Instructional Leadership Practices: Teachers Perceptions of a Rural School Principal in Fiji

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which teachers perceive their principal to be effectively exhibiting an instructional leadership role. Data for the study were collected from teachers (N=24) in a rural secondary school in Fiji using the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) developed and advocated by Hallinger (1990). In addition to Likert scale items, the questionnaire included open-ended questions to gain deeper insights into teachers’ ratings of each item. Analyses of the data revealed that ratings for the principal were the highest for communicating school goals to students and protecting instructional time while supervision and evaluation of instruction were the lowest-rated items. The lack of professional preparation for an instructional leadership role and the dual role of the rural principal as school leader and teacher, which appears to compromise both roles, may together explain the scant attention paid to the instructional leadership role. These findings have implications for principals’ workload and in turn instructional leadership practices, which the Fiji Ministry of Education could re-visit to avoid compromising either the leadership or teaching role.

School principals, selection criteria, and responsibilities: Challenges in educational policy implementation

“…While school leadership is often perceived as an extension of a teaching career and is sometimes compared to classroom teaching, it is important to note that success in teaching does not necessarily translate to success in leadership (Bush, 2008). Lingam and Lingam (2014) argue that being an exceptional teacher does not automatically equate to being an effective leader. Numerous experts acknowledge that school principalship is a distinct professional career that requires specialized and systematic preparation (Huber, 2005; Mathibe, 2007).…”

Characterisation of the professional identity of school principals (Caracterización de la identidad profesional de los directores de escuela)

“…En último término, dicha comprensión puede sustentar el diseño de propuestas formativas basadas en la investigación que vayan más allá de la adquisición del conocimiento relacionado con la gestión escolar y curricular (Lingam & Lingam, 2014; Ng & Szeto, 2015). Con este fin, diseñamos este estudio en el que caracterizamos la identidad de un grupo de directores con una dilatada y reconocida trayectoria a lo largo de un curso académico en el contexto de su práctica profesional.…”

“…Ultimately, this understanding may sustain the design of research-based training proposals that go beyond the acquisition of knowledge related to school and curricular management (Lingam & Lingam, 2014; Ng & Szeto, 2015). With this goal in mind, we designed this study in which we characterize the identity of a group of principals with extensive, acknowledged careers throughout one academic year within the context of their professional practice.…”