PLACE N RETURN BOX to remove thb chockout from your mood. TOAVOID FlNES Manon orbofore duo duo. DATE DUE DATE DUE DATE DUE ma \ 5‘ usu I. An AMrm‘ivo Adieu/Equal Opportunity mum email”! A.CASE STUDY OF AN ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL IN‘A SCHOOL WHERE TEACHERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ASSUME LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES By Mary Elizabeth Brun A.DISSERTATION Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Teacher Education 1992 ABSTRACT .A Case Study of An Elementary Principal in a School Where Teachers Are Encouraged to Assume Leadership Responsibilities by Mary E. Brun Teacher leadership is a term frequently cited in the current literature. In the past, leadership was instituted in a top-down format. The State Departments told the central office of the local districts, then the central office personnel told the principals, who told the teachers, who went in their classrooms, shut the doors, and tried to provide the best curriculum.for their students. Today many educators believe it is time for teachers to demonstrate their leadership skills. In some school districts, instead of isolating teachers in their individual classrooms, teachers are being involved in a number of facets of decision making. As the teachers roles in a building begin to expand to include leadership responsibilities, the principal will begin to assume new roles. In this study, the researcher served as a participant Observer in an elementary school for sixteen weeks to gather qualitative data to describe the roles and responsibilities of an elementary principal in a school where teacher leadership is encouraged. The data included extensive open- ended interviews with the seven participants, in-depth field notes, and a review of relevant school documents. This case study describes the roles and responsibilities of an elementary principal in a school where teachers are encouraged. to assume leadership responsibilities. To be able to identify the ways in which teacher leadership impacted the pmincipal's roles, the researcher needed to describe the teacher leadership, describe the culture of the school, and describe how the culture had affected the school. In the project setting, leadership appeared to be all encompassing for each staff member. The principal believed that teachers who were treated professionally acted professionalty. Teachers were treated with respect and trust. The principal organized leadership opportunities for all teachers, encouraged teachers to become involved in making decisions, promoted a shared vision of student learning among the staff, and recognized and rewarded teachers. The major contribution of this study is that it provides educators with a "grounded" look at what is currently happening to and for the principals in many schools today and suggests the need to revisit the professional development programs for school administrators. Copyright by MARY ELIZABETH BRUN 1992 DEDICATION: To my children Garrett and Jordan; thanks for the support and encouragement To all the leaders who believe that power comes through people not over people. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Throughout the years I have been involved in completing this task, there have been numerous people who have continuously supported and encouraged me in my life-long learning. I would like to recognize and thank them. To Dr. Charles Blackman, my committee and dissertation chairperson, thank you for your dedication to a continual search for knowledge and understanding which served as a model for may own professional career. He is truly the person who has been an ever-present part of my academic life. The support he has demonstrated, the probing questions he has asked, and the clarifying statements he has utilized for a more thorough understanding of knowledge has promoted my professional and personal growth. To Dr. Roy Wesselman, thank you for your dedication and perseverence in staying with me through the completion of my Vi C» .mu 5» FL graduate program, from my beginning years in the early 1980's to these last three years. To Dr. Robert Hatfield and Dr. Sam Moore, II, thank you for joining the committee for the past three years. Your guidance has been exceptionally helpful in the areas of teacher leadership and school admdnistration. To my husband, Jordan, a special thank you for all his support and encouragement. His computer expertise was desperately needed to answer those, "But why can't the computer do this?" questions. To my children, Garrett and Jordan, I'll still continue those reading marathons, but just think, now we'll be able to go on a "real" vacation! To my mom, Eve Russell, you've always been there telling me to continue to stretch my mind, to do my best, and to stick to whatever I start. Thanks for your unconditional love and confidence. To Mrs. D. and her staff, a special commendation for oppening their building, their rooms, their hearts, and their heads to another educator. I appreciate your willingness to share your example of "a leader of leaders" school. Vii e - t“ To my colleagues as Jefferson School, your patience, understanding and support has helped keep the educational fires burning; You have a special dedication to professional and personal growth for every learner, no matter what age! To Gale and Judy, special friends who knew when to keep the pressure on, especially when the end was in sight! viii II. III. IV. TABLE OF CONTENTS THE STUDY Introduction ............................... The Problem ................................ Purpose Of The Study ....................... Significance Of The Study .................. Method Of Research ......................... Statements Of Delimitation And Limitations ........................... Organization Of The Dissertation ........... BACKGROUND OF THE PROPOSED STUDY Introduction ............................... The Role Of The Teacher .................... The Role Of The Principal .................. The School Culture ......................... THE METHODOLOGY Introduction ............................... The Method ................................. Participant Observations .............. Interviews ............................ Interviewing Questions -Teacher.. Interviewing Questions -Principal School Documents ...................... Data Analysis .............................. Confidentiality And.Anonymdty .............. Securing The Site .......................... Community Background ....................... School Background And Current Status ....... The Researcher ............................. PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS Introduction ............................... The Project ................................ ix onoxpra 14 18 19 37 53 6O 6O 61 62 63 63 65 65 66 67 70 73 79 81 82 Description And Interpretation Of Major Findings .............................. A.Definition Of Leadership ........... Types Of Leadership Roles ............. Who Are The Leaders? .................. Location Of The Leadership ............ The Principal's Definition Of Leadership ....................... How The Principal Promotes Leadership How The Principal Nurtures And Supports Leaders ................. Principal Expectations Of Leaders ..... Principal Recognition Of Teachers ..... Core Beliefs Of The Staff ............. How The Beliefs Have Been Established ...................... Roles and Responsibilities Related To These Beliefs .................... Training For The Principal ............ How The Principal Approached A Leader ........................... How The Principal Assessed And Used The Teachers' Expertise .......... Summary .................................... SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND REFLECTIONS Introduction ............................... Summary .................................... Defining Teacher Leadership ..... . ..... How The Culture Made An Impact On The School ........................... The Roles And Responsibilities Of The Principal Major Conclusions .......................... Trust And Respect ..................... Broad Base Of Leadership .............. Opportunities For Leadership .......... A.Common Focus For All Staff .......... Opportunities For Decision Making..... Seeking Permission .................... Time Out Of The Office ................ Reflection Time ....................... Implications For Educational Practice ...... The Importance Of A.Common Focus ...... The Role Of The Principal As A Member Of The Team. ................... ... Establishing A Collaborative Professional Culture ....... ...... Preparation Of The Administrators..... Responsibility Of The Local School 82 83 86 90 91 94 95 102 102 103 104 110 112 116 117 118 120 121 121 123 128 129 133 133 133 134 134 134 135 135 136 136 136 137 139 140 LIST OF FIGURES Project Site Map - Figure I .............. . Project Site Map - Figure II ............. . Map Of Interactions - Figure III ......... . Map Of Seating Arrangements For The Staff Meetings - Figure IV ........... Seating Arrangements For The Smokers' Lounge And Teachers' Workroom - Figure V ............................. xi 75 76 93 100 100 APPENDIX AEEENDIXLA_ Letter Of Approval From UCRIHS.. ..... .... 158 INTRODUCTION Teacher leadership is a term frequently cited in the current literature. Although the expression, teacher as leader, may appear to be self-explanatory, many questions remain. These questions may include: who they lead, when they lead, how a building principal is affected by the leadership, and what type of school culture is conducive to and/or detrimental to the teacher leader? The field of education may need to refer to business and industry in eliciting a basic definition of a "leader." The literature in the business field includes over three hundred and fifty different definitions of a leader. Thousands of investigations of leaders have been conducted over the last seventy-five years. Warren Bennis provides a detailed description of leadership, which appears to be both respected and frequently repeated in the literature. He Stat (L FE stated that leadership is: Collective, there is a symbiotic relationship between leaders and followers, and what makes it collective is the subtle interplay between the followers' needs and wants and‘the leader's capacity to understand, one way or another these collective aspirations. Leadership is "causative", meaning that leadership can invent and create institutions that can empower employees to satisfy their needs. Leadership is morally purposeful and elevating, which means, if nothing else, that leaders can, through deploying their talents, choose purposes and visions that are based on the key values of the work force and create the social architecture that supports them. Finally, leadership can move followers to higher degrees of consciousness, such as liberty, freedom, justice, and self-actuality. (pp. 217-218) The definition of leadership utilized for this study is that of facilitating movement for problem solving through interactions between and among teachers in which they help one another look at the organization of which they are a part. Since the early 1980's, educators have been wrestling with conceptions of teacher leadership to try to identify leadership elements consistent with the role of teaching. For the past ten to fifteen years, educators have tightened academic requirements and have tried to raise student standards due to the leadership of the "higher ups," the people from.a greater authority, not the classroom teachers. They have listened to those leading the American school reform movement and have tried to accomplish the goals which have been set. However, today schools are at a crossroads. Many educators believe that it is now time for the "second i l: wave" of the reform movement. (Lieberman and Miller, 1984, p. 148,- Darling-Hammond, 1989, p. 9) It is time for teachers to demonstrate their leadership skills in the areas of ‘textbook selection, staff development, curriculum development, teacher evaluation, budget allocation, inservice education, student placement, and school policy. Glickman stated that: The issue of how educators are treated within their own school walls needs to be resolved if we are to have lasting significant change in schools. In essence, educators will be given greater latitude over curricular and instructional decisions as long as those decisions recognize the dual objectives of equal access to knowledge for all students and accountability to the public for results. (pp. 69) The participation of teachers in leadership roles, which extend beyond direct teaching responsibilities, has been commonplace in public schools for many years. However, the types of responsibilities have encompassed the more traditional roles of department heads and curriculum.council members. Participatory management by teachers has been limited, with their role oriented more to fulfilling task assignments rather than participation in school or district- 1evel decision making. There is no doubt teachers are involved in informal policy and curriculum decisions daily in their classrooms. However, their expertise is rarely seen at building, district, and state levels. Stimson pointed out that most teachers lack meaningful opportunities to make decisions 65‘: v b 030' CE: concerning their' professional lives. (p. 316) By restructuring the roles of teachers, teacher leaders may provide powerful models of professionalism for their peers, provide leadership in a variety of content areas, and help create a positive climate in school communities. Exploration into the current status of teacher leadership appears to be needed, since many states are in the process of legislating practices which provide greater teacher participation in school leadership, greater teacher incentives, and improvement in the quality of schools and teaching. Without a doubt, as the teachers' roles begin to expand to include leadership responsibilities, the principal will assume new roles. One of those new roles may be involving teachers in decision making activities. Bridges points out that "of the myriad of activities in which a principal engages, his conscious involvement of the teachers in decision making is crucial." (p. 49) "By relying on staff members, administrators give them a greater sense of efficacy, responsibility, and control." (Murphy, 1988) Smith indicates that, "studies have indicated that when the administrators of a school district have provided the opportunity for involvement, the input the teachers gave caused them to feel they were listened to, heard, respected pk I r.- 4 0p in: U11C< for their opinions, and that their opinions counted at the district level." (p. 12) Not all teachers may be interested in decision making or even concerned with having the opportunity to make their opinions known. In fact, "many teachers are not ready to assume a confident decision making role in considering what to teach and how to teach it." (Darling-Hammond, 1984) Goldman and O'Shea point out that "the issue of teacher decision making makes teachers and administrators uncomfortable." (p.43) Goldman and O'Shea continue by stating that "by acknowledging teacher concerns through inquiry, educators will learn to build such discussions into the organizational structure of the schools, therefore, change will occur slowly and carefully." (p. 43) .As these changing attitudes and behaviors begin to take place, the administrator may feel uncomfortable, concerned, or even threatened by a change in the allocation of leadership. Barth believes that "perhaps the most important item on a list of characteristics of effective principals is the capacity to relinquish, so that the latent creative powers of teachers can be released.“ (p. 640) "Shared decision making represents a significant change in the traditional culture of schools; the nurturance of such change requires much time and support and the redesign of existing roles." (Johnston, Bickel, Wallace, 1990) The role of the principal is changing in the school culture. A school's culture is created through the experience and interplay of all the key players in a school. A principal must understand his or her school, its patterns, the purposes they serve, and how they came to be. As Deal and Peterson indicate, "the principal can play a key role in acknowledging transitions, healing whatever stress they create, and helping the school adapt to change in tenms of its traditions and culture.“ (p. 28) The fact that leadership in the public school is seldom recognized does not mean that it is unimportant. On the contrary, according to Former Secretary of Education, Terrel Bell, "we are currently facing the greatest test of educational leadership in the history of the United States." (Doyle and Hartle, 1985) Not enough is known about a principal who encourages leadership. For the future there must be a clear description of an understanding of what leadership is, the changing role of the teacher, the changing role of the principal, and the nurturing school culture to improve the performance of the schools. The researcher's purpose was to investigate the roles and responsibilities of a building principal as teacher leadership is encouraged in an elementary school. This study took place in the context of a single elementary school with the researcher utilizing ethnographic teth Chai leaf the methodology. The major research question for the study was: I. IN WHAT WAYS AND TO WHAT EXTENT DOES TEACHER LEADERSHIP CHANGE THE BUILDING PRINCIPAL'S ROLES? To further assist in ascertaining a description of the changing roles of a principal in relationship to teacher leadership, the study. A. the following questions were designed to guide IN WHAT WAYS AND TO WHAT EXTENT ARE TEACHERS INVOLVED IN LEADERSHIP ROLES? 1. 2. How does each teacher define leadership? What types of leadership roles are available to teachers at the building level? District level? Who is identified as a teacher leader? Where do the teachers demonstrate their leadership abilities? IN WHAT WAYS AND TO WHAT EXTENT DOES THE PRINCIPAL ACT TO INFLUENCE TEACHER LEADERS? 1. 2. How does the principal define leadership? How does the principal perceive him/herself as a promoter of teacher leadership? What role does the principal have in nurturing and supporting teacher leaders? What expectations does the principal have of teacher leaders? To what degree do teachers embrace or resist these opportunities? In what way does the principal recognize and promote teacher professional self-worth and accomplishment? In what way does the principal encourage leadership without causing teachers to be pitted against other teachers? IN WHAT WAYS AND TO WHAT EXTENT DO THE CORE BELIEFS OF THE SCHOOL INFLUENCE THE PRINCIPAL'S ABILITY TO PROMOTE LEADERSHIP? l. 2. What are the core beliefs of the staff? How have these beliefs been established? Reinforced? Maintained? .Altered? In what ways have the changing roles of the teachers and principal caused a change in the school? WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE THE PRINCIPAL'S EFFORTS TO PROMOTE TEACHER LEADERSHIP? 1. 2. What training does a principal need to recognize and support an effective leader? How does a principal approach a teacher who demonstrates leadership abilities? f. D. 11 Pg 3. How does the principal assess a staff member's professional expertise? 4. How does the principal facilitate the use of the expertise of each staff member? The above set of questions is broad in scope, to avoid imposing a structure which would not allow for emphasis to change. As the researcher's involvement in the school escalated and various events occurred, some of the questions became more significant than others. The subject of this study was an elementary school principal who currently holds her position at a K-4 Elementary School in a suburban area. Her responsibilities included the typical roles of an elementary principal. The building houses two-three classrooms per grade level with support personnel which included: a learning specialist, speech correctionist, physical education teacher, instrumental music teacher, special education paraprofessional, two custodians, and a secretary on a full time basis. A social worker, psychologist, art teacher, and a vocal music teacher served the students on a part-time basis. The student population numbered approximately 350, in a predominantly white setting. The significance of this study lies in several areas. Iron tie-c be; (’7 )0 First, the role of the classroom teacher is changing. No longer is teaching necessarily an isolated activity. Teachers are being asked to assume leadership reSponsibilities for decision making in those educational areas for which they have greatest concern. They are given ownership of a responsibility about which they care deeply. Teacher leaders become more vested in the school and its success. By sharing leadership those teachers should feel more ownership and commitment to the implementation of decisions. This study provided insights into teachers' beliefs regarding their leadership roles. Secondly, since the role of the teacher is changing, the principal's may as well. Principals, by virtue of the authority of their position, are seen as school leaders. Yet ideally, the necessary leadership will arise from a collaboration among principals, teachers, and parents. .As teachers begin to assume leadership, the principal must be willing to relinquish some of his/her control and share it with teachers. By professionalizing teaching and building a more collaborative culture in the schools, the way in which both the staff and students grow and learn may be profoundly changed. This study provided insights into an elementary principal's beliefs regarding the role of an administrator in a school where teacher leadership was encouraged. Finally, central to the changing roles of both the principal and the teacher is the school culture in which these changes take place. There are schools that are )1 pleasant places to work, where teachers see themselves as professionals, and where students receive a high quality education. One characteristic of these schools is a culture that is responsive to the needs of teachers as professionals and encourages opportunities for teachers to dialogue together, to interact professionally, and to form collegial relationships. This study provided insights into what components of the school culture are necessary for teacher leadership to occur and be maintained. The method of researdh used during this study was ethnography, also known as qualitative research, naturalistic research, or fieldwork research. (Bodgen and Biklen, 1982) The purpose of ethnography is to discover the patterns of behavior that make up a social system in order to provide descriptions about social human behavior. The goal of this type of research is to identify why people are doing what they are doing. The researcher also would consider what experiences the subjects had, how they interpreted their experiences, and how they structured their social world. In this study, the researcher discovered the roles and responsibilities of the principal changes when teachers are given leadership responsibilities. This study was conducted during the first semester of the 1991-92 academic year. The fieldwork toOk place in an elementary building (K-4) located in a suburban district. The principal of the building was identified by her peers as an administrator who supported teacher leadership on the part of the teachers in the school. Since the purpose of field research in ethnographic studies is to learn about the process rather than the outcomes, the major concern of this fieldwork is descriptive. To be able to describe the context of the study, the following methods were utilized: - Participant Observations - Open-ended Interviews - Review of Relevant School Documents - Observer's Comments - Fieldnote Memos The participant observations occurred throughout the school day. Before and after school, the staff was Observed in various locations throughout the building, the teachers' lounge, the office, in classrooms, and in hallways. During school hours, six of the staff members were followed through their regular scheduled day. Many of the staff meetings or building curriculum meetings served as opportunities for observation. The researcher spent approximately one full day (8 1/2 hours) per week observing the principal in these different contexts. This project took place for sixteen weeks, beginning September 2nd and concluding the week of 13 December 16th. Events, interactions of the participants, activities, and factors which seemed relevant to the study were recorded in fieldnotes. Interviews were tape-recorded with the consent of the subject. The open-ended interviews were used to Obtain data to clarify and reinforce what was observed and recorded during the participant observations. Interviews also served as a source for understanding the participants' behavior. Two series of interviews were held for the data collection. Finally, the third source of information was the school documents that included descriptions of different school activities and experiences in which the staff have been involved. To answer the research questions, documents were collected which included memos from the administration, an Annual Report submitted to the Michigan Department of Education, a district Parent/Student Handbook, forms indicating professional develOpment activities for the staff, and a North Central Association Accreditation Report. In following appropriate research practice, the researcher's personal reactions, inferences, emerging questions, and assertions were recorded separate from the observations and during regular intervals. Analytic memos were written to aid in analysis, with summary reflections on any emerging issues, and the formulation of questions for further investigation. (Bogden and Biklen, 1982) By utilizing the above methods, the data were cross- referenced. Every effort was made to incorporate the voice 14 of the staff into the process of data analysis. Analysis of the data involved "checks" at intervals within the duration of the study. The purpose of this periodic analysis was to determine if the questions originally asked needed modification. Where this was necessary, new questions were generated to add to the inquiry. The final analysis involved a systematic and careful examination of all the data to determine the patterns that helped to answer the questions used to guide the investigation. Care was taken to triangulate the data across different types and sources of information. The focus of this study was to identify the roles and responsibilities of a building principal when teachers are encouraged to assume leadership. However, the following items are the delimitation and limitations of the study: DELIMITATIQN l. The focus is on one principal, in one school, in one district. Although the question of whether the findings are generalizable may surface, the researcher is more concerned with the question of to which other settings and subjects the study is generalizable. LIMITATIONS 1. A majority of the findings will come from the observations and interviews. The researcher has completed a series of graduate level ethnographic research coursework, in which she conducted a pilot study similar to the current study and utilized the observation and interview techniques. 