Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons^™

A Preferred Vision For Administering Secondary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Joyce M. Bechtel

Graduate Research Papers

The term instructional leader encompasses many aspects. The instructional portion includes the knowledge base, the master teacher, the evaluator, the mediator, and the communicator with parents, community and teachers. The leader portion includes the perceptive director, the goal directed visionary, and the organizer with enthusiasm and energy.

Teachers depend on the principal to assist them in gaining instructional skills and utilizing curricular material that is necessary to teach effectively. The principal should be their master teacher and evaluator. As an evaluator, a principal will confer with and provide feedback to the staff, and will evaluate the education programs.

A Vision For The Administration Of A Secondary School : A Reflective Essay, Steve E. Dodge

Graduate Research Papers

In order to keep a school running smoothly today administrators must be able to perform a wide variety of jobs effectively. The key role that any principal must play is that of a leader. The ability to lead determines how effective an administrator will be in carrying out all of the other roles. The leadership of a school's instructional program is an area in which the principal has perhaps the greatest potential to influence the largest number of people. Through this role one impacts all programs of the school.

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary/Secondary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Brad E. Small

Graduate Research Papers

The success and future of our nation, if not the entire world, depends on educating our children. For this reason, I have decided to seek anew career in educational administration after serving as a teacher and coach for.the past twelve years.

As the building principal, you lead by example. What the principal does on a regular basis overtime, becomes the most important aspect of the school (D. Else, Personal. Communication, 1997). I really understood the power of that statement. When looking back at my former principals, I can see how their actions helped or hindered their leadership. Students and.staff will …

Educational Excellence For Administrating Schools : A Reflective Essay, Cynthia J. Lapel

Graduate Research Papers

A visionary leader must look at what the organization should be like to achieve educational excellence, and then be willing to undertake the necessary steps to achieve the vision. Educational excellence will take a strong-hold only when it evolves from a community commitment for excellence. This community consisting of students and teachers, as well as parents and the public, led by a visionary administrator, will develop a commonly held vision to achieve educational excellence for their school district.

The Roles Of The Secondary School Administrator : A Reflective Essay, Sara L. Oswald

Graduate Research Papers

A true leader must be able to do three things well: 1. Identify, What needs to be accomplished? 2. Be the world's best gopher. Support your staff by asking, How can I help you and support your program? and finally, 3. Say thank you to all who helped students achieve success along the way.

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary/Secondary Schools : A Reflective Essay, James C. Cline

Graduate Research Papers

I have decided to become a principal based primarily.on what I have observed during my high school years and while teaching. I have witnessed administrators who did not do a very good job, and I have also observed and worked for administrators who do a superb job. Qualities that I have noticed in good administrators include: being fair; consistent; punctual; honest; a listener; and seen by the students, faculty and community. These administrators are also very good in public relations. These seven traits of good administrators are some goals I am trying to develop as I become an administrator.

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Floyd Athay

Graduate Research Papers

I believe in being a proactive administrator. I do not want to be recognized simply as the authority figure in the school that is rarely seen. My door will always be open, and I will be seen in the classrooms as well as throughout the school. I want to be active in the teaching process.

My first year as a principal will be a time for me to become familiar with the school environment. I will not make any major changes the first year unless I am forced to do so. I believe that this time should be spent becoming …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, John Adam Barker Jr.

Graduate Research Papers

People have different goals, dreams and aspirations in life. Whereas some aspire to become doctors, lawyers and accountants, others long to serve as engineers, managers and politicians. One of my greatest missions in life is to serve as a school principal. The purpose of this paper is to share my beliefs, values, and vision on being a principal. Beginning with my experiences, it serves to highlight my vision, values, ethics, leadership style and technological plans I intend to implement.

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Kathleen F. Hartzler

Graduate Research Papers

As a future principal, there are four areas that I feel I will be doing the most work. Those four areas are: parental involvement, community involvement, leadership style and technology. The bottom line in all of this is student learning. We always ask, whether a teacher or administrator, what is best for children? I will reflect on leadership style, parent involvement, community involvement and technology all as part of improving our school system to achieve the best education our students can get.

Iowa Teachers' Perceptions About Involvement In Decision-Making, Michael S. Jurgensen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to look at shared decision-making in the public schools of Iowa. Specifically, attention was given to the desire of teachers to be involved in strategic managerial issues that have been the traditional purview of administration. Fourteen decisional areas were selected for the study including organizational managerial, policy development, and resource allocation/utilization issues.

