Instructional Leadership in Lebanese Public Schools

Abstract

This research aimed to find out the extent to which the instructional leadership style had been adopted by the principals in some Lebanese intermediate public schools. A small-scale survey approach was used where a cross-sectional study design was assumed. By sampling extreme cases (five high-performing schools and five low-performing ones), the researcher was able to reveal the differences that existed in the principals’ leadership styles in the two sets of schools selected. To achieve her objective, the researcher analysed the quantitative data collected from questionnaires administered to 203 teachers, in addition to the qualitative data collected from interviews conducted with principals using a semi-structured interview schedule. Principals in the schools investigated were found to assume climate-related functions more than the technological ones under the instructional leadership style. Both sets of functions were significantly performed better by the principals in the high-achieving schools in comparison with the principals in the low-achieving schools. The researcher ended up by recommending short-term and long-term remedies to enhance the way leadership is exercised and thus enhancing the teaching’s quality in Lebanon.

Instructional Leadership Potential among School Principals in Pakistan

“…The most positive opinion is found to be connected to interpersonal relations and the least relevant to instructional behavior (Khan et al, 2009). Many principals' profiles show that in low achieving areas all the principals are male, while that in the high achievement areas two principals were male and two were female (Mattar, 2012). Principals in the high performing schools are actually found to be applying methods of instructional leadership more efficiently, as compared with the low-achievements schools.…”

“…In the areas where the social economic status (SES) is low, the principals mainly concentrate on curriculum coverage and their role is task-oriented. Where SES is high, the principal do not only act conservatively; they often chose to employ motivational skills also (Mattar, 2012).…”

“…The key characteristic of instructional leaders is that they provide a good environment for working, and that efficient teamwork can be observed as being adopted in school teams. It can further be generalized that adopting a suitable type of the leadership for an organization depends upon the locality, in which that institute is located (Hallinger, 2003;Mattar, 2012).…”

The research on educational leadership and management in the Arab world since the 1990s: A systematic review

“…The two other studies, conducted in Lebanon, elaborate on the barriers to instructional leadership in Arab schools. Mattar (2012b) identified several factors inhibiting instructional leadership and also high student achievement especially in disadvantaged areas. First, although a large number of teachers work in public schools, teachers perceive that the problem lies in the quality and shortage of staff owing to low salaries in teaching and political pressure on some schools to appoint certain teachers, even if they are unqualified for the post (owing to nepotism, for example).…”

Instructional leadership in centralised systems: evidence from Greek high-performing secondary schools

“…While the empirical knowledge base in instructional leadership in Europe began at the turn of the millennium, an emerging interest in centralised contexts across the world, including Botswana (Pansiri, 2008), Lebanon (Mattar, 2012), Thailand (Hallinger and Lee, 2014), and Turkey (Gumus and Akcaoglu, 2013), was identified. However, the practice of instructional leadership (IL) has been barely considered in Greece.…”