2. The researcher brought to the study her own opinions, prejudices, and other biases which may affect the data. Since the researcher is sensitive to this issue, her observations may be affected by her personal orientation. The researcher's primary goal was to add to knowledge on the role of the elementary principal. The researcher tried to interact with the subjects in a natural, unobtrusive, and non- threatening manner. She attempted to "blend into the woodwork" and try to act so that the activities that occur in her presence would not differ significantly from those that occur in her absence. The description of the roles and responsibilities of an elementary principal begins with a review of the literature. Chapter 2 contains background for the study and the findings by reviewing existing literature on the historical perspective of the role of the teacher. As the teacher moves from an isolated member of the educational community to one of shared leadership, the role of building principal changes. Therefore, a continuation of the review of the literature is needed to give a historical perspective of the role of the building principal. Each of these areas is intertwined in describing a movement toward collegiality in the schools. Finally, included in the review of the literature, is a description of the school culture and its relationship to the roles and responsibilities of the teacher and the principal. Chapter 3 contains rationales for both the topic and method of this study. The processes of participant observations, open-ended interview, and review of relevant school documents are described in detail. A historical description of the community, a description of the site, and a comprehensive floor plan are included, with a detailed timeline of the site selection process. The findings of the study will be detailed in Chapter 4. The findings have been organized into sections: - Assertions regarding teacher leadership -.Assertions regarding the role of the building principal in working with teacher leaders 17 - Assertions regarding the beliefs of the staff Chapter 5 includes a summary of the study. conclusions from the research findings, implications for educational practice, recommendations for further research, and reflections of the researcher. th CHAPTERII The literature on the leadership roles of teachers and principals overwhelmingly emphasizes the need for a ”professionalization“ of the profession. In the recently heralded “second wave" of the American educational reform, the new reformers are united in an effort to improve education by improving the status and power of teachers, and by "professionalizing" the occupation of teachers. (Darling- Hammond, 1987) Involved in the restructuring of schools is “the building of a new set of relationships between members of the school community, including an enlargement of the leadership team in schools, new roles for teachers and administrators, changed organizational arrangement, and even a rethinking of the substance of what is to be taught." (Lieberman, 1988) Another integral component of the roles that teachers and administrators assume is the culture in 18 ”.4; ‘1‘. v which they assume them. "When we struggle to understand the culture, its people, and its substance, we must acknowledge that each school is different, that the collection of people and their history together form different ways of being." (Lieberman, 1984) Historically, one common theme permeates the description of the setting for teaching - isolation. Lynn Olson points out that "most teachers spend their days closeted away in their classrooms, taking their marching orders from.the central office." (p. 56) It has frequently been written that "teaching is a lonely profession." (Sarason, 1966) Once a student graduates from a teacher preparation program, he/she finds him/herself alone in the classroom with a group of students without a peer or supervisor in sight. This new teacher is left with a degree in hand, high expectations, some untried methodologies, and few adults with whom to share, grow and learn. If teaching is to be understood as a "lonely profession,” then the source of that loneliness lies outside of the realm of children. It may be caused by the lack of interactions with other adults, especially one's colleagues. "While relations with students tend to be immediate, direct, and engaging, relations with peers may be characterized as remote, oblique, and defensively protective." (Lieberman, 1984) f? 92 F) (I) (‘1 m "‘1 20 For most teachers in most schools, teaching is a lonely enterprise. "Adthough teaching is highly interpersonal, teachers are isolated from colleagues most of the day, and professional interaction is often limited." (Davis, 1987) With so many people engaged in so common a mussion in so compact a space and time,"it is perhaps the greatest irony - and the greatest tragedy of teaching - that so much is carried on in self-imposed and professionally sanctioned isolation." (Lieberman, 1984) Not only were teachers isolated in their profession, but for the last two decades, state and federal regulations were mandating what was to be taught. Between 1969 and 1974, state legislatures enacted approximateky 66 laws encouraging accountability through management and budget reforms, planning and evaluation procedures, and statewide assessment of student performance. By 1979, all fifty states had undertaken some legislative or state board initiative to set standards for schools or students, usually in the form of minimum competency testing. By 1983, most states had put in place mandates prescribing school curricula, planning activities, evaluation procedures, and student promotion or graduation requirements. "These accountability movements tended to view the teacher not as an autonomous decision maker but as an agent of public school policy makers subject to hierarchical control.“ (Lieberman, Darling-Hammond, 1988) Ernest Boyer, President of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching wrote: 21 It's ironic that while American business is beginning to recognze the importance of the worker, in education we still are trying to fix the system from the top down. The time has come to recognize that school renewal should be led not just by politicians, but by educators, too. Principals and teachers must be given not only more responsibility, but more empowerment as well. (Hill, 1989) Following the publication of the 1983 report,.A;NatiQn AL_Risk, in which the National Commission on Excellence in Education pointed to declining student scores on tests of academic ability and higher order thinking skills, the "second.wave" of American educational reform was heralded.by another set of reports. Both the Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy and the Holmes Group of Education Deans were united in their desire to improve education by "improving the status and power of teachers and by 'professionalizing' the occupation of teaching." (Lieberman, Darling-Hammond, 1988) Hill points out that in this second phase of reform, one of the major themes was "the need to professionalize and empower the nation's teachers." (p. 53) In the report, A W a new role for the nation's teachers was stressed: If the schools are to compete successfully with medicine, architecture, and accounting for staff, then teachers will have to have comparable' authority in making the key decisions about the services they render. (Hill, 1989) Over the years research has indicated that teachers ’U. '?. fit ‘ra "‘1 22 have long expressed a great desire to participate in educational decision making. In 1950, Muscovitz reported that "more than fifty percent of his sample of several hundred teachers in New York City desired participation in such educational decisions as budget preparation and the planning of systemwide staff meetings." (Watson, 1966) Watson continues by pointing out that: nearly one-third of the teachers expressed the wish to participate in the evaluation of teacher growth and the preparation of the school calendar. Yet the percentage of teachers reporting actual involvement was small - on only one item did as many as twenty-five percent report actual participation. (October, 1966) But what would it mean to professionalize teaching? Arthur Wise believes there are six steps to teacher professionalism which include: process, 1. Refonm of Teacher Education 2. Reform.of Teacher Licensing 3. Restructuring of Schools 4. Reform of unions 5. Reform of Accountability 6. Reform of Incentives (pp.58-59) In a description of the third component of his six step he recommends that schools must restructure to 23 promote teacher participation in decision making. He suggests involving teachers in hiring new colleagues, inducting new teachers into the school, planning the curriculum, selecting textbooks, and organizing and operating the student evaluation system. (p. 58) In fact, the Carnegie Report, W Ieaahera_fnr;the_2151_centnz¥. laid down a number of specific recommendations to assist teaching in making a transition from occupation to profession. These recommendations are as follows: - Creating a National Board for Professional Teaching Standards to certify teachers - Restructuring schools to provide a "professional environment for teachers, giving them autonomy within the classroom.while holding them accountable for student progress" - Including a new category of "lead teachers" who would guide and influence the activities of other teachers - Requiring that teachers earn a bachelor's degree in the arts and sciences before entering the professional study of teaching - Developing a new professional curriculum.in graduate schools of education leading to a master's degree - MObilizing the nation's resources to prepare minorities for teaching careers a Rhfi bud 24 - Linking student performance to teacher compensation and providing schools with the technology, services and staff necessary for teacher productivity - Making teacher's salaries competitive with those in other professions (Hill, 1989) Linda Darling-Hammond purports that the following characteristics would serve to allow and ensure competent professional performance of teachers: - Rigorous entry requirements - Supervised induction - Autonomous performance - Peer-defined standards of practice - Increased responsibility with increased competence (1984, pp. 2-3) She believes that efforts in these directions can lead to "a more professional and instructionally productive approach to schooling as well as teaching." (p. 4) A.key factor in the professionalization of teachers is the opportunity for teachers to make decisions. That decision making "goes hand in hand with breaking down the isolation that keeps teachers separate and prevents developing networks that might move teachers closer to 25 professionalism," (Maeroff, 1989) The opportunity to make decisions seems to have been all too unusual in schools. It appears that most teachers lack meaningful opportunities to make decisions. In a survey of teacher involvement in decision making released by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, of ten possible areas of decision making, in only two - choosing textbooks and materials, and shaping the curriculum.- did the majority of teachers feel involved. The report says that "recent education reforms have done little to increase teacher involvement in budget decisions, student placement, student discipline policies, or staff development matters.“ (Executive Educator, 1989) In another survey sponsored by Instructor Magazine, of the 8,000 teachers less than 30% stated that they make most of the basic decisions concerning textbooks and supplemental educational materials. Forty- seven percent made none of the important decisions concerning inservice training. Sixty-one percent had no opportunities to observe other teachers in the classroom. Less than twenty- five percent saw themselves as "meaningfully involved" in choosing the subjects and grade levels they teach. Finally, eighty-one percent "rarely or never" received useful guidance from.the principal on instructional matters. (Stimson, 1988) Maeroff believes that although teachers do not want to run the school, they do want to be free to run their own classes. He states that "they want to be consulted on decisions that are going to affect them and once they know r4 26 what to expect, they usually maintain the proper balance between conformity and autonomy.“ (Raelin, p. 17) Over the past five years various terms have been utilized in the literature to identify this change in the role of teacher decision making. Throughout the literature one may see "site-based management," "teacher empowerment," "school-based management, " "school improvement, ""participatory management", and "school-based decision making." All of these terms mean bringing the responsibility for decisions as close as possible to the school. In essence, "it means carrying out decisions by involving staff members directly in the decision making process and by trusting their abilities and judgments." (Harrison, et. al., 1989) According to Ann Lieberman in an interview with Ron Brandt, she defines empowerment as "empowering teachers to participate in group decisions, to have real decision making roles in the community." (Brandt, 1989) By providing teachers with the opportunities to make decisions on topics relevant to their classrooms, they begin to assume leadership roles in the building. Districts are implementing school-based.management today to bring about significant change in educational practice: "to empower school staff to create conditions in schools that facilitate improvement and continuous professional growth." (David, 1989) Although school-based management takes many forms, the essence is school-level autonomy plus participatory decision making. Research studies find "a range of positive effects in districts which 27 practice this type of management. Increased teacher satisfaction and professionalism to new arrangements and practices within schools are two such effects." (David, 1989) For most educators, their duties remain much the same, whether they have taught for three years or thirty. It appears as though they have little to say about what happens in the school as a whole. Yet "across the nation, educators are assuming greater responsibility for the performance of their peers, promoting new approaches to teaching and learning, and making decisions about school policies and programs." (Olson, 1989; Lieberman, 1989) In reviewing the literature, the two districts in the country which are cited most frequently are Dade County, Florida and Rochester, New York. Dade County, Florida, is one of the first sites where teachers have gained control over how they spend money, allocate staff, and organize instruction. Olson described the program, titled the School- Based Management/Shared Decision Making Program as, "a creation of the Dade County Public Schools, and the local teachers' union." (p. 59) In essence, Olson states that the Dade County program "assumes teachers with greater autonomy will create better and.more stimulating schools." (p. 59) In Rochester, New York, a Career In Teaching Plan was developed by the Rochester City School District to make effective use of teacher expertise, to increase the reliability of teacher evaluations by diversifying them, to reward long term commitment to teaching, and to recruit and 28 retain outstanding teachers. The Career In Teaching Plan created a four-tiered profession: - Intern teachers - new practitioners without experience, who must teach under the guidance of mentor teachers - Resident teachers - teachers who have successfully completed a year of internship but have not yet achieved tenure or permanent certification; - Professional teachers - teachers who have earned permanent certification and tenure; - Lead teachers - teachers selected by a joint panel of teachers and administrators, who teach at least half time (Urbanski, 1988) Another example of changing teacher roles is in the Pittsburgh Public School District, where less than ten years ago they opened the Schenley High School Teacher Center. The program.focused on each individual teacher in each secondary school as the target of change. Teachers from the district's other eleven secondary schools visited the center in groups of fifty for eight weeks. They “participated in structured experiences to refine and expand their instructional skills, increase their sensitivity to adolescent development, and update their content knowledge, and renew themselves both personally and professionally." (Johnson, et. a1, 1990) 29 Through on-going evaluation of the program, it is believed that the Schenley High School resident staff gained many benefits from actively implementing and developing the program for the visiting teachers. Both groups, the visiting teachers and the resident staff, were able to be involved in decisions that would directly affect their work. In 1986, the district began the Centers of Excellence Program, "which challenged each school's staff to institutionalize shared decision making and school-based professional development.“ (Johnson, et. al., 1990) Each school created an instructional cabinet of administrators and teachers who would meet regularly to make decisions related to the instructional climate of the school, such as identifying objectives, how they would achieve them, cost of each step, and the evaluation process. A.key to the Centers of Excellence Program is the facilitator, a teacher at each school who both taught a maximum of three periods and functioned as an in-house organization development specialist. The facilitator was responsible for: - Coordinating and facilitating development, implementation, and dissemination of Center of Excellence activities - Serving as liason between the school and the director of the Centers of Excellence - Providing feedback to the instructional cabinet and other related groups 30 - Identifying and scheduling training for appropriate personnel - Coordinating schoolwide professional development activities with special emphasis on peer observations, teaching clinics, and seminars (Johnston,1990) In the midwest, in Hammond, Indiana, "a school improvement effort provides the opportunities for teachers to have a major say in decision making and in shaping the programs they believe will be best suited to the needs of their students." (Casner-Lotto, 1988) The participants in the School Improvement Process believe that those most closely affected by decisions should have a major role in making them and that reforms are most effective when carried out by people who have a sense of ownership of them. Because of this belief, the concept of pyramiding has become a key component of the School Improvement Process (SIP). Pyramiding is cited as "increasing the number of people who have input into decision making and thus increasing the acceptance of new programs and policies." (Casner-Lotto, 1988) Casner-Lotto points out that the School Improvement Process, in Hammond, Indiana, which draws on the collective energy and expertise of teachers, administrators, students, parents , and other community members, "is fundamentally changing the way schools operate and enhancing opportunities for learning." (p. 349) 31 Further west in the ABC District of Cerritos, California, the teachers are part of a highly participative structure that extends from the classroom to the district office. The move to provide teachers with the responsibility for decision making began in the 1970's. At that time the superintendent, Eugene Tucker, had a firm commitment to involve staff members at all levels in the management of their work. Tucker took three steps which influenced the process of change in the district, which include: - A new management organization - his goal was to reduce the number of levels between the superintendent and the principals to one: a district director for elementary or secondary education to improve communication and professional interaction among administrators as well as to keep the funds in the school. - Teacher control of curriculum.- the control of the curriculum has been completely transferred into the hands of the teachers. 1- Teachers as school leaders - Superintendent Tucker established Instructional Resource Teachers at each school, to provide instructional leadership for teachers and work with the principal on instructional issues. (Sickler, 1988) 32 According to the ABC teachers, the benefits of the changes are many. First, "the results of the teacher designated curriculum are far more useful because those who teach the new curriculum feel a sense of ownership and the second benefit is the opportunity for interaction among different schools, across grade levels, and among subject areas." (Sickler, 1988) .As teachers begin to make meaningful decisions in their schools, they have the opportunity to demonstrate their leadership skills, Barth indicates that "every teacher is good at, or wants to and can become good at some important part of the life and work of a school." (p. 640) Teachers harbor extraordinary leadership capabilities and their leadership is a major untapped resource for improving U.S. schools. (Barth, 1988) Maeroff believes teachers are hungry for stimulating educational experiences. "If they did not care about learning they would not have contemplated careers in the classroom." (Maeroff, 1988). However, "until some teachers are willing and able to take the initiative required to assume new roles, until other teachers are willing to work with them, and until administrators and policy makers are willing to provide the structural and symbolic support for such leadership, our schools and our teachers will not be as effective as they could.be." (Rallis, 1988) Expanding the leadership team.in schools means not just creating a few new teacher roles or giving the principal some 33 help, but finding new ways of organizing schools "to create an open collaborative mode of work to replace teacher isolation." (Lieberman, 1988) Studies by Lieberman indicate that a teacher in an expanded leadership role becomes involved in a comprehensive series of actions which include: - Building trust and rapport - Making organizational diagnosis - Building skill and confidence in others - Using resources - Dealing with the change process - Managing the work (p. 6) Inherent in each of these "skill clusters" are strategies teacher leaders use txz‘build structures for collaborative work with their peers. Finding ways to create structures for teachers to work together, to focus on the problems of their school, to enhance their repertoires of teaching strategies - are all part of the work of teachers *who work with other teachers. (Lieberman, 1988) Judith Warren Little offers an operational definition of collegiality in schools. She believes that collegiality is the presence of four specific behaviors, as follows: Adults in schools TALK ABOUT PRACTICE. These conversations about teaching and learning are frequent, continuous, concrete, and. precise. 