Four research questions were utilized with a quantitative research approach. A survey instrument was mailed to 600 K-12 public school teachers within Iowa. The final sample included 431 responses that represented a return rate of 72.3%

Statistical tests were conducted at the.05 …

The Women Superintendents Of Iowa: A 1990'S Analysis, Joen M. Rottler

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Historically, Iowa has had few women superintendents of K-12 public schools. Societal changes, political changes, and legislation, such as affirmative action, have had no impact on gender balance in the superintendency in Iowa. The number of women superintendents in Iowa remains low. Of 397 superintendents in Iowa, during 1993-94, only 14 were women. This qualitative study examines the characteristics of current women superintendents of Iowa. Specifically, the following aspects of career development were examined: childhood and adolescent characteristics, personal and professional characteristics, and career path. The experience of being a woman superintendent and gender related aspects of leadership were also …

A Sociometric Analysis Of The Informal Networking Patterns Of Iowa's Public School Superintendents, Thomas M. Hoover

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to describe the informal communication network of public school superintendents in the state of Iowa. This investigation was initiated because the literature on the superintendency remains silent to the topic of communication relationships among superintendents. For purposes of this study, networking was defined as activities leading to the formation of peer relationships resulting in the acquisition of useful information, advice, moral support, or socializing and mentoring opportunities.

The collection of data was made possible by means of a self-reporting survey mailed to all public school superintendents in Iowa. The survey reflected the standard approach …

Administrative Evaluation : What Will It Take To Succeed?, Steven J. Cose

Graduate Research Papers

What is a leader? According to Guthrie and Reed (1991), " A leader is an individual who accepts the authoritative expectations of others to responsibly guide the activities and enhance the performance of an organization." As education changes, the leadership role is taking on new dimensions. What will it take for me to become an effective educational administrator? As I look back on my coursework, the one issue that continuously appeared was the idea of establishing a vision. The key point made in each class was that to be an effective leader, an administrator needed to develop both short and …

Global Education Attitudes And Practices In Iowa High Schools, Keith L. Stamp

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Global education is a curriculum which is creating considerable debate among educators and lay people. The Iowa Department of Education has mandated that all schools develop a global education program. Clough (1994) reports that "the globalization of American society has greatly increased the incentives for individuals in all parts of the country to become more involved in world affairs" (p. 4) . Therefore, it is important that the attitudes of educators toward global education and the implementation of global education be studied.

The purposes of this study were to identify the attitudes of public high school principals and social studies …

The Impact Of School District Mergers On Library Media Programs In Selected Iowa School Districts, Sandra Huemann-Kelly

Graduate Research Papers

With the current trend Iowa of school districts whole-grade sharing (WGS) with another school district followed by merging, the author examined the impact of such reorganization activities on library media programs in selected school districts. The case study approach was utilized to examine five districts. The author believed that changes occurred as a result in library media centers with most change discernible at the time WGS commenced rather than at the time of full merger. The first hypothesis was supported by evidence of change in library media centers in the areas of facilities, personnel, collections, finances and library media services. …

The Relationship Of Leadership, Socioeconomic Status, And School Size In Developing School Culture: A Study Of Elementary School Principals, Janice Marie Ott

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Schools are being called upon to restructure, to make fundamental systemic changes which require a change in the culture of schooling. Little is known about how school culture develops. What role do leaders play in shaping culture? What influences do building size and the socioeconomic status of the students have on the culture?

The purpose of this study was to explore these relationships and to cluster and describe the culture profiles among Iowa elementary schools. A survey of a random sample of 250 Iowa elementary principals provided perceptual data from 214 respondents.

Based on the Competing Values theoretical model, four …

A Preferred Vision For Administering Elementary Schools : A Reflective Essay, Janie M. Adams

Graduate Research Papers

Some of the articles and books that are referred to in the body of this paper are written by African- Americans about the plight of our African-American children in yesterday's, today's and tomorrow's schools. In writing this paper I address some basic needs for all children. Yet of most pressing concern to me are the African-American student and other students of color. Brown versus Topeka, Kansas was in 1954, but in the eyes of many African-Americans separate but equal is alive and well. With the prospect of a voucher system looming on the horizon it is being driven home even …

An Investigation Of The Responsibilities Of Secondary Principals Serving Shared And Nonshared Superintendents, Dale E. Greimann

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In 1981-82, two school districts in the state of Iowa shared one superintendent; in 1985-86, 10 districts shared five superintendents; by 1991-92, 116 school districts reported sharing 58 superintendents. Studies on the shared superintendency suggested that role overload accompanied the position and that superintendents reacted to the increased workload by delegating responsibilities, often to building principals. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if there were significant differences in the perceived responsibilities of Iowa secondary principals serving shared superintendents and Iowa secondary principals serving nonshared superintendents. In addition, the study determined if significant relationships existed between Iowa and …

An Investigation Of The Instructional Management Behaviors Of Principals In Mid-Sized Public High Schools In Iowa, Marcus J. Haack

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The major purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of superintendents, principals, and teachers regarding the instructional management behaviors of principals in mid-sized public high schools in Iowa when applied to 10 job functions of instructional management behavior. The study utilized the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) instrument, developed by Dr. Philip J. Hallinger, to assess perceptions of instructional management behaviors of principals.

