immediately after turnover occurs" (Bteille, Kalogrides, Loeb, 2011). The leader in this rural Missouri school found himself on a trajectory of burnout and feeling the need for rejuvenation. Through this narrative study, the principal, in middlescence, was found to be transformed. Now in his 8th year at the same school, he attributes his stability to the leadership within the district and the professional coaching and informal mentoring that occurred. Critical conversations were held that instilled a sense of urgency to improve. In addition, he participated in the Missouri Professional Learning Communities project. Along with his leadership team, the school implemented this model with fidelity and was recognized within the state for deep implementation. Throughout this process, the participant created a network of support and trusted colleagues that continue his professional learning. The major finding from this study found the importance of relevant training, consistent coaching, and the mentor relationship, all of equal importance, for the success and growth of the middlescent principal. This research study can be used by other school administrators, district leaders, and preparation institutions to better support administrators in mid-career. Recognition of the signs of burnout will also trigger the guidance necessary to focus the principals toward rejuvenation. Keeping our quality leaders in our schools is important to the continued success in school.

The Principal as a Data-Driven Instructional Leader

2018 ◽  
pp. 76-97
Author(s):  
Sonya D. Hayes ◽  
Carlos G. Lee
Keyword(s):  
No Child Left Behind ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Learning Community ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Instructional Leader ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Improve Instruction

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) began an educational reform movement that iterated standardization and accountability. Since the onset of NCLB, educational leaders have focused more attention on using data to guide and inform school improvement efforts. Although most school leaders and teachers have access to a wide-range of data, the examination and interpretation of data to inform teaching and to improve student learning has been a challenge for educators. In this chapter, the authors review the literature on data-driven decision making (DDDM) and elaborate on how the principal, as an instructional leader, uses the professional learning community (PLC) process to support the development of teachers in creating an authentic approach to data analysis in order to improve instruction and support student learning.

From Turnaround to Transformation

2019 ◽  
pp. 214-237
Author(s):  
Rebecca Stobaugh ◽  
Crystal White ◽  
Erin Margarella
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
School Level ◽  
Individual Student ◽  
High Expectations ◽  
Special Education Director ◽  
Positive School Culture ◽  
District Personnel ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
School Faculty

This chapter focuses on a struggling high school in a rural Kentucky community that made a dramatic turnaround within 2 years after establishing response to intervention structures to support both teachers and students. The principal, special education director, other administrators, district personnel, school improvement specialists, teacher leaders, and school faculty implemented changes that were responsible for the turnaround and for sustaining this success. High expectations, a positive school culture, professional development, guided planning, student assessment, data analysis, research-based intervention programs, and a systems change approach are some of the contributions that led to widespread improvements at the school level and in individual student gains.

scholarly journals Exploring the current context for Professional Learning Networks, the conditions for their success, and research needs moving forwards

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Brown
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Collaborative Learning ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Learning Networks ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Outcomes For Children

The emergence of networks within education has been driven by a number of factors, including: the complex nature of the issues facing education, which are typically too great for single schools to tackle by themselves; changes to educational governance structures, which involve the hollowing out of the middle tier and the introduction of new approaches with an individualized focus; in addition is the increased emphasis on education systems that are ‘self-improving and school-led’. Within this context, the realization of teacher and school improvement actively emerges from establishing cultures of enquiry and learning, both within and across schools. Since not every teacher in a school can collaboratively learn with every other teacher in a network, the most efficient formation of networks will comprise small numbers of teachers learning on behalf of others.  Within this context, Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) are defined as any group who engage in collaborative learning with others outside of their everyday community of practice; with the ultimate aim of PLN activity being to improve outcomes for children. Research suggests that the use of PLNs can be effective in supporting school improvement. In addition, PLNs are an effective way to enable schools to collaborate to improve educational provision in disadvantaged areas. Nonetheless harnessing the benefits of PLNs is not without challenge. In response, this paper explores the notion of PLNs in detail; it also sheds light on the key factors and conditions that need to be present if PLNs are to lead to sustained improvements in teaching and learning. In particular, the paper explores the role of school leaders in creating meaningful two-way links between PLNs and their schools, in order to ensure that both teachers and students benefit from the collaborative learning activity that PLNs foster. The paper concludes by suggesting possible future research in this area.

scholarly journals Exploring the current context for Professional Learning Networks, the conditions for their success, and research needs moving forwards

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Chris Brown
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Learning Networks ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
Outcomes For Children

The emergence of networks within education has been driven by a number of factors, including: the complex nature of the issues facing education, which are typically too great for single schools to tackle by themselves; changes to educational governance structures, which involve the dismantling of old ways of working and the introduction of new approaches with an individualized focus; in addition is the increased emphasis on education systems that are ‘self-improving and school-led’. Within this context, the realization of teacher and school improvement actively emerges from establishing cultures of enquiry and learning, both within and across schools. Since not every teacher in a school can collaboratively learn with every other teacher in a network, the most efficient formation of networks will comprise small numbers of teachers learning on behalf of others.  Within this context, Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) are defined as any group who engage in collaborative learning with others outside of their everyday community of practice; with the ultimate aim of PLN activity being to improve outcomes for children. Research suggests that the use of PLNs can be effective in supporting school improvement. In addition, PLNs are an effective way to enable schools to collaborate to improve educational provision in disadvantaged areas. Nonetheless harnessing the benefits of PLNs is not without challenge. In response, this paper explores the notion of PLNs in detail; it also sheds light on the key factors and conditions that need to be present if PLNs are to lead to sustained improvements in teaching and learning. In particular, the paper explores the role of school leaders in creating meaningful two-way links between PLNs and their schools, in order to ensure that both teachers and students benefit from the networked learning activity that PLNs foster. The paper concludes by suggesting possible future research in this area.