34 Adults in schools OBSERVE EACH OTHER engaged in the practice of teaching and administration. These observations become the practice to reflect on and talk about. Adults engage together in WORK ON CURRICULUM by planning, designing, researching, and evaluating curriculum. Finally, adults in schools TEACH EACH OTHER what they know about teaching,learning, and leading. (Barth, 1990) There are successful models of teacher leadership cited in the literature. Early findings appear to show that these models are being created in school contexts, that they are heavily dominated by a "helping stance, are part of helping to build a more professional climate in schools, are accepted by teachers, can. be institutionalized, and can. be collaboratively mounted by professional associations working with state and local authorities." (Lieberman, 1987) One such program is that of the Teacher Advisor Project (TAP) of the Marin County Office of Education, implemented in the early 1980's. This program.created two new positions for teachers: Teacher advisors and peer facilitators. Kent states that TAP is based on two major beliefs: - Teachers can and will define their own professional development needs in relation to school, system, and professional goals to improve schools and learning - To affect change in the classroom or school assistance must be given on-site. (p. 31) 35 Kent describes the activities of the advisors and peer facilitators in five roles: resource linker, facilitator, trainer, colleague coach, and supervisor. (pp. 31-33) Each of these roles provides teachers with opportunities to work with other teachers in various responsibilities - from identifying presenters for staff meetings to the supervision of teachers. Little indicates that "through the advisors' and peer facilitators' direct involvement with teachers, it has shown that the perspectives and skills of advising have broad utility." (p. 34) Another example of a school district where teachers are working together toward a common cause is in Gorham, Maine. Goldman and O'Shea describe a district that is now "touting an outstanding parent volunteer program, teachers who lead staff development activities on a regular basis and participate in grade level as well as systemwide curriculum conmittees, and teachers along with administrators working on alternative assessment approaches." (p. 41) Judith Warren Little identifies three ways in which schools may benefit from promoting closer collegial ties among teachers : Schools benefit first by simply orchestrating the daily work of teaching across classrooms. Teachers,students, and parents all gain confidence in their knowledge of what is taught and why. Teachers are better prepared to support one another's strengths and weaknesses. Second, schools that promote teacher-to-teacher work tend to be organized to examine and test new ideas, methods, and materials. They are adaptable and self-reliant 36 in the face of new demands; they have the necessary organization to attempt school or classroom innovations that would exhaust the energy, skill,or resources of an individual teacher. Finally, schools that foster collegiality are plausibly organized to ease the strain of staff turnover, both by providing systematic assistance to beginning teachers and by explicitly socializing all newcomers to staff values, traditions, and resources . (Lieberman, 1990) Yet how would one describe a collaborative school? Smith identifies five characteristics of a collaborative SChool: - The belief that the quality of education is largely determined by what happens at the school site - The conviction that instruction is most effective in a school environment characterized by norms of collegiality and continuous improvement - The belief that teachers are responsible for the instructional process and accountable for its outcomes The use of a wide range of practices and structures that enable administrators and teachers to work together on school improvenent The involvement of teachers in decisions about school goals and the means for implenenting them. (p. 17) Researchers have found that "to create a more professional culture in the schools, collegiality must first be developed." (Lieberman, 1988) Studies have shown that when the principal encourages and facilitates collegial work, 37 the results are collaborative interactions among staff members. "Coordinating professionals in the fluid context of collegial support is a complex task for the administrator." (Smith, 1988) Thus, changing the teaching career structure would also change administrative structures and roles. As Urbanski stated, "We cannot develop new roles for teachers without affecting the traditional roles of school administrators." (p. 52) Philip Schlechty succinctly wrote, "Teachers should leaders of leaders." be leaders, and administrators, (Urbanski, 1988) The process of changing the roles and responsibilities of school people "will stir up and disturb some of the deeply rooted beliefs, not because current arrangements are effective, but because that is the way things are." (Lieberman, 1988) However, it is possible to conceive of principals and teachers moving to a collaborative relationship in which they can all be leaders in the school and share in a collective responsibility. Access to decision making will be enhanced by "getting teachers and principals to see each other as collaborators in making schools work effectively for students, not as competitors for power." (Maeroff , 1988) 38 As teachers and principals renegotiate the terms of their work, creating these new roles and structure will undoubtedly produce turf conflicts, rewards, and responsibilities. Yet all members of the school community can be involved in building a collaborative culture. But those involved in such creations must "realize that time, perseverance, and courage will be needed to work out these new forms." (Lieberman, 1988) Researchers have documented that norms of collaboration are built through the interactions created by the principal's facilitation of collegial work. In Little's study, she described how the norms which were built as daily routines of isolation were replaced by talking, critiquing, and working together. (Lieberman, 1988) Lieberman points out that "teachers must be organized, mobilized, led, and nurtured, with the principal's support, participation, and concern." (p. 151) If principals are needed to facilitate collegial work among teachers, what traits under what situations are important for their leader effectiveness? To answer that question we first need the answer to what exactly does a principal d0? Recent studies have provided a systematic description of principals at work which has been shown "to be consistent across organizational types, across organizational roles, and across countries." (Hay and Miskel, 1991) The 39 five generalizations include: Generalization 1 - The work is consuming. School administrators work long hours (50-60 hours per week) at an unrelenting, physically exhausting pace. Daily routines, procedural repetition, and long periods of uneventfulness are prevalent, but 'unpredictable events arise frequently; Generalization 2 — Work is done primarily in offices. Time Chart 45-55% in offices 10-20% in classrooms 5-10% away from school 5-10% in the halls 10-15% in other offices, staff rooms, and the school grounds In their offices, principals spend about 25% of the time working alone and 75% with people, mostly faculty and staff. Generalization 3 - Work is fragmented. The work of school administrators is characterized by variety, brevity, and fragmentation. Principals average about three-seven minutes for each activity, but most activities last only one or two minutes. If it is assumed that principals change activities every five minutes for the ten hours they work each day, principals participate in about 120 different tasks per day. Generalization 4 - Work is done through verbal media. Talking to individuals and groups is the primary activity of school administrators. The primary medium of exchange is oral during brief face to face conversations, but information is also traded by telephone and public address systems. Generalization 5 - Work is done on a variety of tasks. Common activities include administering (discipline, giving guidance to students, dealing with staff and faculty on simple to complex issues (but rarely on ones related to instruction), substitute ‘teaching, implementing procedural rules, conducting mobile and static surveillance of the halls, balancing the school's budget, maintaining the plant and equipment, and gaining professional krumnledge. (pp. 257-259) 4O researchers used In another study, a group of ethnography to gather material on the principal's work activities. Each principal studied was accompanied by one member of the research team and directly observed for up to twelve working days over a three year period. Through the activities, researchers' detailed notes on the principals' they were able to describe the workflow of the principals' behavior. The research indicates that "most of a principal's work day consists of interacting with other people." (Morris, et. al., 1984) In total, the elementary principals in the study spent 83% of their work time in contact with Other people, with students receiving the greatest amount of time. The second most frequent interaction concerned contacts with the researcher or with other outsiders, accounting for 19% of the principal's time. The third most frequent interaction was with faculty members. Faculty members tended to initiate many of the interactions with the principal. However, most of these interactions occurred while the principal was on the run, in the corridors or between regularly scheduled meetings. (Morris, et. al., 1984) In general, the impression that many students, parents, and non-educators have is that the principal is all things to all people. In 1974, the Select Committee on Equal Educational Opportunity of the United States Senate issued a report on the role of the school principal which supports ’ :- 41 this point of view: In many ways the school principal is the most important and influential individual in any school. He is the person responsible for all the activities that occur in and around the school building. It is his leadership that sets the tone of the school, the climate for learning, the level of professionalism and morale of teachers, and the degree of concern for what students may or may not become. He is the main link between the school and the community, and the way he performs in the capacity largely determines the attitudes of students and parents about the school. If a school is a vibrant, innovative, child-centered place, if it has a reputation for excellence in teaching, if students are performing to the best of their ability, one can almost always point to the principal's leadership as the key to success. (Weldy, 1979) Yet in spite of how fair, friendly, and candid a principal may be, many students, parents, and staff see him/her as the ultimate authority in the school. "Authority relationships (student-teacher, teacher-administrator, or subordinate-superior) are an integral part of life in schools." (Hoy and Miskel, 1991) A school principalship is "a position of power, and how principals use that power can make a difference in America's efforts to achieve quality education." (Porter and Lemon, 1988) John Maccoby described two types of power used by organizational leaders to influence followers as position power and personal power. Position power is an important element in accomplishing school goals, since it is based on the right of a leader to make decisions and initiate actions. "This source of power is that which is vested in the office, 42 in the role of the principal. Thus, in a school, the role of the principal is seen as a position of power." (Adams and Bailey, 1989) As principals deal with numerous problems in schools, they use position power to control resources and the flow of information between teacher and administration, between teachers and teachers, and between teachers and parents. (Porter and Lemon, 1988) The principal's personal power is developed by the staff's cooperative responses to his/her leadership. This second source of power has to do with the power that is "entrusted to the role of the person who functions as the principal." (Adams and Bailey, 1989) This power must be earned by the principal, it is not automatically given to her/him due to her/his office. Research indicates that "school leaders use their personal power to impact their staffs." (Porter and Lemon, 1988) In a study of elementary principals in North Dakota and Minnesota, researchers examined teachers' Perceptions of the their principals' use of seven power strategies. The seven strategies, identified by Kipnis, Schmidt, and Wilkinson, include : Assertiveness (ordering teachers to comply) Ingratiation (making teachers feel good) Rationality (explaining the reasons for a request) - Sanctions (using administrative rewards and punishment) - Exchange (reciprocating benefits) 43 - Upward Appeal (seeking the support of superiors) - Coalitions (gaining the support of a peer or subordinate group) (Porter and Lemon, 1988) Findings from the study indicate that principals are perceived by teachers to use similar combinations of power strategies. Rationality was the strategy most frequently reported by teachers as used by the principals. The remainder of the strategies were utilized in the following order: Ingratiation, Upward Appeal, Coalitions, Exchange, Assertiveness, and Sanctions. According to the teachers, it was the frequency with which the various power strategies were used by the principals that affected the teaching and learning climates in the schools. Although power has been described as an "ugly" word, one that "connotes dominance and submission, control and acquiescence, one man's will at the expense of another man's self-esteem," Stimson and .Appelbaum. point out that "leadership is the exercise of power." (p. 313) The point at which principals must assert final decision-making power is a movable point on an axis that will vary with different issues in different school environments, but in every school, a successful principal will involve teachers to some degree in shared decision making. (vann, 1989) 44 In fact, "by sharing this power, most administrators will become even more powerful leaders, in that they will have more willing and more knowledgeable followers." (Vann, 1989) Principals of collaborative schools have discovered that "Power shared is power gained: teachers respect for them grows." (Smith, 1988) Roland Barth describes shared leadership "where the school is a community of leaders, where everyone's mission is to insure that students, parents, teachers, and principals all become school leaders in some ways and at some times." (p. 640) Glatthorn and Newberg emphasize the importance of shared leadership by their statement "that an organization is best served by leaders who empower others." (p. 62) Barth suggests the following steps toward shared leadership for principals who wish to develop a community of leaders within the school. First, the principal needs to articulate his/her vision of where the school should be to the entire school community. Sergiovanni supports this step by defining administration as "a process of working with and through others to accomplish school goals efficiently." (p. 6) Second, the principal must relinquish responsibilities, so that the latent, creative powers of teachers can be released. "The wise principal uses all the help he can mObilize and control to fulfill his/her many roles and responsibilities." (Weldy, 1979) In fact, Sergiovanni states that "administrative activity cannot be expressed in the absence of other people, and it is through others that principals 45 perform their work." (p. 6) Third and fourth, entrusting teachers by relinquishing decision making authority to them and then involving teachers in decision making will help develop a community of leaders. Bridges indicates that "of the myriad of activities in which the principal engages, his conscious involvement of teachers in making decisions is one of the most crucial." (p. 49) The fifth step, assigning responsibilities wisely, is accomplished by matching an important school issue with a teacher who feels passionately about that issue. "Teachers and other staff members possess expertise and information that are crucial for defining problems and making progress." (Murphy, 1988) Sixth, the principal must share the responsibility for failure and attribute success to the teacher. "Good principals are more often hero makers than heroes." (p. 641) The seventh step, believing in teachers, is necessary since, when principals expect teachers to be committed and responsible school leaders, the leadership tendencies of teachers are more likely to emerge. The final step is for the principal to admit ignorance. By declaring ignorance, it suggests that the principal and the school need help and that the teacher can provide it. (Barth, 1988) Administrators "must now be leaders of leaders." (Goldman and O'Shea, 1990) The Far west Laboratory for Educational Research and Development conducted a five year study in which the researchers compiled more than 10,000 pages of notes collected from 1,100 hours of observations and 46 interviews with teachers, students, and principals. These findings suggest that principals exercise leadership in subtle ways. Six ways were identified that principals in the study appeared to exercise leadership. They included: - Informing teachers of professional opportunities - Disseminating professional and curriculum materials - Focusing staff attention on a specific theme - Soliciting teachers' opinions - Encouraging experhmentation, and - Recognizing individual teachers' achievements (McEvoy, 1987) The informal supervision. appeared. to ihave some advantages over the more formal teacher evaluation procedures. In fact, the quick exchanges that occur in the familiar surroundings of a hallway or lounge may convey a principal's message of concern or support in a less threatening manner than would a formal meeting. The research of the Far West Study suggests that "principals can actually stimulate and reinforce professional growth within their schools - for individual teachers and their staffs as a whole." (p. 76) Principals in the study persuaded teachers to reflect on their teaching processes, attend workshops, take advantage of opportunities in their communities, experiment with new ideas, and learn from each other. "Through their daily interactions, these principals used 47 their brief and fragmented communications to encourage and inspire teachers." (McEvoy, 1987) In another study at the University of Texas at Austin, a team.of researchers have been investigating the leadership skills of elementary and secondary principals. Some clear and easily detectable distinctions between more effective and less-effective principals emerged from the data. .According to earlier research, effective principals: - Have clear, informed visions of what they want their schools to become - visions that focus on students and their needs - Translate these visions into goals for their schools and expectations for the teachers, students, and administrators '- Establish school climates that support progress toward these goals and expectations - Continuously monitor progress - Intervene in a supportive or corrective manner, when this seems necessary (Rutherford, 1985) Although all effective school leaders will demonstrate the five essential qualities of leadership in their daily work, the behaviors by which each seeks to accomplish the goals may vary widely. The fact that effective leaders behave in varying ways is positive and encouraging for two 48 reasons. First, it means that individuals who wish to be effective leaders do not need to undergo a personality change or take part in therapy aimed at changing their behaviors to fit some predetermined pattern. Second, it means that, as situations change, leaders can modify their behaviors accordingly and still retain their commitment to the five essential qualities of effective leaders. (Rutherford, 1985) Again this study emphasized the principal's gathering of information by both formal and informal methods. Some of the techniques utilized included: walking in the hallways, ducking in and out of classrooms, attending grade level and department meetings and holding spontaneous conversations with individual teachers. Principals who are most successful as leaders themselves are somehow able to enlist teachers in providing leadership for the entire school. Yet the sense of security of the principal, above all else, is a precondition upon which the development of a community of leaders rests. The security of the principal may be influenced in several ways: - During the preservice preparation of the aspiring principal - During the interviewing process - Through inservice (Lieberman, Barth, 1988) 49 To help provide for the security of the principal, the Principals' Center at Harvard was established in 1981. Over 100 other centers have been established in the United States and abroad. A.National Network of Principals' Centers now supports emerging and existing centers through newsletters, conferences, an annual journal, and year-long informal interactions. Although there is no model of what a "Principals' Center" must be, the Principals' Center at Harvard shares with others many common purposes: - To provide helpful assistance to principals and other school leaders that will enable them to become more successful in fulfilling their goals and providing leadership to their school - To help principals cope with the changing realities of school administration, including increased time demands, collective bargaining, declining resources, and new state and federal guidelines - To bring together principals from across districts to share experiences, ideas, concerns, and successes - To identify promising school practices and arrange for principals who wish to engage in similar practices to visit one another's school - To encourage the formation of networks among principals, school districts, state departments, private foundations, professional associations, and 50 universities - To provide a mechanism for practitioners to take responsibility for promoting their own professional growth - To provide assistance to principals in sharing leadership with parents, teachers, and students within their schools - To provide a national forum for discussion of school leadership and professional training - To bring attention to the relationship of principals' professional development to good schools - To explore new conceptions of school leadership (Barth, 1990) Principals' Centers attempt to improve the quality of life and learning in schools by providing a context of mutual support and trust in which personal and professional relationships may be developed. Principals, like teachers, need and treasure collegiality and peer support. The centers provide a setting conducive to collegial support and the exchange of ideas and concerns. "When principals learn and share their learning with other principals, they not only feel professional, they become more professional." (Barth, 1990) Interestingly, at the same time that Principals' Centers are on the increase, questions are being raised regarding the university system of training school 51 administrators. "Nearly every one agrees that some special preparation is needed for school administrators, but questions of how much preparation and what kind of training are not easily resolved." (Sergiovanni, 1991) Recent efforts to redefine the core technologies of teaching and educational technology have produced a variety of recommendations. One such document, is that of the :- :‘o ' 0 ° -. -: o ' 'o o- .' z..- 9. -a U. o o. W, published by the National Association of Elementary School Principals. The proficiencies listed fall into four general areas: - Child Growth and Development - Teaching and Learning Processes - General Knowledge - School Climate Since the mid-1980's many school administrators have begun to emphasize their role as instructional leaders. In many schools the emphasis is on building school cultures, . enhancing collegiality, and on a renewed commitment to shared decision making. If there is increased professionalization in the form of lengthier study, higher certification requirement, the use of certifying boards, and the requirements for higher degrees, a core technology for the profession of educational administration may be created.which will further widen the rift 52 that now separates teaching and administration. (Sergiovanni, 1990) Instead, Sergiovanni suggests a change in the credentialing system by placing emphasis on long periods of study, the accumulation of specialized educational administration degrees and by placing more emphasis on actual performance. This new definition will place less emphasis on specialized competence and clear lines of responsibility and more emphasis on one's ability to serve purposes, commitments, and values shared with parents and teachers. In 1986, the National Education Association joined with the National Association of Secondary School Principals to produce the document W. Barth believes that the booklet "urges the school community to establish collaborative schools where the professional autonomy of teachers and the managerial authority of principals are harnessed together." (p. 642) This joint publication recommends many ways in which teachers and principals may work together toward developing a community of leaders. Among these suggestions were: - Principals involving teachers in decision making - Teachers playing an active role in setting the school budget and in evaluating the performance of their principals - Principals seeking teachers' advice on staffing needs 53 and on staffing decisions - Principals and teachers developing together schoolwide plans for instructional improvement and for recognizing student achievement (Barth. 1988) Historically, culture is a term with many meanings. "The use of culture as a formal scientific term originated in the anthropological field, with anthropologists disagreeing over how to conceive of culture." (Erickson, 1987) Throughout the literature the authors cite confusion over a definition for culture. Terms such as climate, ethos, and culture are frequently used interchangeably. Peterson and Deal identify School Culture or the Ethos Approach as a reform.strategy. They also state that "for many years the terms 'climate and ethos' have been used to try to capture this powerful elusive force...we call it school culture." (p. 4) Sergiovanni differentiates between climate and culture. Hoy and Miskel point out that "although the definitions of climate and culture are blurred and overlapping, one suggested difference is that culture consists of shared assumptions, values, or norms, while climate is defined by shared perceptions of behavior." (pp. 221-222) George Litwin, in 1968, conducted one of the earliest studies on the relationship between leadership behavior, the 54 climate of an organization, and the behavior of group members. His study dramatically demonstrated that "a leader, by varying leadership style, can create distinct organizational climates in a very short period of time." (Porter and Lemon, 1988) These climates, in turn, have a dramatic effect on group members' behavior and personalities. As Porter and Lemon state: Without question, the climate of an organization has a significant impact on the satisfaction and behavior of those in the organization. And the most influential organizational member in establishing that climate in a school setting is the principal. (p. 30) In defining climate, Patterson, Purkey, and Parker indicate that "climate is a measure of whether people's expectations are being met regarding what it should be like to work in the school district." (pp. 48-49) To distinguish between culture and climate, culture is defined as "the stable, underlying social meanings that shape beliefs and behavior over time." (Deal and Peterson, 1990) In other words, climate is often transitory and short term, while a school's culture is more stable and long term. "School climate and culture are linked.by the similar characteristics of both, yet climate is more interpersonal in feeling and substance and is seen in the attitudes and behaviors of teachers, supervisors, students, and principals at work." (Sergiovanni, 1987) A more descriptive definition of culture 55 is as follows: Each school has its own character or feel. You can sense it as you approach the building. You can almost taste it as you walk through the doors. You can see it in the pictures on the walls, and the students in the halls. You can hear it in exchanges between students and teachers in the classroom and in students'talk with one another on the playground. (Deal and Peterson, 1990) This invisible, taken-for-granted flow of beliefs and assumptions gives meaning to what happens in the school. In schools, "principals can play a key role in directing climate energy into productive channels." (Sergiovanni, 1987) Teachers' climate energy' may' be 'used. positively' or negatively, the key is whether they identify with and are committed to, the school and its' purposes. One of the most significant roles of leaders is the "creation, encouragement, and refinement of the symbols and symbolic activity that give .meaning to the organization." (Peterson and Deal, 1990) The school culture and climate are created. through the interactions of many key people on the staff, of which the principal is one. As Bennis points out, "cultures don't turn sharply with the pages of the calendar, they evolve." (p. 43) In a 1980's study by Porter and Lemon, they found more closed climate schools (34%) than open climate schools (22%). Since the climate of an organization has a significant impact on a person's job satisfaction, it indicates that there are teachers who are failing to find satisfaction in their work. 56 It suggests that "there is a need for principals to examine and change their leadership behaviors if schools are to become better places for teachers to teach and students to learn." (Porter and Lemon, 1988) Peterson and Deal provide a series of steps which principalSImust take to read and shape the cultures of their schools. Initially, "the principal must understand his/her school - its patterns, the purposes they serve, and how they came to be." (p. 16) As the principal starts to read the culture, he/she watches, senses, listens, interprets, uses all his/her feelings, and may even employ intuition when necessary. As he/she listens, he/she must pay attention to facts from.the school's history, the current events, and the visions for the future. As the principal has reflected on his/her reading of the culture, the next step is to evaluate the need to shape it. Peterson and Deal identify five ways in which the principal may shape school culture: - The principal as SYMBOL: affirm values through dress,'behavior, attention, routines - The principal as POTTER: shape and be shaped by the school's heroes, rituals, ceremonies, symbols 'The principal as POET: use language to reinforce values and sustain the school's best image of itself 'rhe principal as ACTOR: improvise in the school's inevitable dramas in 57 - The principal as HEALER: oversee transitions and change in the life of the school (p. 20) In effect, schools are like families where unspoken understandings dominate. "Each member of the family; the parents, the staff, the students all play a role in the establishment of the core beliefs to which they are all committed, the school's ethos." (Moore, 1990) Research has indicated that good schools evidence a strong and positive ethos, they are lead by people who clearly articulate a character ideal and provide opportunities for the members of the school's community to act upon these beliefs, attitudes, and values. The ethos of a school must be persistently reinforced to be maintained. The acting out of the ethos provides not only a positive reinforcement but also a constant reminder for the community of those things that bond them together. Schools are each separate cultures of their own. "One must understand what the norms and values are from the inside." (Lieberman, 1984) The school ethos within schools differ. As in the family, there are characters, strong personalities, leaders, and those to be tolerated. There are ways of being open and being closed. There are people who are listened to and people who are ignored. But like families, different people need different things at different times. "Sometimes what is rewarding at one time turns out to be draining at another; what one person needs experience in 58 may have always been a part of the repertoire of another - the family feeling persists in spite of these differences." (Lieberman, 1984) The second wave of reform "seems to hinge on more decision making power for teachers." (Simpson, 1990) Implicit in the promotion of meaningful decision making is the opportunity for sharing and collegiality among staff members. Participation in technical decision making, states Rosenholz, "increases ownership of school instructional goals." (1985) Little's research indicated that in successful schools, teachers valued and participated in norms of collegiality and continuous improvement. She believes that "these norms are a product of direct principal intervention." (Rosenholz, 1985) "Principals can revitalize the school setting by stimulating and managing its culture." (Snyder, 1988) Lambert points out that the "rightful task of a school leader is to perform on multiple levels in order to build the capacity, or autonomy, of a school to look at itself and the staff to look at each other within the school and initiate actions or patterns of relationships that will steadily improve the quality of the school culture." (p. 54) The teachers, the principal, and the school culture all fit together to promote and enhance a healthy school culture anphasizing personal and professional growth. The way in which a school's culture is developed and nurtured is greatly dependent upon the roles of the administrator and the teachers. A missing link in the 59 research is the way(s) in which the role of the principal changes as the role of the teacher changes. The focus of this study is on the changing role of the elementary principal when a core belief promoted in the culture of the school is teacher leadership. The study was an observational case study of the conduct of an elementary principal on a daily basis in the school building. The application of qualitative methods to the study of an elementary principal has begun to identify the intricate and complex responsibilities that quantitative, correlational, and experimental studies tend to ignore. CHAPTER III The researcher's purpose in this study was to investigate the roles and responsibilities of a principal where teacher leadership was encouraged in an elementary school setting. A description of the research method used in the study will be given in this chapter. To clarify the type of setting in which the study took place, the researcher will delineate a historical perspective on the community, staff, and school background. An account of the difficulty experienced by the researcher in securing a site for the study is also recounted. A description of the current status of the staff and the building concludes the chapter . The method of research used during the study was ethnography, also known as qualitiative research, ,60 *1 61 naturalistic research, or fieldwork research (Bogdan and Biklen, 1983) . The researcher focused on one principal and six teachers in a single elementary school building, observing their actions on a day-by-day basis, trying to single out significant incidents which, when analyzed later, offered a composite description of the changing role of an elementary principal. This methodology was selected to provide an in-depth look at the principalship. Hirsch describes ethnographic studies as: An essential supplement to quantitative research, putting flesh and blood back on bones of statistical categories so that we can not only read about, but see, a principal in action. (p. 18) She believes that if enough ethnographic studies are done on the principal, they will eventually produce resources that will allow, us to match up the abstractions of research with portraits of real-life principals at their work. Jacobs indicates that: Qualitative research has been characterized as emphasizing the importance of conducting research in a natural setting, as assuming the importance of understanding participants' perspectives, and as assuming that it is important for researchers subjectively and emphatically to know the perspectives of the participants. (p. 16) PAR TI CI PAN'I‘ OBSERVATIONS The main technique of the ethnographer is the participant observation. Beginning on September 2, 1991, 62 the researcher scheduled one day per week to visit the school. The school is located in a suburb of a large metropolitan city. These observations continued through the end of December, 1991. During the observation days, the researcher observed the principal and six staff volunteers. These observations occurred throughout the school and at various times during the day. Some of the key areas for observations included: the office, specific classrooms, the teachers' lounge, and the school hallways. Time was also scheduled for observations during staff meetings, as well as any committee meeting involving the informants. During each observation, the researcher kept detailed, minute-by-minute notes on the informants activities, noting the individuals involved, the nature of the interactions, and the linkage of one interaction with the next. Events, interactions of the informants, activities, and other factors which appeared relevant to the study were recorded in the fieldnotes. INTERVIEWS A series of two or three taped interviews were held with each of the informants to obtain data to clarify and reinforce what was observed and recorded during the participant observations. The following questions served as guidelines for the interviews: 63 W How would you define the term teacher leadership? Who identifies a teacher leader? Who would you identify as a teacher leader in the building? What new roles and responsibilities are available to teachers in the building, in the district? What role does the principal have in nurturing and supporting teacher leaders? What does the principal expect from the teacher leaders? To what degree would.you embrace or resist these leadership opportunities? What are your beliefs about teaching, learning, administration, and school? In what way are these the same beliefs as other staff members? In what way are these beliefs different than the other staff members? How are these beliefs established? Reinforced? Maintained? Altered? In what ways have the changing roles of teachers and principal caused a change in the school? E i . J i I' How would you define the term teacher leadership? 64 How and why is a teacher identified as a leader? Who would you identify as a teacher leader? Why? What role do you have in nurturing and supporting teacher leaders? How do you promote teacher leadership in the building? What expectations do you have of the teacher leaders? To what degree do the teachers embrace or resist these leadership opportunities? How do you encourage leadership without causing teachers to be pitted against another teacher? How do you recognize and promote teacher professional self-worth and accomplishment? What are your beliefs about teaching, learning, administration, and school? In what way are these the same beliefs as the other staff members? In what way are these beliefs different than the other staff members? How are these beliefs established? Reinforced? Maintained?.Altered? In what ways have changing roles of the teachers and principal caused a change in the school? What training does a principal need to recognize and support an effective leader? How do you approach a teacher who demonstrates leadership abilities? How do you assess a staff member's professional expertise? 65 How do you facilitate the use of the expertise of each staff member? However, if during the interviews a question was not providing the motivation for the informant to answer, the question was restated, changed, or eliminated, depending upon the need of the study. All decisions were made in the context of the study. SCHOOL DOCUMENTS The school documents were the third source of information. The documents included descriptions of different school activities and experiences in which the staff may have been involved. Documents were collected which included.memos to and from the administration, forms indicating professional development activities involving the staff, and budget line items for staff development and substitute teachers. Erickson points out that "the corpus of materials collected in the field are not considered data themselves, but sources for data." (p. 149) This includes the fieldnotes, interview transcripts, and school documents. .All these are documentary materials from which data may be constructed through a formal analysis. The information was 66 cross-referenced with every effort made to incorporate the voice of the staff into the process of data analysis. Care was taken to triangulate both the methods for data collection and sources of data. This meant that each piece of information gained, or each conclusion reached was considered as tentative until it had been corroborated by information from other sources. Analysis of the data involved checks at intervals within the duration of the study. The final analysis involved a systematic and careful examination of all the data to determine the patterns that helped to answer the questions used to guide the investigation. In any study that involves an administrator and several teachers from her staff, the biggest risk is the loss of confidentiality of the teachers. To reduce this risk, the researcher introduced the study to all staff members at the school during a staff meeting in the fall. .At the meeting the researcher described the study and asked for volunteers to participate as informants. Six of the staff members volunteered to participate. However, their identification was only known to the researcher. A consent form.was signed by each volunteer participant. This method of selection did not guarantee absolute anonymity, but it did provide adequate safeguards and reduced the concerns the classroom 67 teachers had regarding their participation. A.pseudonym.was designated for the school and each informant. These code names were used in recording all interviews and observations. All interviews involved only a single subject and the researcher at any one time and all observational data gathered were treated with absolute confidentiality. The site of this study was an elementary school (K-4) in a suburban school district . Gaining access to the building was obtained by requesting the assistance of the researcher's Superintendent. Since he has had a career in education for approximately thirty years in the area, he appeared to be an excellent resource for identifying school districts and schools that seemed to encourage leadership among their staff members. He contacted his colleagues and presented the researcher with the names of two principals in two separate districts. His experience as a local educator for many years provided the researcher with two extremely different settings for the project. The researcher contacted the first resource person, trying to establish communication with the principal and her .L‘ 68 staff. However, political roadblocks stood in the way of securing the site. The researcher conversed with the perspective principal and Assistant Superintendent by phone. The researcher visited the perspective school to meet with the principal. The principal's concerns regarding the study were evident from.the questions she asked and her reluctance to meet. Initially, the principal made many excuses for not meeting with the researcher. One such excuse was the need of the central office to have a copy of the dissertation proposal and a brief statement indicating what the cost of the project would be to the school district and how the district would benefit from being involved in the project. .A letter was written to the prospective district describing the project and listing the cost (both monetary and not) of the study to the district, as well as the positive contributions the study would make. After sending the letter, the researcher visited the school and met with the principal. During the visit the principal offered many ireasons why the project "wouldn't work." First, "too many new teachers on the staff," also, "many teachers have changed their grade level assignments for the 1991-92 school year," and then, "the State of Michigan is causing us all kinds of grief with the new PA 25 regulations." The principal had allocated twenty-five minutes for the meeting and at exactly the designated time limit, the secretary knocked on the door reminding the principal of "her other commitments." The meeting ended. Two weeks later, the 69 researcher received a formal letter from the Assistant Superintendent, stating that he was sorry but that the district would not be able to allow the research study to take place in the school, since they have been advised "to not participate in any endeavor reflecting on altered states of leadership, collegiality, site-based decision making, or school climate." The researcher then recontacted her superintendent for the other resource. He identified the name of another principal who had.been referred to him.as one who encourages the leadership of the teachers in the elementary school. Contact was made with this principal and a discussion ensued. Communication was established with the new principal in June. The researcher met with the principal of the potential site to explain and describe the format of the study. She asked many questions, such as: When would it begin? How many people would need to be involved? Would you be Observing them in the classroom? What about the diversity between the experience levels of the staff? She ended the meeting with the statement - "I'll need to check this out with my staff and see what they think, then I'll get back to you." The principal called the researcher after school had been dismissed for the summer 70 and stated that they would be pleased to be a part of the study. The principal then established a date in early August to meet and discuss planning the staff meeting, scheduled in September, to introduce the study to the staff. In late August, a call was received from the principal indicating a time and place of the first staff meeting. She also requested a copy of the questions to be asked during the interviews. A copy of each set of questions was sent to the principal. On the date of the staff meeting the researcher presented a description of the project, a rationale for the study, and a request for their support. Following the presentation of the project, the researcher called the principal to check on the status of the meeting. By 4 o'clock in the afternoon, the six staff members had already contacted the office to volunteer for the project. The consent forms had been turned into the office, the principal had "okayed" each of them, and had written a brief individualized historical background for each teacher; the site had been secured. W The city in which the study took place was incorporated in 1963. In 1824, the Territorial Governor of Michigan, Lewis Cass, organized a 144 square mile area, which contained the present CitY- 71 In 1925, two portions of the city were annexed by two separate cities. Since then other cities and villages have further reduced the size of the township. When it was finally organized into the current city, the area included 12.7 square miles. The original population of the township, in 1827, was estimated at three hundred settlers. By 1840, it had grown to 1,249. One hundred and ten years later, in 1950, the population had increased to 20,000. At the time of its incorporation in 1963, the city had a population of 71,551. Currently the population stands at 60,838. The community is primarily a middle-class, blue and white collar, multi-ethnic mix. The parents of the students include a full range of occupational groups including professional, managerial, clerical, and skilled workers. In 1985, in interviews conducted with parents of students enrolled in the district, the responses on a parent survey indicated a general satisfaction with the school. Yet, during the past three months the district has had difficulty promoting and passing a millage increase. They have been conducting special informational meetings, open houses, and offering literature to explain the financial status of the district, as well as the ramifications of non-passage of the millage. In November, the millage issue was presented to the community. They over-whelmingly voted it down. The district's Board of Education reviewed the prospect of "SOing for it again" and have currently decided to go for a 72 lesser amount of millage. Although this may seem to indicate a negative feeling toward the district on the part of the community, some distinct statistics cause one to question that assumption. For the past five years, the parents of the students of the elementary school in the study have demonstrated their support at the yearly Open House with 100% attendance, at the bi-yearly Parent Teacher Conferences the parents were again in 100% attendance, and the students were at 95% attendance on a daily basis. In the late 1970's and early 1980's there had been a steady decline in student enrollment. It must be further noted that during this time many persons in the area had sent their children to parochial schools due to the mandated bussing issue of the early 1970's. These decreases in the school population had caused significant problems in the school and the district, since it meant a reduction in staff and the elimination of certain courses available to students. Throughout the early 1980's, there was a movement from time to time to consolidate with an adjacent district. The idea was resisted by the residents of both districts. However, in the 1985-86 school year, the two districts merged to form.one larger district, which is now the current district. 