scholarly journals The Australian Context: National, State and School-Level Efforts to Improve Schools in Australia

2021 ◽  
pp. 133-157
Author(s):  
David Gurr ◽  
Daniela Acquaro ◽  
Lawrie Drysdale
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Clinical Teaching ◽  
State Level ◽  
School Level ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Literacy Leaders ◽  
Student Reading ◽  
History Of ◽  
Learning Schools

AbstractAustralia, like many countries, has a history of colonisation and extensive controlled and humanitarian immigration, with this shifting from an Anglo-Celtic emphasis to include, in succession, an emphasis on migrants from Europe, Asia and Africa. This chapter provides several perspectives on evidence-based school development in this changing context. The first focus is on national school-wide improvement initiatives: IDEAS (Innovative Designs for Enhancing Achievements in Schools), which utilises professional learning communities to improve student outcomes; and PALL (Principals as Literacy Leaders) which provides principals with literacy and leadership knowledge to support teachers to improve student reading performance. The second perspective explores the state level through considering work at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education in terms of evidence-based teacher training through the development of a clinical teaching model, and evidence-based school improvement through the Science of Learning Schools Partnership. The final perspective is at the school level, where the development of two schools in challenging contexts are described: the first a school formed from the closure of three failing schools; the second a school that was at the point of closure when the current principal was appointed to turn-it-around.

Ending Isolation: The Payoff of Teacher Teams in Successful High-Poverty Urban Schools

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (5) ◽  
pp. 1-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Moore Johnson ◽  
Stefanie Reinhorn ◽  
Nicole Simon
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Urban Schools ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Group Behavior ◽  
Shared Responsibility ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
High Poverty ◽  
Wide Range

Background/Context Many urban schools today look to instructional teams as a means to decrease professional isolation, promote teachers’ ongoing development, and substantially reduce well-documented variation in teachers’ effectiveness across classrooms. Recent research finds that teams can contribute to teachers’ development and increased student achievement. However, research also suggests that teams often fail and that most schools are not organized to ensure their success. Therefore, it is important to learn more about how teams function in successful schools, how teachers experience them, and what factors contribute to their success. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study Data for this article were drawn from a comparative case study focusing on the human-capital practices in six successful high-poverty, high-minority schools (traditional, turnaround, restart, and charter), all located in one Massachusetts city. Each school was affected by a distinct set of state and local policies. Here, we focus on the schools’ approaches to professional learning and collaboration among teachers. Did they rely on teams, and, if so, what purposes did the teams serve, and how were they organized? How did teachers assess their experience with teams? What role did administrators play? Were there notable school-to-school differences in how these teams were organized and managed? Research Design/Data Collection and Analysis For this qualitative, comparative case study, we conducted semistructured interviews with 142 teachers, administrators, and other staff in six elementary and middle schools. Interview protocols encouraged participants to discuss their school's approach to teachers’ professional learning and work with colleagues. During school visits, we also observed a wide range of day-to-day practices and collected documents describing school policies and practices. We coded our data with both emic and etic topical codes and used various matrices to analyze responses within and across the sites. Conclusions/Recommendations Five schools relied on teams as a central mechanism for school improvement, dedicating substantial blocks of time each week to teachers’ meetings. Teams focused on matters of content (curriculum, lesson plans, and student achievement) and the student cohort (individual progress, group behavior, and organizational culture). Teachers valued their work on teams, saying that it supported their instruction and contributed to their school's success by creating coherence across classrooms and shared responsibility for students. Factors that supported teams included having a worthy purpose in support of the school's mission; sufficient, regular time for meetings; engaged support by administrators; and facilitation by trained teacher-leaders.

The emergence of professional learning networks in Spain

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Azorín
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Spanish Literature ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Learning Networks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Character ◽  
Educational Paradigm ◽  
School Classification

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to construct a policy map of professional learning networks (PLNs) in Spain. It includes initiatives prompted in Spanish schools in which social, political, cultural and educational elements are integrated. At the same time, it analyses which organization promotes each of the networks, the objectives pursued and the scope of the network in the territory in which it is created. Design/methodology/approach The methodology followed is essentially descriptive and incorporates the first experiences with school networks which have been disseminated in the Spanish literature. It stimulates reflection on the role networks are expected to play in relation to local developments in this specific school system. Findings The cases described (Castellon, Catalonia, Malaga and Seville) suggest a way forward for practitioners to advance toward an educational paradigm based on greater collaboration. This includes a partnership approach among professionals within and across classrooms, schools, communities, districts and education systems. In particular, the results place the focus of the network on the prevalence of the following school classification, included schools (community networks linking to the territory), extended schools (socio-educational networks), equity schools (equity fostering networks) and partnership schools (school-to-school support networks), whose objectives and scopes are reviewed. Research limitations/implications With the Spanish context in mind, it is essential to recognize that more empirical evidence is still needed to make a significant contribution toward building knowledge in this research line. Indeed, sustainability seems to be an important point to consider in a short-term world where quick-fix solutions are required. However, PLNs need time to know how beneficial they really are, for example, in terms of student outcomes and school improvement. Practical implications The argument developed assumes networks as a mirror wherein the present and future of education takes place. In this sense, the scientific and educational communities have both a challenge and an opportunity to rethink the potential of networking and collaboration in education. The article tries to be attractive to a specialized reader or one simply interested in the problem of networks in education and the reality of PLNs in Spain. Social implications The network society demands a network school environment where communities are part of a local character strategy. Originality/value This document offers an interesting view on networks that not only focus on education but on social and welfare issues and it aims to target education from a broader perspective; so resulting in opening schools to the community, which is not a widely covered topic in education research. In summary, the paper can be considered as a pioneer study in the Spanish context, which contains valuable information about PLNs, their origin and current status in this part of the world.

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