73 In 1961, the school in the study was built and opened in the fall. During the mid 1970's the student enrollment ballooned to an all time high of over five hundred students. However, the total school enrollment has declined to approximately three hundred and fifty students in 1992. In the early 1980's the enrollment in the district had declined to such an extreme, the Board of Education closed the building. In.1987, the building was reopened with the current principal in the office. The school is a two story facility. The classrooms for students in Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade are located on the first floor, along with the office, the library, a resource room, a child care room, the gym, a kitchen, two Title I rooms (one a computer lab), the Teachers' Workroom, and the Smokers' Lounge. Diagram I is the first level floor plan. The second floor houses the special classes (Art and Music), the Third Grades, the Fourth Grades, a social worker's room, a resource room, and a special education classroom. Diagram.II is the second level floor plan. The site for the study is a traditional elementary school, grades Kindergarten through Grade Four, presently housing 350+ students and 12 staff members. There are approximately two to three classrooms per grade level. All of the classrooms are currently' being‘ utilized. for 74 instructional purposes. The rooms presently being used for the Art and.Music classes previously were regular classrooms and both Art and Music were taught "on a cart." The principal is a female educator with many years of experience. She began her teaching career at another elementary building and over the past fifteen years has served as principal in one other school. Traject Site .:F0 0 3 O O QJXGIIS moon am @0021 1101“ 1311393,; W0 W0 W11)! Child Can (1"! mndmoo D: than: its‘: 839”!) E filamentary 5 cfi00[ first floor smote Figure I 75 Troject Site '0 D 9 Stairs t uormnpg e s awn moon was an m 5 £[ementa1y 5cfloo[ , Second floor Figure 11 76 77 After completing eight years of successful principaling, her building was closed (along with others in the district) and she was placed back in the classroom. She then taught for an additional six years before this site was reopened and she was named as principal. She has been the principal in this building for the past five years, since it has reopened. Many of the teachers with whom she now works have been friends or colleagues for over twenty years. She has also frequently served as a curriculum.committee member for various district councils. The staff is a mixture of years of experience, not only in teaching years but also experience at their grade level. Another variable involves those teachers who joined the district in 1985, due to the merger of the two districts. The teachers from the "joining district" are members of the staff but still indicate to others "where they came from." The staff is comprised of teachers with a variety of years of experience: 25+ 3 15-24 2 10'14 3 5‘9 2 0-4 2 The support personnel includes two custodians, a secretary, a kindergarten teacher, a learning specialist, 78 and a special education paraprofessional on a full-time basis. Part time support personnel involve a speech correctionist, social worker, psychologist, art teacher, vocal music teacher, physical education teacher, and an instrumental music teacher. In the 1991 Annual Report, which the school submitted to the Michigan Department of Education, the staff cited their Mission Statement as: We, the entire staff of School, will provide a safe, caring, and. orderly' environment 'where children will have optimum.opportunities for growth in all areas: academic, emotional, social, physical, and moral. We are firm in our commitment to enhance the self- esteem of each student. We will seek to create a feeling of responsible partnership between home, community, and school in order to provide the best educational atmosphere. Our children are our country's future. We will give them a life-long thirst for knowledge; they, in turn, will give back the fruits of our love and labor. The six teachers who volunteered to participate in the project each have their own characteristics. Teacher A.is a fourth grade teacher who has been a classsroom teacher for 79 many years. However, she is one of the staff that joined the district during the merger in 1985. Teacher B is a third grade teacher who has been in the district for approximately sixteen years. She has taught at both the elementary and high school grade levels. Teacher C was a student teacher in this building two years ago. Then she was hired in another building as a half time Kindergarten teacher. Currently she is a full time first grade teacher. Teacher D is in her first year of teaching in a self- contained Special Education room. Teacher E has spent several years as an educator in the district. However, this year she assumed a new position of Learning Center teacher. Finally, Teacher F had twenty years in the district as an elementary school secretary. She then began her current position of second grade teacher. She has held this position for five years. TEACHER GRADE YEARS EXPERIENCE A. 4th 7 years E 3rd 16 years C lst 1 year D Sp.Ed. 0 E Learning Ctr. 18 years F 2nd 5 years W The researcher is currently an elementary principal in 80 a suburban school district in a metropolitan area. Over fifteen years ago she participated in a leadership training program through an Intermediate School District. The program consisted of recruiting and selecting classroom teachers to take a two-year leave of absence from their school district to take part in a series of leadership activities throughout the twenty-six surrounding districts. Those experiences seem to have provided a mind-set on the part of the researcher that teachers need opportunities for leadership. Although the term teacher leader is currently in vogue, the researcher demonstrated interest in the topic for the past fifteen years. Throughout those years, the researcher has had various educational roles. In each career, the researcher has continued her quest for knowledge regarding all aspects of teacher leadership. This study provides the opportunity for an in-depth look at leadership and how such leadership changes the role of an elementary principal. CHAPTERIV The researcher's purpose in this study was to identify the roles and responsibilities of an elementary principal where teachers are encouraged to assume leadership responsibilities. Central to this Study was the perception each staff member held regarding the term teacher leadership. In the first part of this chapter the staff's concepts of leadership will be described. Another major factor impinging upon leadership is the description of the culture of the school and how it impacts the school. This portrayal of the culture is described followed by the leadership definitions. Finally, as a result of the leadership opportunities influenced by the culture,the roles and responsibilities of the principal will be described . 81 82 Beginning the week of September 16th, observations and interviews were scheduled for the following fourteen weeks. Observations occurred in the hallways before and after school, in the Smokers' Lounge, in the Teachers' Workroom, during staff meetings, and in classrooms. The interviews generally took place in the individual teacher's classrooms or in the Teachers' Workroom, School ‘publications ‘were :reviewed. regarding' the district and building educational philosophy. To obtain a historical perspective of the district which went beyond the teachers' and principal's personal descriptions, the researcher reviewed the Community Reports compiled for the district's high school's North Central Accreditation Report. The other documents from which relevant data were drawn included the school's 1990-91 Annual Report which had been submitted to the Michigan Department of Education in June of 1991 and the district Parent and Student Handbook. The researcher's purpose was to investigate the roles and responsibilities of a building principal as teacher leadership was encouraged in an elementary school. The 83 major research question for the study was: IN WHAT WAYS AND TO WHAT EXTENT DOES TEACHER LEADERSHIP CHANGE THE BUILDING PRINCIPAL'S ROLE? To assist in developing a description of the changing roles of a principal in relationship to teacher leadership, the following questions were designed to guide the study: In what ways and to what extent are the teachers involved in leadership roles? In what ways and to what extent does the principal act to influence teacher leaders? In what ways and to what extent does the culture of the school influence the principal's ability to promote leadership? What factors influence the puincipal's efforts to promote teacher leadership? The researcher will describe and interpret the major findings in each of these areas. IN WHAT WAYS AND TO WHAT EXTENT ARE TEACHERS INVOLVED IN LEADERSHIP ROLES? .A DEFINITION OF LEADERSHIP At the building site, it became apparent that leadership was a term about which the staff had a common understanding. During the first set of interviews the staff members described in detail their individual characterizations of a teacher leader. 84 Teacher A.began: A teacher leader is someone who is respected and listened to,not dictatorial! A good listener, yes, someone who will listen to problems. One of those people who know when to stop listening and start working! Teacher B continued: A teacher leader is a person who stands up and is counted - someone who knows what needs to be done and does it! Modeling is one of the most important characteristics - from our leader as the principal, right on down! Teacher C elaborated: A teacher leader is someone who is willing to be a mentor - they go out of their way to assist others. Last year I taught half time kindergarten and now I'm teaching first grade - two teachers are helping me! I love it when teachers stop in my room! Teacher D reiterated: .A teacher leader is someone who sees a problem and they address it! They also keep themselves informed by being active professionally. Teacher E purported: Teacher leaders are people who are willing to share what is their expertise. We can all be leaders in one area or another - a real team, Teacher F supported E by stating: A.leader is someone who is articulate, genuine, and learns from each other. If we find something that works we share it and enjoy sharing it, and in turn they share with us. The principal began her description.by saying: First, a teacher leader must be a good teacher. She Ihas an expertise and may be a leader in one area. However, being leader may happen at different times - it's not that you either are or aren't a leader. The key is the professional respect we share with each other. Throughout the second set of interviews the staff C0111 will 85 continued to depict the teacher leader as a professional, willing to go and get the job done. Teacher A stated: Leaders are people who have enough confidence and the ability to do it. They must be respected. Not everyone can get the respect. Trust is very important and communication skills help them get the job done. Teacher B continued: A teacher leader is a person who goes ahead and gets the job done. They may volunteer for the job because they know what they're good at. Teacher C added: A teacher leader is an individual who is willing to go out of their way to assist others - in curriculum, support, even friendship. It's a person who takes initiative to do something special. Teacher D pointed out: Leaders are teachers who are interested. in improving the school and making it better for kids and teachers. Teacher E stated: A teacher leader has the ability to share her expertise and materials with other teachers. Teacher F reported: A teacher leader is articulate, trained to teach. She learns from others. What works for us, we share, and that works for others. The principal concluded: Teacher leadership is giving teachers every opportunity to lead something they do well. reSpc build Cdteg: Dif 86 TYPES OF LEADERSHIP ROLES As the researcher spent more time in the building many teacher leaders appeared to surface. This school had more than one teacher as a leader to meet the various needs of the staff, the principal, and the district. The teachers believed that "leaders are people who are willing to share what is their expertise and that they will all be leaders in one area or another." Teacher E stated, "they have put together everyone's expertise to make a team." This empowerment "doesn't take away from the school - it adds to it, everyone is using their top strengths," cited Teacher A. When the teachers were asked what leadership roles and responsibilities were available to all teachers in the building and the district, the teachers responded with these categories: - Serving on Curriculum Committees - Attending and Leading Inservice Workshops - Assuming Union Responsibilities - Leading or Serving on the School Improvement Committee - Leading or Serving on committees which surface on an "as needed basis," such as the Millage, Gifted and Talented, and Sex Education Committees Different teachers assumed a multitude of leadership responsibilities,- some were district level curriculum comm were were conf meet profe meet: to d1. of t COmm: mEmbe to $2 memb CORN: CUTIE 87 committee members, some were union representatives, some were informal mentors to new, inexperienced teachers, some were School Improvement Committee members, and some attended conferences, then shared their new knowledge at staff meetings. As Teacher F stated, "As we continue to grow professionally, we become more proficient at being leaders." On September 10, 1991, the researcher attended a staff meeting to discuss the plans for the project. This staff meeting seemed to serve as an opportunity for staff members to demonstrate their leadership abilities. Toward the end of the agenda, the principal had listed the curriculum committees. After the researcher's presentation, each staff member with a curriculum committee responsibility was asked to share an update on the status of the committee. Some members had. nothing to report (Reading' and.‘Writing Committees) but two others gave indepth updates of their current status (School Improvement and Millage Committees). Another example of the type of leadership opportunities available for the teachers became evident when the researcher met with the principal to secure the dates for teacher observations. At that time the principal noted those dates when the volunteers in the study would not be in the building. The principal offered the information that the teachers would be absent due to their attendance at a series of inservice programs on "Math Their Way" and "Whole Language" workshops. These two programs were new to the teachers and to the rest of the staff. Since these 88 workshops were designed in a series format with a yearly time schedule, the principal felt that such a commitment on the part of the teachers would provide them with the time they needed to become thoroughly immersed in each program. The end result would be the implementation of the program in the classrooms, as well as a sharing of the information to colleagues during the staff meetings. The staff would also be invited to visit the rooms of the teachers implementing the new programs. The School Improvement Committee is a new committee in the district, having started approximately two years ago, while the other committees have been utilized in the district for many years. However, as Teacher A reported, "the Curriculum Council was a rubber stamp committee, where teacher concerns could not be brought up unless they were okayed by the principal. New it's different, it's okay to disagree. It's taken us longer to feel empowered and they've allowed us to express our ideas. We respect our principal and feel free to speak up." Teacher B indicated that "they always asked for our input but when it came to making decisions, they did it for us." Other differences between the former committees and the current committees are in the way in which they are organized and conducted. In the School Improvement Committee a teacher not only chairs the group but also has the responsibility to call and schedule the meetings. Teacher D pointed out that the district is now "providing an environment where teachers fee atmc Cit! teac 89 feel they can speak up and change things - a true team atmosphere." Another new leadership role for teachers which was cited in the interviews was that of teachers teaching teachers. Teacher E believed the "principal is not afraid to go to teachers and say 'You did a great job on ____ and would you show us how you do it?'" An example was given of a series of reading workshops organized and conducted by staff members to acquaint the teachers to a new reading program. As Teacher F purported, "This is what works for me!" Another way in which the teachers demonstrated their leadership is in an informal mentoring situation, established between new teachers and experienced staff members. The matching of new and experienced teachers did not seem to be based on any visible commonalities between staff members (i.e., both were married, single, younger, older, etc.). Instead the researcher was unable to ascertain the reason for their compatabilities other than their outwardly visible caring for children. They were frequently seen discussing specific children and their needs, as well as sharing materials for special students in their classrooms. Not only did there appear to be the opportunity for more than one leader in the building but these leaders were always seemingly identified by the teaching staff itself. In every interview conducted by the researcher each person stat sele: bytl 90 stated emphaticalLy that the staff was responsible for selecting its own leaders. This feeling was also supported by the principal in her interviews. WHO ARE THE LEADERS? When the teachers were asked to identify a teacher leader in the building, each one listed two or three colleagues. During the first interviews four of the teachers each listed different staff members. Some cited another person in the study, some did not. As the last two teachers identified their colleagues, they repeated the names of five staff members (three of whom were involved in the study). After reviewing the building map of the classrooms it became apparent that many of the teachers chose their grade level neighbor as one of the leaders. One of the teachers chose the principal as a teacher leader. Yet there was a definite difference between those leaders selected by the principal and many of the teachers. As Teacher B stated,"a1though she's one of us, there's never a doubt that she's the bossu" One of the teachers chose another teacher who retired as of last year. This retired teacher was cited in both Teacher A's interviews as "an intelligent, organized, and tough colleague." Teacher A 91 also stated: I never thought of myself as a leader in my first building, but when I transferred to this building the staff knew I had been very vocal in the union and assumed I was a leader. (the retired teacher) had confidence in me and that caused the others to have confidence in me. LOCATION OF THE LEADERSHIP ' WHERE IT IS DISPLAYED Throughout the months of September through December, the researcher frequently observed an absence of teachers in the hallways and in the teachers rooms during the school day. .At first it was quite puzzling to the researcher - she expected to see some flow of people traffic during the day. However, one of the locations in the building where the researcher observed teacher to teacher interactions appeared to be in the hallway in front of the school office. A key time for these interactions seemed to be in the early morning before school, between 8:15 and 8:45 a.m. On numerous occasions the researcher would observe three or four staff members, with their coats on and brief cases in hand, in the hallway in front of the office in deep conversation. Upon overbearing their conversation, the researcher noted the following tOpics: the new Math program, an art activity for Thanksgiving, the third and fourth grade Christmas performance, the millage, and the loss of a student's home to an explosion. During two earlier observations in the Teachers' Workroom, the researcher was woul LOUD 92 literally drawn out of the workroom by the "noise in the hallway." A.group of four teachers were discussing and planning their students' Christmas performance and they were laughing and singing so loudly we (three other teachers) got absorbed into the conversation. Initially, the researcher believed that the teachers would utilize either the Teachers' Workroom or the Smokers' Lounge as "the meeting place." However, the “morning groups outside of the office" incorporated staff members who frequented the Workroom or the Lounge. The hallway appeared to be a neutral territory. It seems as though the staff needed a place to meet on a non-partisan basis - you could go there and talk if you were a smoker, if you weren't a smoker, if you were a new teacher, if you were an experienced teacher, if you taught first grade, or if you taught fourth grade. As the weeks went on the researcher noticed that a few teachers, three or four, showed up in the office hallway at about the same time everyday. One teacher arrived at work extremely early and chose a different time everyday to visit the office, one teacher never visited the hallway (in or out of the office), and the rest of the staff showed up at various times prior to the beginning of school. Diagrammed in Figure III is the hallway location where the staff interacted on a daily basis. Trojeet Site A x S E CE ENI‘RANCE 0) Sq C) C) \ omce g- gE g% g E. a 88 ~ Gym __ if: D c, Child g g: a 5% a 2» °“ {3 u- o- n N '° Elementary School first ffoor We, Figure 111 93 cha and it. IN INF? “te; Sha: 94 As the observations and interviews progressed, it seemed as though the roles and responsibilities of the teachers had remained the same over time. However, a major change had occurred in the teachers decision-making capacity and the number of staff involved in the decisions related to those familiar roles and responsibilities. Teacher A. stated that, "There is a change in the culture of the school and the district. Teachers are involved politically for the first time. The tone of the school has changed. You can see it and feel it." IN WHAT WAYS AND TO WHAT EXTENT DOES THE PRINCIPAL ACT TO INFLUENCE TEACHER LEADERS? PRINCIPAL'S DEFINITION OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP As was stated earlier, the principal believed that “teacher leaders are good teachers who have an expertise to share." For her, leadership is: giving teachers every opportunity to lead something they do well! My job is making sure they enjoy it and that they walk away from the experience with an 'I can do it' feeling! Leadership is something which is shared, one person may be a leader in one area but not in another. It isn't that either you are or aren't a leader - it happens at different times, the key is the professional respect for each other. It isn't my job alone. Other teachers reaffirm their colleagues' leadership skills in staff meetings by giving them realistic encouragement and acknowledging their abilities. The principal feels assured that, “teachers need to ha chi ca] su; it fo: Th1 thz thc fr: St; in: and C03 95 have a voice in the decisions“ and the principal must “give them that opportunity;" She also stated that "the principal cannot be authoritarian." In fact, "the principal needs to ask, 'What would. you do?‘ to all staff members, even if you don't need to, because someday 'you may need to!" In an interview with Teacher F, she asserted that, "the principal allows them a certain amount of autonomy to do it our way - within guidelines. is our supporter and our support when we need her." As Teacher B vehemently put it,“there is never a doubt that she is behind.you." HOW THE PRINCIPAL PROMOTES LEADERSHIP One technique which the principal utilized to provide for teacher decision making is her scheduled staff meeting. The staff meetings appear to be established in a format for the principal to present ideas for the teachers input. Even though each meeting had a written agenda, the principal frequently asked probing and clarifying questions of the staff. An example would be during the researcher's introductory visit. The principal introduced the researcher and asked her to describe the project. As the researcher continued the oral description, the principal asked: How was our staff selected? Is it really voluntary? So then, the commitment of the volunteer teacher is 0the pres. skil Clar pres. as t] by t] by U 96 for two or three interviews? How much time again will the interviews involve? When will the interviews take place - after school, before school, during school, or at lunch? At first the researcher was confused by the need of the principal to repeat what the researcher had previously stated. But in the following meetings, the researcher observed the principal utilizing the same technique with other presenters for clarifying certain portions of their presentations for the teachers. The staff demonstrated the same type of questioning skills during the staff meetings. They frequently asked clarifying questions of each other when a staff member was presenting an update from a curriculum.committee. It seemed as though a pattern of question asking had been established by the principal, modeled by the principal, and implemented by the staff. During the staff meetings, the principal demonstrated the respect she shares with the teachers. She frequently asked the following questions in the meetings: What do you think about ? How can this program function better? Do any of you have concerns about ? How can better affect our students? During another meeting, when the principal was addre she () for * oppo: plan. of a 9 Figure WHerHaer-Qin d_'2 O 97 addressing the lunchtime behavior problems of the students, she outlined a management plan with specific consequences for inappropriate behavior and offered to the staff the opportunity to share their feelings and reaction to the plan. Below is an excerpt from the reseacher's fieldnotes of a staff meeting. Staff Meeting - 9-24-91 - Library/Media Center Attended staff meeting from 8:30-9:00 a.m, All staff members were present and seated as shown in Figure IV. Most of the meeting was spent on a discussion regarding the misbehavior of a group of youngsters on the playground at lunchtime. The principal had designed a management plan with consequences for inappropriate behavior and presented to the staff the opportunity to input their reactions to and feelings regarding the plan. various teachers (5) responded positively indicating that they thought the plan would be beneficial. However, a couple of recommendations were also given - to only warn once and to check the school handbook regarding the "lunchroom policy," to make sure the new plan coincides with the handbook. The principal responded positively to the recommendations. She replied, "Good idea, I hadn't thought of that" and, "If you think that one warning is sufficient - we'll go with that." Fieldnotes - September 24, 1991 The placement of teachers during the staff meetings remained the same for all the meetings. It appeared as though the teachers had found "their place" and did not want to lose it. E3 i )9} $19 X 9H9] ' Staff ® Principal X Member E Researcher Figure IV 98 Smo) pao the 99 This was also true in the Teachers' Workroom and the Smokers' Lounge. Many of the teachers had established a pattern of sitting in their "own spot" at the table or in the surrounding couches. Figure V is a diagram of the Teachers' Workroom and the Smokers' Lounge. In each of these areas, the way in which the room was organized promoted conversations between staff members. The circular tables and the chairs surrounding the outskirts of the room provided the staff with places to interact with each other. Another technique utilized by the principal which demonstrated the way she promoted the leadership of the staff is that she used both the model of asking for volunteers for individual projects (i.e. Curriculum Council, School Improvement, etc.) and going directly to a staff member to ask them to serve on a committee, attend a conference, or represent the staff at a district function. During the first interview the principal stated that she: always looks at the personalities of the people involved and tries to match up a need with an expertise of teacher. Whoever speaks up - ask for their help! No one has resisted. Maybe because I try never to come across as - you need this! Instead, I try and let them know I have something to share or that I need their help. To eliminate any competition I spread it all over - throughout the staff. Their leadership gives me credibility. Smokers’ Lounge Storlgge Rm. Entrance H: ‘v- “1 (3 Chairs Rest @Dfi:.; .ll Room Teachers’ Workroom t) | Magazme Racks ] 7 e9 :2 0 <2 ‘ I ,0, ,0, - I! Q Q to 63 I | Matenal Storage l ] n u n Rest , Kltchen Area Room ,/_’| 100 feel 101 In each of the teacher interviews, the staff members emphasized their need to either be asked by the principal to assume a leadership responsibility or to have the principal ask for volunteers. As Teacher B stated, "There's never a doubt that she is behind you when she asks you to be part of a committee. It is an honor, not a burden." Teacher E reinforced that feeling by stating, "as the principal asks for volunteers she also recognizes our potential." During the second set of interviews, the researcher asked the principal if she had ever had someone say "no" to her request for a demonstration of leadership. Her comments were as follows: Principal: Only once, I asked to serve on a Committee . It seemed to match '8 job and after observing this teacher in the classroom, I thought might be interested. It was an area of expertise. When asked to participate, this teacher stated, “No, I don't have anytime to do that." I reassured that it wouldn't take up a great deal of time... and asked this teacher to think about it. Researcher: Did the teacher? Principal: No, didn't. Researcher: How did you feel about that? Principal: Disappointed - in myself and . But you must keep asking - next time maybe I can pull on another part of '3 background. 102 HOW THE PRINCIPAL NURTURES ADD SUPPORTS LEADERS Respect and trust appeared to be the threads which the principal utilized to nurture and support the teacher leaders. During both the initial and final interviews the principal indicated her respect and trust for the staff by stating, “I don't think there is anyone who works harder in a school district than a classroom teacher." .As Teacher A observed, "our principal respects us and we respect the students." PRINCIPAL EXPECTATIONS OF LEADERS The principal indicated a respect of the individual differences of each staff member. When she was asked, "What expectations do you have of the teacher leaders?," she responded: We should.be able to count on them for the benefit of the whole! But we also need to give them time - be cautious! Some may need some guidance and some are independent and strong. I need to know the teachers well enough so that they can succeed as a leader. I try to provide the safety net. The principal stated that, although she must give credit where credit is due, "it must never be done in a condescending way.“ Teacher A.npheld this premise by saying that the principal “builds the self-confidence of the staff, causing everyone to use their top strengths." Teachers B and D believe this "confidence causes the teachers to feel Slip: are thei CEO-mm in t: as othel as I! truSt VQlup t 103 capable and capable teachers will participate and contribute." .As Teacher E stated: She treats us as professionals - she's not standing over us - questioning - she's open to suggestions - very flexible. She trusts us to do our job. She let's us blossom in our own way. She has confidence in us. She understands us both professionally and personally. The teachers believed that their principal is there to support them, to provide words of encouragement, and give them suggestions and information. Teacher E stated that ”professionalism is the key component of the school. The principal treats all colleagues the same and equal." PRINCIPAL RECOGNITION OF TEACHERS The principal believed that teachers need to know they are respected and took time to compliment them regularly on their work. She constantly noticed what they did and commented both on what they did and how well they did it. The researcher observed the principal putting numerous notes in the teachers' mailboxes. Some notes were personal, such as, "nice job on the bulletin board in the hallway", and others, which stated regular news items for the day, such as, "don't forget the staff meeting on ." The principal in the study demonstrated her respect and trust for the teachers in the building by asking for volunteers for projects, as well as asking specific teachers res; teac and EduC thro IN H SCHc prQVi L. and D 104 to become leaders on a district committee. This trust and respect helped promote the risk-taking on the part of the teachers. When the teachers felt the principal respected and trusted them, they were willing to take a risk. A. successful experience caused them to risk again. It appeared to be cyclical in nature. The more respect and trust they felt, the more they risked” The more they risked the more respect and trust they felt. She also vocalized her respect and trust by frequently complimenting them in front of others. This recognition was also evident on the Annual Report where two teachers were cited for receiving awards. Recognition of the teachers was also given in the form of luncheons during Education Week, Christmas gifts, and tokens of appreciation throughout the year. IN WHAT WAYS AND TO WHAT EXTENT DOES THE CULTURE OF THE SCHOOL INFLUENCE 'THE PRINCIPAL'S ABILITY' TO PROMOTE LEADERSHIP? CORE BELIEFS OF THE STAFF In this school, the main focus appeared to be on providing an atmosphere where all children are happy and are learning. This belief was pervasive throughout the school and permeated all aspects of relationships in the building, SU te re: 105 such as student-to-student, teacher-to-student, teacher-to- teacher, teacher-to-principal, and student-to-principal. Throughout the first set of teacher interviews, they reiterated: - Every kid needs to be loved and welcomed to the school - If the children are happy, they're learning - Children learn in an environment that is safe, secure, bright, and cheery - Adl children can learn - Teachers are there to nurture them, and help them learn - Our job is to reach students on their level and insure they grow academically, emotionally, socially, and morally - Schools are for kids - we're here for them The principal began her first interview by Stating, "My philosophy of education is that I want children to be learning and.be happy.“ She continued to support the focus by stating in her interview that: We never write off a child, every child has value and every child is capable of learning. We use our collective wisdom. If it helps children, we'll do it. During the series of second interviews the teachers continued to emphasize the importance of providing a warm of the Tea 106 and nurturing environment where children are happy. Teacher C reiterated the need for a “warm, inviting environment where learning is fun and a 'hands-on' approach." Support of this was stated by Teacher 8 in the comment that "even the worst behaved kids are well-loved and they know it." As Teacher C expressed: Happy kids are learning kids! Happy teachers are learning teachers! For Teacher A, her belief became an almost passionate plea for the students in any school, but particularly for those in her school. She stated: I believe that it is a teacher's patriotic duty to do the damned best they can do for our students. These kids need to stretch their minds because someday they'll run the country. TeaChing is a God- given talent - almost a patriotic thing. We need people who are dedicated. Every kid needs to feel loved and welcomed to the school. Teachers need to be involved with the kids. It seems that God has designed my life to be a teacher! This belief was supported by Teacher F as she said, "kids mmst be the best they can be and if we can touch them they will give it back." The principal believed that teachers are "sensitive to the needs of students and are caring people." In fact, when she was asked about the key belief integrating the beliefs of the staff, she declared that "caring about children is our coumon link." 107 In the 1990-91 Annual Report the school's mission statement supports this belief as it reads: We, the entire staff of School, will provide a safe, caring, and orderly environment where children will have optimum.opportunities for growth in all areas: academic, emotional, social, physical, and moral. They continue in the report by clarifying their mission further: We are firm in our commitment to enhance the self esteem of each student. We will seek to create a feeling of responsible partnership between home, community, and school in order to provide the best educational atmosphere. Our children are our country's future. We will give them a lifelong thirst for knowledge; they, in turn, will give back the fruits of our love and labor. Their commitment to student learning was Observed on a daily basis. One such occasion was November 27th, 1991. The researcher entered the school and went directly into the Teacher's Workroom. Teacher C was in the workroom during her prep time and was involved in checking papers and duplicating worksheets. Her colleague entered the room. She was "hot under the collar." Teacher C asked, "What's wrong?" Her colleague replied, "I'm sure you heard me raising my voice in the room next door during our Child Study meeting!“ She responded, "No, I just got in here!" The colleague said, "Well, I'm furious with ! He doesn't even teach, how can he tell me what to do for ?" Then she followed Teacher C around the workroom.as she asked her questions such as: £x>you know and ? What dozwxlthink1momnzncwing and to a different reading group? What about the way they'll see themselves? Do you think they will feel bad about the change or will they feel good when they succeed in the group? Thi thx 0116 ad: prj DOV men Of Dov Dla 108 What about how the other kids will feel? Will they be supportive or destructive? What do you think? Fieldnotes - November 27, 1991 The second core belief of the staff was that of the need to be recognized as a team working toward a common goal. The emphasis on “the team“ is clearly evident in the 1990-91 Annual Report, prepared for the Michigan Department of Education. The mission statement which is cited in the report begins, "We, the entire staff of School." This same phrase begins the paragraphs which indicate a thank you to the community and a description of the School Improvement plan. The words "we" and "our" are pervasive throughout the Annual Report. It appears as though there is one team, not a separation between the staff and administration, working on their goals together. The principal seems to believe in the premise that one gains power through people. Since the emphasis is on being a member of the team and not necessarily on being the leader of the team, it appears as though the staff also emphasizes power through people, not over people. There are only two places in the report where the principal is cited separately from the rest of the staff. Even then, the principal is not identified as the chairperson of the committee. Instead, Teacher A.is listed as the chairperson and the principal is the last person recorded as a member of the team, with the for mm .11 was SUrF ~E 109 format as follows: SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT Teacher A.- Chairperson TEAM Teacher C - Teacher Teacher F - Teacher - Teacher - Principal The principal is also identified as a member of the Administration on the final page of the Annual Report. Again, she is listed as the last member of the group. It was shown as follows: ADMINISTRATION - Superintendent - Assistant Supt. Director of Sp.Ed. - Business Manager - Principal Throughout the interviews the term “team" frequently surfaced in that format as well as others. Teacher B described her school as "The Family." As Teacher F stated: We work as a team. We can learn from each other to provide the best possible education for our boys and girls. We are internal and not external. It's one thing to say it and another to have it come from within. “Sh do . as 1 ind; 'Tr Sm. 110 The principal believed that "being a principal makes you a part of the team working with students in this building." Adthough it appears that the principal and the staff all believe that they are working as a team, with equal responsibility, to provide a happy place where children learn, there is still rooted in the culture a feeling on the part of the staff that they must request permission from the principal to be a leader. During the interviews with the principal, she stated that "teachers need to have a voice in the decisions" of a school, and the principal "must giye them that opportunity." It was also stated by Teacher F that, "the principal allows them (teachers) a certain amount of autonomy to do it our way.“ And as Teacher E indicated, "She's the only principal in the district who lets teachers do this!" It seems as though the principal is still viewed as the boss with the final say in all matters concerning the individual school. HOWCNHZEELIEESIflHEiBEENflEENUHJSHED These beliefs were established in a variety of ways. The principal had selected new teachers for the staff who emulate these beliefs. She stated that: The personality of the staff is the number one way to establish, promote, and reinforce our beliefs. All of the new staff members have demonstrated a hav. clas prO‘ Brit comfortability with these beliefs. We've also hired former student teachers who have been in the building for an extended period of time and know our expectations. We try to gather teachers who work well together. I have the opportunity to have a say in the selection of staff and try to develop a well-working team. Since the staff had demonstrated that their major focus was on children, it seemed to follow that the teachers would have a major say in the development of next year's classlists at the end of the school year. This strategy provided the teachers with the opportunity to share their expertise with each other and reinforced the belief that providing appropriate education for children is most important. So important, that funds were allocated to pay for substitute teachers so the teachers had the time to meet with their colleagues and develop the new classlists for the next year. As TeaCher E pointed out, "She's the only principal in the district who lets teachers do this!" Another strategy which promoted the beliefs of the school is that of an established time for feedback from other teachers where ideas may be shared. At the end of each staff meeting, the principal has set aside time for teachers to share an idea or a concern. Teacher A believed that the school district and the principal absolutely support those beliefs. "They are communicated both verbally and through notes." schc who and prim. wou1 aPDr: Shon: 112 ROLES.AND RESPONSIBILITIES RELATED TO THESE BELIEFS Based upon these beliefs, the researcher observed some roles and responsibilities on the part of the principal. One such role was that of being a “visible person" in the school. Throughout the four months in which the researcher observed the staff, the principal was frequently seen out of her office, in the halls talking to staff, in various classrooms observing lessons being taught, and in the Teachers' Workroom. On only three occasions did the researcher observe the principal in her office; once disciplining a student, once conferencing with a teacher, and once involved in a phone conversation. On September 20, 1991, the researcher entered the school at 8:15 a.m. for an 8:30 meeting with the teachers who volunteered for the project. She went into the office and spoke with the secretary and was informed that the principal was escorting a substitute teacher to her room and would be returning shortly. The researcher waited for approximately ten minutes, then asked the secretary if she should go into the library to see if anyone was there -- she agreed. The principal was in the library. Another example of the frequency with which the principal was out of her office occurred on OctOber 4, 1991. The researcher entered the building at 12:45 p.m. No one was in the office except a student and the secretary. Researcher: Is Mrs. here today? prim: Teas! 113 Secretary: No, she is at a Curriculum Council meeting with . She should be back shortly. She might have stopped to get something for lunch. The researcher left the office to observe other teachers. She went to the Teachers' workroom. Five minutes later, the principal was observed walking down the hall and entering Teacher F's classroom. She stayed in the room for approximately twenty minutes,then left, and went up the stairs to the second floor. Fieldnotes - October 5, 1991 Again, on October 16, 1991, the researcher entered the school at 9:30 a.m. She visited the office - no one was there except the secretary. She continued to walk around the building and observed the principal in the room of a teacher, working with students. On November 1, 1991, the researcher observed the principal talking to a teacher in a room adjacent to the Teachers' Workroom. No one was in the Workroom. The principal entered the room. at 9:28 a.m. Teacher F walked in to make copies and the principal told her about a student who may be added to her room. The teacher said that she would then have twenty-nine students. The principal said she would check into it. Teacher: We're so lucky to have you with us. Principal: I could say the same thing about you! Teacher F thanked her, grabbed her things, and then left. Fieldnotes - November 1, 1991 When the principal was asked to tell how she spent her days, she stated that she "liked to be in the classrooms and spend as much time as possible there." She believed that teacl thei Chang Amonc 114 those experiences provided her with the knowledge she needed to be an effective principal. When asked what she meant by effective, she stated: As I visit the classrooms, I'm able to note specific activities which then I use in a note of acknowledgment or encouragement to the teacher. Also, I see the curriculum in action and sometimes I sub in the room and seeing a teacher use the material helps me to know how to use the books, the charts, the manipulatives. The teachers appreciate my subbing in their rooms. I'm in and out of the rooms a lot, even just to pass out their checks on Friday. By being in the rooms, I become a true member of the educational team. Another way in which the role of the principal had changed was in the way she promoted collegiality among the teachers. There was also a great deal of "watching the leaders do their job;" a type of modeling, "where teachers who want to be involved are doing so in the way in which they are most comfortable," so said Teacher D. This may be due to their ”need to build self confidence," purposed Teacher At .After all, "all of us compliment each other, even the new people! We learn from them and the people with experience have wisdom to share," pointed out Teacher F. During the interviews the teachers identified specific changes in the roles and responsibilities of the principal. Among the changes in roles and responsibilities cited by the U in 115 teachers in the first interviews were: The principal asked the teachers to respond openly to her She has identified all staff as experts in the field She has teachers involved politically for the first time The principal respects teachers as individuals The principal expects leadership and they provide ways for teachers to demonstrate their leadership The principal constantly asks teachers for their input The principal backs teachers as professionals The principal is the facilitator In the second set of interviews the following changes in roles and responsibilities were identified: The principal is promoting more teacher responsibilities The principal supports informal mentoring among the teachers The principal provides a positive setting where teachers are given more credit Teachers are treated more as professionals (better than employee and employer) NH 116 '- The principal brings out the best in anyone who comes into this building - The principal encourages different ideas and lets you try them - The principal supports you and has a positive remark for each teacher - The principal asks teachers to be responsible for more things - Some principals were the ultimate leader - now we all get the chance to lead - The building has changed from doing things "their way" to "our way“ - We're a team and she's a member of the team WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE THE PRINCIPAL'S EFFORTS TO PROMOTE TEACHER LEADERSHIP? TRAINING FOR THE PRINCIPAL During the interviews, the principal stated that she believed a principal "must have been a good teacher to be a good principal." .A good teacher by her standards would be one who is "sensitive to the students' needs and cares about them." She also stated that a principal needed to be "aware of what can be done to identify good teachers." This would be especially important for the principal involved in the selection of new staff members. She believed that the was indi She Duri 117 selection of staff would be one way in which the beliefs of the building would be maintained. As she continued in the interview, she pointed out the need for the principal to have training in "people skills." The principal stated: A.principal must have a real empathy for people - that means kids, too! She must be able to handle people well, so that everyone believes - "I can do it!" We've got to learn how to bring in resistent teachers before they feel excluded from the rest of the staff. Being a principal today means that you are an important part of the team working with students. HOW THE PRINCIPAL APPROACHED.A LEADER Throughout the four months of the project the principal was observed demonstrating respect and trust for each individual teacher as a professional. In each interview, she emphasized the importance of professional respect. During the interview on OctOber 4, 1991, she stated that: Professional respect must exist between teachers and the principal. Teachers need to feel that you value their leadership abilities. On August 15, 1991, prior to the beginning of the project, the researcher met with the principal. At that time she described her staff as "open, nurturing, safe, and cooperative." Again, she demonstrated a respect for the staff on November 1, 1991, in the Teachers' Workroom.after V011 tea! ODDC app: HQQC 118 Teacher F had left the room. Principal: Isn't she great? Researcher: You really admire her! Principal: Absolutely - everyone does! Last year she was chosen as the Teacher of the Year for the district. Researcher: What an honor! Principal: She deserved it - she has worked so hard to get where she is today! Did I tell you that she started out as a school secretary? She was always a caring person! She seemed to know exactly when to be a tough disciplinarian and yet there was a loving, nurturing adult. She carries that over into the classroom. You know that during conferences this year she provided hot apple cider and cookies for her parents! They love her, too! HOW THE PRINCIPAL ASSESSED AND USED THE TEACIERS'EXPERTISE The principal utilized both the technique of asking for volunteers for curriculum projects and asking specific teachers to serve on committees. Everyone has the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. The principal approached teachers according to what type of role was needed. Her standard line was, "Can we work on this together?" or "Try it and see!" She tried to match up a need of the school/district with an expertise of a teacher. By being in the classrooms on a consistent basis, she is able to see the teachers' expertise in action. On those occasions where help is needed and someone speaks up - she has asked for his/her help. Another one of her favorite questions is "Can you help me?" The principal stated, "If 119 I have a need, I ask!" The principal also believed in the importance of encouraging teachers and the acknowledgment of what they have accomplished. "They must be thanked," stated the principal. Some of the methods which the principal used to thank her staff were: - Public recognition at School Board Meetings - Teacher's names and accomplishments in the school newsletter - Verbal "thank-you" at staff meetings - Purchase of special equipment for the classroom Finally, the principal utilizes the expertise of the staff members in a variety of ways: - Peer coaching - Leadership on a Curriculum Committee - Leadership on School Improvement Committee - .Attendance at a conference and the sharing of infonmation from the conference at a staff meeting - Informal mentoring She believed that: We should be able to count on each other for the benefit of the whole. If our collective wisdom helps 120 children - we'll do it! A synthesis of data gathered over a four month period of ethnographic research in an elementary school has been reported in this chapter. The study began with the researcher questioning the roles and responsibilities of an elementary principal in a school where teacher leadership was encouraged. Throughout the four months the researcher observed six teachers and one principal on a weekly basis and interviewed them individually twice during the project. Each interview took between forty-five minutes to one hour to complete. The observations were scheduled throughout the week at various times during the day and in different locations in the building. Key times for teacher to teacher interaction were also noted (before school in the office, staff meetings, lunchtime in the Teachers' Workroom, and after school in the hallways). Chapter 5 will include a summary of the study, conclusions from the research findings, implications for educational practice, recommendations for further research, and the reflections of the researcher. CHAPTERV Mve: GIG! 0\ v' .: .\ t Ovlvlmll: 0\ :U. REELECTIQHS This chapter will include a summary of the study, conclusions from the research findings, implications for educational practice, recommendations for further research, and the reflections of the researcher. The researcher's purpose in this study was to investigate the roles and responsibilities of a building principal as teacher leadership was encouraged in an elementary school . Thi s study took place in the context of a single elementary school with the researcher utilizing ethnographic methodology. The 121 122 methods included: - Participant Observations - Open-ended Interviews - Review of Relevant School Documents - Observer Comments - Fieldnote Memos From August of 1991 through December of 1991, the study was conducted in a school housing approximately 350 students, in Grades K-4, and staffed by fourteen classroom teachers. The principal of the building was identified by her peers and staff as an administrator who supported teacher leadership on the part of the staff. The major research question for the study was: IN WHAT WAYS AND TO WHAT EXTENT DOES THE PRESENCE OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP CHANGE THE BUILDING PRINCIPAL'S ROLES? To answer this question, it became apparent that the researcher needed to define the term teacher leadership, describe the culture of the school, and describe how the Culture had impacted the school, to determine the roles and responsibilities of the principal. The Summary of the findings is organized according to these Sections. Each section is followed by a synthesis of the 123 major finding on teacher leadership, the culture, and the principal's roles and responsibilities. IN WHAT WAYS AND TO WHAT EXTENT ARE TEACHERS INVOLVED IN LEADERSHIP ROLES? The educators in this study believed that a teacher leader in their building is a person who: ll. 12. Knows what needs to be done and does it Is respected and listened to Is willing to be a mentor Sees a problem and addresses it Is willing to share what is his/her expertise Is articulate, genuine, and learns from others Is a good teacher Has enough confidence and the ability to do it Goes ahead and gets the job done Is willing to go out of his/her way to assist others Is interested in improving the school and making it a better place for kids and teachers Has the ability to share her expertise and materials with other teachers 124 Throughout the months of September through December many teacher leaders surfaced. The leadership roles and responsibilities which were identified by the teachers were in the following areas: - Curriculum Committees - Inservice Workshop - Union Responsibilities - School Improvement Committee - Temporary Committees (those committees on an "as- needed" basis) -.Attendance at Conferences - Informal Mentors - Teachers Teaching Teachers The teachers in the study each identified two or three colleagues as teacher leaders in their building. After reviewing the list of leaders, it became apparent that all teachers, except for two, were identified as leaders by a colleague. Two teachers were selected by four of the six project volunteers. The principal believed that all teachers are leaders at one point or another. The area directly outside of the office was a key location for teacher-to-teacher interaction where teachers could share their expertise. During the four months, the 125 researcher observed numerous teacher interactions at this location on a daily basis. The new math program, an art activity for Thanksgiving, the third and fourth grade Christmas performance, the millage, and the loss of the student's home to an explosion were a few of the topics which were discussed. The teachers were seen frequently sharing their expertise with each other in the hallway near the office. This usually occurred in the early hour of the morning, before school began for the day. IN WHAT WAYS AND TO WHAT EXTENT DOES THE PRINCIPAL ACT TO INFLUENCE TEACHER LEADERS? The principal believed that a teacher leader is a good teacher who has an expertise to share. She felt that all teachers are leaders at one time or another. The key to the leadership is the professional respect between teachers and between the teachers and the principal. She believed that her responsibility is to provide teachers with decision- making opportunities. The principal promoted leadership through her staff meetings. During each meeting she constantly questioned and clarified what was being said. Teacher input was always asked for in the form of a question. If she was the one responsible for the input at the meeting she would ask for the teachers' opinions on what was being said. This questioning technique seemed to transfer over to the teachers' usage in the classroom and with each other. They 126 were frequently heard asking clarifying questions of one another. The seating arrangement for the staff meetings, as well as the room arrangement for the Teachers' Workroom, was set up to promote collegiality among the staff. Teachers were arranged in a circle for more interaction and direct conversation. Teachers were able to see the faces of those who they addressed and who addressed them. Another technique which the principal utilized to promote leadership was that of both asking for volunteers for individual projects and going directly to a staff member to ask them to serve on a committee, attend a conference, or represent the staff at a district function. The principal nurtured and supported the teachers by demonstrating her trust and respect for them. Trust, in that she expected to be able to count on them, and respect for their individual needs and differences. This trust and respect seemed to serve as a basis for their willingness to take risks. They believed that because she trusted and respected them that the principal presumed they could accomplish whatever they set out to do. She believed that she was responsible for knowing them well enough to secure their success as a leader. Recognition of the leaders was also a technique the principal used to indicate to the teachers that they were respected and trusted. verbal recognition was given to teachers at various school programs, such as the Board of 127 Education meetings and the PTO meetings. Written recognition was given in the form of individual notes to the teachers. Teachers, who had earned awards through the Michigan Department of Education, were recognized in the school's Annual Report, which is distributed to parents of students in the building. Other recognition was given in the form of luncheons during Education Week, educationally related Christmas gifts, and tokens of appreciation throughout the year. In summary, all teachers in this building, except for two, are viewed as leaders by one or more of their colleagues. .A leader was seen as a person who is respected by others, knows what needs to be done, and then has the confidence to do it. These leadership skills are demonstrated in various traditional situations; Curriculmm Committee meetings, during workshops, conferences, and staff meetings, in the union representation, at the School Improvement meetings, and on a daily basis in teacher-to -teacher interactions. These interactions took place in locations throughout the building. The principal believed that teacher leaders are good teachers with expertise to share. The staff meetings were established in a format for constant teacher interaction. Another technique which she utilized was that of asking specific teachers to serve on district committees and by asking for volunteers to represent the staff at various district functions. Trust and respect were key components. 128 The teachers trusted the principal to ask him/her to be a leader, were willing to take the risk, and respected the principal's decision. The principal respected each teacher in a leadership position and trusted him/her to complete the task in a professional manner. After each leadership experience, the principal recognized the teacher by offering a token of appreciation to validate the importance of that experience. HQfl_THE_CflLIURE_MADE_AN_IMEACT_QN_THE_SCHQQL IN WHAT WAYS AND TO WHAT EXTENT DOES THE CULTURE OF THE SCHOOL INFLUENCE THE PRINCIPAL'S ABILITY TO PROMOTE LEADERSHIP? The main focus in this school was on providing an atmosphere where all children are happy and learning. This belief was shared in the school's Mission Statement and the Annual Report. The staff spent many hours working on their plans to provide a place for happy students to learn. Each teacher seemed to believe it was his/her duty to make sure all students learned in a happy environment. The second focus in the school was on the importance of teamwork. The staff frequently worked together to solve prdblems such as how to best meet the needs of all students. One teacher even labeled the school and all its participants as, "The Family." The teachers believed that they put together everyone's expertise to make the team work. 129 The principal believed that being a principal means that you are a part of a team working with students. One way in which these beliefs have been established is through the selection of teaching staff members. All the staff have demonstrated comfort with these beliefs. An example of the way they implement these beliefs is during the time in which the staff develops the class lists for the next year. In the spring, the staff meet with their grade level colleagues to discuss each individual student and his/her needs. They then formulate the class lists for the next year according to these needs. In summary, the culture of the building had two major foci. First, the staff believed it was their responsibility to provide an atmosphere where all children are happy and learning. The second focus was on the staff's teamwork in attaining their first goal. By selecting staff members with similar goals, the school's culture was established and reinforced. THE_RQLES_AND_RES2QNSIBILITIES_QE_THE_EBINCIEAL WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE THE PRINCIPAL'S EFFORTS TO PROMOTE TEACHER LEADERSHIP? One factor which influenced the principal's efforts to promote leadership was the visibility of the principal in the school. The principal spent the majority of her time during the day out of her office. She was observed 130 frequently out of the office and in the various classrooms. Her time was spent observing teachers and students, seeing the new programs being implemented, and even substitute teaching in the classroom. Another factor which influenced the principal's efforts to promote teacher leadership was the strategy of encouraging collegiality among staff members. This was emphasized through her identification of all teachers as leaders with expertise to share. She facilitated their interaction by constantly requesting input on the part of the staff. She promoted informal mentoring between the new teachers and experienced staff members. The principal never indicated any concern regarding her potential loss of power with teachers assuming leadership roles. Instead, the principal frequently shared her pleasure at promoting the power from within the staff, not over them” When the building reopened and the principal returned to the building, she was able to select the staff members. This opportunity offered her the option to identify teachers with similar educational philosophies. She stated that due to this new staff, she is able to visit the rooms on a consistent basis and truly feels welcomed by the teachers. Although she believes that her feelings about education have not changed, the way in which she has been able to work with the staff has changed. The principal believed that the best training for becoming a principal is to be a good teacher. Along with 131 this was the need to be able to identify good teachers. She believed that some formalized staff development for principals should include "People Skills Training," where the principal could develop and understand how to work with people empathetically, so they believe that "they can do it!" The principal believed that she had the responsibility to nurture teachers' leadership abilities. She felt this could be accomplished by providing an open, safe, and cooperative environment. She also utilized the techniques of asking for volunteers for curriculum projects and asking specific teachers to serve on committees as a way of nurturing teacher leadership. She did not believe that these techniques were used to dump responsibilities on other staff members. Encouragement and recognition were utilized to reassure the teachers of their leadership abilities. In summary, the principal provided a safe and cooperative environment where leadership is identified, nurtured, and recognized. She emphasized the collegiality among the teachers. Her constant visitations to the rooms supported this collegiality. By focusing on the development of collegiality and the sharing of decision making by all staff members, a culture was established where everyone had a commpn vision for all to work toward. The culture of the building was established with a focus on providing an atmosphere where all children are happy and learning. The staff believed that it was their 132 duty to make sure that all students learn and are happy. The second focus was on the staff's teamwork. Each member of the staff worked in tandem with other colleagues on each project. Such projects included School Improvement and the designing of class lists for the next year. Staff selection was a key to the establishment and reinforcement of the school's culture. By selecting new teachers who share these beliefs, the culture was reinforced and supported by the collegiality of the staff. The principal believed that principals should have formalized training on "People Skills," where they can develop and understand how to work with people empathetically. Incorporated in the people skills training was an assumption of the need to nurture the teachers' leadership abilities. In summary, this study highlighted how one principal has established a setting for teacher leadership. As the teachers assumed leadership roles and responsibilities, the roles and responsibilities of the principal changed. The activities and conversations in the study demonstrate how these roles change. By focusing on the development of collegiality, with teachers working in teams, and the decision making shared by all staff members, the principal can establish a culture where everyone may have a common vision for all to work toward. 133 Major conclusions drawn from the study are reported in this section. Further implications regarding their usefulness in educational practices are discussed in the next section. Trust And Respect Trust and respect are integral characteristics of a principal in a school where teachers are encouraged to assume leadership responsibilities. Trust and respect serve as the basis for all teacher-principal interactions, whether they be personal or professional. By promoting trust and respect, the principal also encourages risk-taking on the part of the teacher. Broad Base Of Leadership Schools benefit from a broad base of leaders to meet the various needs of the staff, the principal, and the district. Not all teachers are leaders in all the areas, yet all teachers are leaders in one area. Teachers are key to the identification of the leaders in their own building. 134 Opportunities For Leadership Teachers need opportunities to both be asked to serve in a leadership role and to volunteer to serve as a leader. Such opportunities stimulate the teacher to gain knowledge, develop greater expertise, and then to share his/her expertise with colleagues. A Common Focus Fbr All Staff In all schools the main focus should be on children and their learning. By developing a common focus, the entire staff works as a team to have their goals relate to the school focus. By having a common goal the staff would all have a commitment to the process. Each staff member has his/her own expertise to share with colleagues. The role of the principal is to contribute to the common focus and assist the staff to stay on task. The principal utilizes questioning strategies to clarify and confirm statements made by the staff during the process of attaining their goals. Opportunities Fbr Decision Making The opportunities for teachers to demonstrate leadership roles and responsibilities within the district 135 have seemed to remain consistent. The major change has been in the decision-making opportunities for teachers and the number of staff members involved in the decision-making process. Teachers are now sharing equal status with other teachers in the building and at the district level, when asked to serve as members of district curriculum committees. Seeking Permission Still rooted in the culture is the "top-down" model, where teachers continue to feel the need to ask permission from the principal for various leadership opportunities. There is still a perceived need by teachers for the principal to "let" them, "allow" them, or "give" them permission to grow. The principal may still be seen as the "boss" with the final say in all matters concerning the school and students. However, these terms may also mean that the teachers do not have a language to express their new role behaviors and are resorting to a known vocabulary. Time Out Of The Office The principal spends much of her time during the day out of her office, interacting with staff and students. The traditional, required.work of the principal continues to be completed. However, this work is usually done at times 136 above and beyond the regular school day. During the day, the principal spends school-time working and observing in the classrooms and supervising the movement of students in the hallways. Reflection Time Each staff member is in need of some special time to be set aside for group reflection purposes. This reflection time helps the staff to identify their individual expertise and to establish their own ways to contribute to the common focus of the school. The teachers' self-esteem appears to be supported and nurtured through these opportunities for reflection. Included in this section are the implications for educational practice derived from the major conclusions of the study. The Importance Of.A Gammon Focus By developing a common focus, the teachers and principal have a singular vision. However, the development of a clear, unified common focus does not occur impulsively. Instead, a group will list the collective ideas of a team of 137 professionals. "The principal is responsible for making vision building a collective exercise." (Fullan, 1992) Although each person's individual perception of that focus may be unique, commonalities of direction will be the same. Just the act of identifying a common focus bonds the staff with a plausible goal. It is important for all teachers to view their school through similar eyes. This common vision sets the stage for all changes to occur. It is the school working together which makes the vision work. With the push toward Effective Schools and the School Improvement Process, where the first step is to establish a common focus or mission, it is logical to specify the importance of this activity. The Role Of The Principal As A Mamber Of The Team As the principal becomes a working member of the school team involved in identifying a common focus, setting goals, securing activities and strategies to accomplish the goals, and general problem solving experiences, his/her role may be changing. Being a member of the team, the principal will help promote professional respect and trust among the staff. This will be accomplished by providing numerous opportunities for decision-making on the part of the teachers. These leadership roles enable the teachers to demonstrate their own individual expertise. The principal may also specify time for reflection during the regularly -1 1‘3‘ 138 scheduled staff meeting or provide thought-provoking questions prior to the meeting and request the teachers to "think" about the questions so that staff will be able to react to them at the next staff meeting. Reflection time may be scheduled into the day's activities, at a certain time, for all staff. It would appear that the teaching staff would benefit from a variety of opportunities to reflect on their thoughts. These reflection times should be made available on a consistent basis and be established in an individual, partner, or small group format. The individual reflection time provides the teacher with opportunities to collect his/her thoughts. The partner and small group format enables the teachers to interact with colleagues, to share their thoughts on schools, teaching, and learning. Principals need time to share their changing roles and responsibilities with colleagues. Time must be established in local districts at the "monthly administrators' meetings" to share concerns, successes, failures, and techniques to help the principal secure the successes. Mentors for new principals may help provide for the collegiality among principals. Investment in the development of teamwork among principals will positively affect the growth of each principal, therefore impacting teamwork at the individual schools. This structure would promote "a form of power manifested through other people, not over the people." (Leithwood, p. 9) This form of power 139 would be unlimited, and would enhance the educational opportunities for all students. Establishing A Collaborative, Professional CUlture The role of the principal in establishing the culture of the building is an on-going task. The basis for collaboration among staff is the development of professional respect and trust. These two characteristics go hand-in- hand in helping to establish a culture where teachers work together. Staff members must respect each other as professionals. Through this respect they develop the trust that is needed to take risks and make decisions. .All staff must be given opportunities for decision making. These decisions will affect everyone and should be considered important to the growth of the staff. In collaborative school cultures there is much discussion among staff members. During the discussions they often talk, observe, critique, and plan together. By reducing teacher isolation and promoting interaction, the teachers encourage each other to better meet the needs of their students. Time and money are two issues which the principal can provide for these interactions to occur. Soliciting grant money, fundraising, and business partnerships may help contribute the funds which are needed. Time may be secured by reallocating line items of the budget to provide 140 substitute teachers to assume the classroom duties while the teachers meet. Another suggestion would be in the use of the principal as a substitute teacher. She/he will not only confirm her/his status as an educator but also will get a first hand look at the curriculum.and students at each grade level. All teachers are leaders in one area or another. They are able to demonstrate their own individual expertise at different times on different subjects. Because of this, principals need to provide opportunities for teachers to volunteer for leadership responsibilities. Principals must also solicit the help of teachers by going to them and asking them to serve in a leadership role. The teachers in the study believed that principals need to do both of these activities to ensure the participation by all staff. Furthermore, the principal would need to select new staff members who are already committed to the school's focus and priorities. These new staff members would support the process and share the power and responsibility in fostering staff development. Preparation Of The.Administrators As potential administrators take course work or attend workshops to prepare for their future position, the role of the principal in promoting and nurturing teacher leadership in all teachers must be addressed. This same topic needs to 141 be shared with principals currentky in the position of administrator. This awareness would directly benefit the teachers in the principal's school. At the same time, a description of a collegial school where trust and respect serve as the foundation of daily interactions, would be included. Responsibility Of The Local School Districts Each school district would be responsible for providing staff develOpment programs for the principals regarding the changing roles and responsibilities of principals. Part of each principal's yearly goal-setting and evaluation would be a component specifying how the principal is currently promoting and nurturing the leadership skills and expertise of each teacher. Monthly meetings would be established for principals to discuss, plan, and critique together. Finally, the superintendent would schedule "talk thme" with each principal to discuss how the principal is maintaining a collaborative culture in the building. The Responsibilities Of The Colleges.And universities If colleges and universities are to assist in the development of collegial cultures in schools, they must provide preservice programs, staff development programs, and graduate level programs. Many of the new staff members 142 appear to have developed the skills of working together as a team. The graduate level courses must also promote the idea of teacher leadership. Hewever, the researcher is unaware of the current coursework for administrators which may emphasize the techniques used to develop cooperative problem solving by the staff. The sharing of these ideas is needed by all principals in the field. With the current certification requirements for administrators, it would seem that the sponsoring of conferences, symposia, and/or institutes would provide the format to share the knowledge by the colleges and universities on teacher leadership. The researcher identified some questions which may be considered for future research” The learning and understanding which would be gained from these areas would provide further insight into the changing role of the elementary principal. Some of the potential areas of study include: The Role Of The superintendent What role does the Superintendent play in providing opportunities for the elementary principal to change his/her role? The elementary principal does not work in a vacuum. He/she attends regular meetings with other administrators 143 from the district. These meetings frequently include updates or status reports on the individual buildings. If the Superintendent is a "top-down" administrator, one who believes that "you must have power over people", the changing principal would be faced with a major dilemma. Every principal is also involved in yearly evaluations, If the Superintendent is again a "top-down" administrator, how would he/she perceive the changing roles and responsibilities of the principal? If the Superintendent is an administrator who understands these changing roles of the principal, how would he/she support and nurture the principal? Principal Cbllegiality How does the principal receive support from his/her colleagues? As a principal begins to change his/her roles and responsibilities, many questions and concerns may become apparent. To whom does the principal turn to help sort the answers? What if the other principals have very traditional roles and responsibilities? How will the principal work as a member of the administrative team? The Difference Between Male And Female Principals Is there a difference in the way in which male and female principals view their occupations? Can both male and 144 female principals provide nurturing, supportive cultures? If they do, what do the cultures look like? Are there certain expectations of how a male principal conducts himself in a building and are there certain expectations for the female principals? What are those expectations and how do they affect teacher leadership? Specific Knowledge Needed For Principals Who.Are Changing Their Roles And Responsibilities In order for the principal to deal with his/her changing roles and. responsibilities, new' skills and knowledge are necessary. What types of skills and knowledge are needed for the future principal? Are we still dealing with the concept of Instructional Leader or are we looking at a role of facilitator? What does a principal need to know and do to be a "Leader of Leaders?" This also relates to administrators who have been in the field for numerous years. With Administrative Certification being required in various states, the question becomes even more relevant. What should the content be for the coursework for administrator certification? Changing Roles and.Responsibilities of a Middle School Principal And A High School Principal Are the same types of role and responsibility changes 145 taking place for the middle school principal and the high school principal? Teacher leadership is occurring at all educational levels. Are there similarities or differences between the principals at these levels? If so, what are they? If not, why not? What conditions must exist for the principals of a middle school and a high school to change their roles and responsibilities? The Culture What are the culture commonalities of schools where principals are changing their roles and responsibilities? If these commonalities are identified, a school may replicate them to encourage the changing of the roles and responsibilities of its principal. .Need For Reflection What can be done to provide time for teachers and principals to reflect on their profession? Having time to question and think gives adults the opportunity to grow. What do other schools do to provide this time for their staff members? 146 The Importance Of Questioning Skills How do different types of questioning models affect the way in which a principal approaches a problem solving situation with the staff? If the principal establishes a certain technique in his/her style and continually models that technique with the staff, will the staff transfer the technique to the classroom? Do certain questioning models elicit higher levels of thinking on the part of adults? Do certain types of questions help promote teamwork?What professional development programs are available for principals on the art of questioning? How Teacher Leadership Impacts The Students In The Classroom To confirm that the removal of barriers for teacher interaction is beneficial to everyone in the building, studies should be undertaken to analyze it's impact on students. Do teachers become more effective in the classroom when they are involved in leadership responsibilities with their school colleagues? Do students learn as much or more from teachers who see themselves as leaders in their buildings? In today's schools, where restructuring is a word mi... -35 I‘d. O . A R- . 147 frequently found in the literature, the role of the principal has no alternative but to change. As Sarason stated, "most initiatives that are incorporated in the restructuring movement deal with strategies that alter power relationships." (Leithwood, 1991) These strategies include site-based management, increasing parents' and teachers' decision making, and enhancing opportunities for the exercise of teacher leadership. (Leithwood, 1991) Due to these changes, principals are called on to shed their former roles. Principals of the future will still be needed to help spark the change that can only happen inside institutions where everyone is growing. As the researcher reflected on the past six months, she began to rethink her concept of leadership. Initially, the term seemed to be singular - as in "the leader" and "the leadership." Also inferred in the term is something forceful, something being done to others. However, after observing an effective leader promoting leadership amongst the staff, a different type of mindscape appeared and took hold. As Sergiovanni states, "Leadership mindscapes are shaped by what we believe and value and by our understanding of the world. They create the reality that drives our leadership practice." (1992, p. 41) The researcher's new mindscape of leadership has become one where multiple leaders are seen throughout a building. Each teacher has identified his/her expertise and has had opportunities to share this expertise with colleagues. Time 148 is also spent in staff development to encourage continual growth and to develop new areas of interest and to explore a potential expertise. Having the opportunity to observe another principal on an in-depth basis, as well as a group of dedicated teachers, provided the researcher with a picture of a school in 1992. Leadership in this setting was a "shared experience." Opportunities to lead were available to all staff members. Teachers were asked by the principal to share their expertise, or to volunteer for major district curriculum committees. The principal saw the staff as a group of outstanding professionals with individual expertise. Her responsibilities included identifying such expertise and promoting and nurturing them to be the best which they could be. This was accomplished through the professional respect and trust between the teachers and the principal . The culture of the building seemed to be built on the premise that all children must learn and be happy. This premise appeared to be transferred to the teachers so that the emphasis was all people must learn and be happy. The staff was a mixture of personalities, teaching experiences, and teaching abilities. Yet they seemed to fit together, like the pieces of a well-designed puzzle. But what was the glue that held them together? One of the key pieces of the puzzle seems to be the professional respect between the principal and the teachers. This respect was visible in the way the principal asked questions 149 during the staff meetings, solicited volunteers to serve in leadership roles, brought forth the expertise of all teachers, and recognized their abilities. She was verbally respectful of the teachers, not just in one-to-one situations with the teacher but also in meetings where teachers were cited for their accomplishments. Intrinsic to the respect was the trust which was built between the teachers and the principal. Again, the trust was demonstrated in numerous ways. It seems as though the trust helped to provide the stage for risk-taking on the part of the teachers. Once the teacher believed she/he was trusted and respected, she/he would take a risk. The more she/he risked, the more she/he trusted. It didn't matter if the end result was successful or not, it was the process of trying that was successful. The process seemed cyclical; the more one trusts, the more one risks, and the more one risks, the more one trusts and the more one grows. It seemed as though the end result of combining the professional respect, trust, and risk taking was pride. The staff, teachers, and students demonstrated great pride in their school and themselves. In trying to understand the term teacher leader, a question arose regarding the act of leadership and the culture which promotes it» Certainly the leadership of teachers involved in district curriculum councils is important to the staff, but isn't it the aura of leadership in the culture that promotes the feeling of leadership? 150 During the interviews the researcher heard comments from the teachers which emphasized the sentiment that the teachers must still acquire permission from the principal to lead. Terms such as, "let's us," "allows us," "gives us," and "okayed" indicate that the perception of principal's granting permission for teachers to lead is still rooted in the culture. Yet from the principal's point of view this no longer exists. Is this view one which is promoted by the central office picture of the roles and responsibilities of the principal? Some of the political protocol still seems evident in the schools today. Until these controlling responsibilities are shared and no longer held sacred by the administration, the principals will need to continue to work away at the administrative beliefs which separate teachers and principals. One way in which the schools can accomplish this feat is to regularly schedule times for both group and self- reflection. By reflecting we can grow. As Gardner stated, "Renewal is not just innovation and change. It is also the process of bringing the results of change into line with our purposes." (p. 6) Our purpose should be to establish a culture which. promotes and nurtures the individual leadership skills of teachers so that we can all work as a team to provide the best possible education for our students. The key to achieving this goal is in the selection of principals. An effective principal can be the turning 151 point of the school. The principal helps to set the stage for all the changes and growth in the school. It is the responsibility of each Board of Education and Superintendent to select a principal who is aware of the roles and responsibilities which insure teacher leadership. As educators of today open their professional journal, read newspaper headlines, or attend conferences, they are saturated with phrases telling of the need to change schools. But how does this change affect the building principal? Everyday, minute by minute, the role of the principal is changing. No longer is the principal isolated in his/her office. Instead, the principal is a member of a team, working together in a cmfllegial atmosphere, where growing and learning together is the norm of the culture. We must continue to reflect and question the ever-changing role of the principal to assure an environment where every learner will succeed. BIBLIOGRAPHY EERIQDICALS Adams, William F. and Gerald D. Bailey. 1989. Principal leadership behaviors:Making a choice..NASSP Bulletin. 73:86-91. Agar, Michael. 1989. 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Room at the top:Conditions for effective school leadership. Phi Delta Kappan. 69:643- 647. 155 Rosenholz, S. J. 1985. Political myths about education reform:Lessons from research on teaching. Phi Delta Kappan. 66:349-55. Rutherford, William L. 1985. School principals as effective leaders. Phi Delta Kappan. 67:31-34. Sergiovanni, Thomas J. 1991. The dark side of professionalism in educational administration. Phi Delta Kappan. 72:521- 526. Sergiovanni, Thomas J. 1990. Adding value to leadership gets extraordinary results. Educational Leadership. 47:23- 27. Sergiovanni, Thomas J. 1992. Why we should seek substitutes for leadership. Educational Leadership. 49:41-45. Shieve, Linda Tinelli. 1988. New roles for admdnistrators in Rochester. Educational Leadership. 45:53-55. Sickler, Joan I. 1988. Teachers in charge:Empowering the professionals. Phi Delta Kappan. 69:354-356. 375,376. Simpson, Grant W. 1990. Keeping it alive: Elements of school culture that sustain innovation. Educational Leadership. 47:34-37. Sirotnik, Kenneth A1 and Richard W. Clark. 1988. School- centered decision making and renewal. Phi Delta Kappan. 69:660-664. Snyder, Karolyn. 1988. Managing a productive school work culture. NASSP Bulletin. 72:40-43. Stimson, Terry D. and Richard P. Applebaum. Empowering teachers:Do principals really have the power? Phi Delta Kappan. 70:313-316. Strauber, Sandra K., Sara Stanley, and Carl Wagenknecht. 1990. Site-based.management at Central-Hower. Educational Leadership. 47:64-66. Swart, Elizabeth. 1990. So you want to be a professional? Phi Delta Kappan. 72:315-318. urbanski, Adamt 1988. The Rochester contract:A status report. Educational Leadership. 46:48-52. Watson, Bernard. 1966. The Principal:Forgotten man in negotiations. Administrators' thebook. xv. Wise, Arthur. 1990. Six steps to teacher professionalism, Educational Leadership. 47:56-60. 156 1989. Carnegie finds teachers make few school decisions. EXecutive Educator. 11:7-8. EAEER_ERESENTED_AT_CQNEEEENCE Blackman, Charles A., Ronald Crowell, Lynn Bollman, and William.Mester. 1988. Cbllegial interaction as stimulus for reflection and growth, ASCD Conference. PUBLISHED_DISSERTAIIQNS Derrington, Mary Lynne. 1989. The role of the principal: Tradition, transition and transtrmation..An ethnographic study of two high school principals. University of Washington. Shelor, Linda Gayle. 1989, Empowering teachers: An ethnographic account of reform activities in a middle school. University of Louisville. BQQKS Barth, Roland S. 1990. Improving schools from within. San Francisco:Jossey-Bass. Bogdan, Robert C. and Sari Knapp Biklen. 1982. Qualitative research for education. Boston:Allyn and Bacon. Carnegie Forum on Education and the Economy. 1986. A nation ‘prepared: Teachers for the let century; New York: Carnegie Corporation. Darling-Hammond, Linda. 1984. Beyond the commission Reports: The coming crisis in teaching; Santa Monica:The Rand Corporation. Deal, Terrence E. and Kent D. Peterson. 1990. The principal's role in shaping school culture. Washington, D.C. :US Department of Education. Erickson, Frederick. 1986. Qualitative methods in research on teaching; New York:Macmillan. Gardner, John W. 1981. Self-renewal:The individual and the innovative society; New York:W.W. Norton. Hoy, Wayne K. and Cecil G. Miskel. 1991. Educational administration. New York:McGraw-Hill. 157 Lieberman, Ann. 1988. Building a professional culture in schools. New York:Teachers College Press. Lieberman, Ann and Lynne Miller. 1984. Teachers, their world, and their work. Alexandria:ASCD. Lieberman, Ann 1990. Schools as collaborative cultures:Creating the future nowu New York:Falmer Press. Lortie, Dan C. 1975. Schoolteacher. ChicagozThe University of Chicago Press. Maeroff, Gene I. 1989. The Empowerment of Teachers:0vercomdng the crisis of Confidence. New York:Teachers College Press. Morris, Van Cleve, Robert L. Crowson, Cynthia Porter-Gehrie and Emanuel Hurwitz, Jr. 1984. Principals in action:The reality of managing schools. Columbus:Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company. Patterson, Jerry L., Stewart C. Purkey, and Jackson V. Parker. 1986. Productive school systems for a non- rational world, Alexandria:ASCD. Sarason, Seymour B. 1971. The culture of the school and the problem of change. Boston:Allyn and Bacon. Sergiovanni, Thomas J. 1987. The principalshipaA reflective ‘practice perspective. Newton,Mass.:Allyn and Bacon. Weldy, Gilbert R. 1979. Principals-What they do and who they are. National Association of Secondary School Principals. APPENDIX A MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY OFFICE Of VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH EAST LANSING 0 NICHIGAN 0 «824-3046 AND DEAN Of THE GRADUATE SCHOOL June 6, 1991 Ms. Mary E. Brun 22412 Alton Ct. Novi, MI 48375 RE: THE CHANGING ROLE OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS: A CASE STUDY OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL IN A SCHOOL WHERE TEACHERS DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES, IRB PSI-267 Dear Ms. Brun: The above project is exempt from full UCRIHS review. The proposed research protocol has been reviewed by another committee member. The rights and welfare of humas subjects appear to be protected and you have approval to conduct the researc . You are reminded that UCRIHS approval is valid for one calendar year. If you plan to continue this project beyond one year, please make provisions for obtaining appropriate UCRIHS approval one month prior to May 29, 1991. Any changes in procedures involving human subjects must be reviewed by UCRIHS prior to initiation of the change. UCRIHS must also be notifed promptly of any problems (unexpected side effects, complaints, etc.) involving human subjects during the course of the work. Thank you for bringing this project to my attention. If I can be of any future help, please do not hesitate to let me know. ely, '- . . I f’;.. vld E. wright, Ph.D., Chai€::3 University Committee on Resea Involving Human Subjects (UCRIHS) DEU/deo cc: Dr. Charles Blackman 158 mu .3 .- Allin-alive Attica/Equal Opportunity Institution MICHIGAN STATE UNIV. LIBRARIES mWINilllVIWINIIIHHIHill“IIIHWIHNWWI 31293007729217