A total of 165 individual assessments were included in the analysis. Completed survey instruments were received from 55 superintendents, 55 high school principals, and 55 high school teachers in mid-sized pubic high schools in …

Determining An Alternative Organizational Structure Within Two Small/Rural Iowa School Districts: A Case Study Of An Innovative Decision Making Process, David Wayne Stoakes

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The issues confronting small/rural schools in the state of Iowa are very complex, raging in scope from the loss of student population, limited financial resources, quality of academic and extra-curricular programs, and even to the very survival of the community in which the school is located. Because of these issues school administrators, boards of education, and school district patrons are confronted with finding a new organizational structure for their school. Processes and procedures used to make these decisions have typically led to emotional battles within the school and community.

The purpose of this study was to apply the Nominal Group …

A Descriptive Study Of Perceived-Effective Rural Superintendents In The State Of Iowa, Bonnie Korver Baum

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The nature of the superintendent's responsibilities has changed significantly since the first school superintendent in the United States was hired in the 1830s. Superintendents today have a great influence on education. That influence is felt in rural schools as well as urban and suburban districts. Rural schools have certain unique administrative problems. Solving those problems depends on the vision, leadership, and effectiveness of the administration.

The purpose of this study was to identify selected characteristics of effective rural superintendents. Five rural Iowa superintendents, identified as effective by their peers, were studied in depth. The qualitative dissertation identified characteristics in four …

Principal And Teacher Views On Cooperative Action In The Administration Of Iowa's Secondary Schools, Stephen R. Nicholson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which Iowa secondary school principals and teacher building representatives support a model for cooperative action in the administration of the state's secondary schools. In addition differences in the perceptions of those principals and teachers are examined and the extent to which practices in the schools reflect cooperative practices is determined.

The population for the study included all secondary teachers in Iowa identified by their local education associations as the building representative and the principals of the schools where the building representatives were employed. Data were gathered using a survey …

An Analysis Of Selected Initial Phase Iii Plans Developed From Iowa's Educational Excellence Program H.F. 499, Randall B. Clegg

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Phase III of Iowa's Educational Excellence Program has provided Iowa school districts with the unique opportunity to improve and enhance the quality and effectiveness of Iowa teachers through the development of performance-based and supplemental pay plans. With 50 million dollars in state funding Iowa school districts were in a unique position to develop and implement their own prescription for achieving educational excellence.

The purpose of this study was to conduct an analysis of initial performance-based supplemental pay plans developed by Iowa school districts. As a result of the analysis this study described the reform efforts initiated by local school districts …

The Relationship Among Principal Power Tactic Usage, Leadership Style And School Climate In Selected Iowa Elementary Schools, Steven R. Decker

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

One purpose of this study was to determine primary principal power tactic usage in Iowa elementary schools. The study also investigated the associations among principal power tactic usage, leadership style, and organizational climate.

The study utilized the Leadership Effectiveness Adaptability Description (LEAD-Self) survey to determine primary leadership style. The Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire (OCDQ-RE) was utilized to identify teachers' perceptions of school climate. The Perception of Principal Power Tactics Survey (PPPTS) was utilized to assess teachers' perceptions of principal power tactic usage.

A total of 573 surveys were included in this study. Completed survey instruments were received from 80 principals …

The Status Of Field Implementation Of Clinical Supervision, Kathleen Sullivan Mulholland

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which clinical supervision is practiced in American public schools. The investigator gathered data on the form of the practice, central office support for it, principal training in clinical supervision, the purposes for which clinical supervision was used, and principal's valuing of the process for improving practice. The sample of building administrators used for this study was drawn from a list of schools recognized as effective by the U.S. Department of Education from 1982-83 through 1985-86. The population consisted of 778 principals, the sample, 311; 218 principals responded to a …

Iowa Middle Level Schools: Grade Level Groupings, Titles, Instructional Patterns, And Pupil Control Orientations, Patricia Mary Holthaus

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Iowa middle level schools during the spring semester of 1988 were described in terms of grade level groupings, titles, instructional patterns, and pupil control orientations of teachers. This data was compared to data about Iowa middle level schools collected during the 1970-71 and 1979-80 years as well as data collected in recent years form studies across the nation. Changes in middle level education were documented.

The study was divided into two major parts with separate samples, instruments, data collection, and data presentation procedures. During the first part of the study, all 4-6, 4-8, 5-6, 5-8, 6-8, 6-9, 7-8, and 7-9 …

Participative Management: A Critical Analysis, Adrian Talbot

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Development of the open-systems view of organizations has made participative management an attractive alternative to traditional bureaucratic methods of managing. The purpose of this dissertation was to determine whether it is possible to generalize about the effects of participative management. Given empirical generalizations, it would be possible to make recommendations for practicing school administrators.

Utilizing the framework of Locke and Schweiger (1979), the author took a purposefully selected cross-section of studies on participative management. The empirical evidence was analyzed in four subsections: laboratory studies, correlational field studies, multivariate experimental field studies, and controlled experimental studies. It was concluded that the …

A Comparison Of Principals' And Teachers' Perceptions Of Administrative Performance In Iowa Senior High Schools, Darrell D. Druvenga

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The major purpose of this study was to determine if the perceptions of Iowa senior high school principals and those of their teachers differed significantly when applied to 11 categories of administrative performance. The study also describes the relationship between principals' willingness to participate in 11 hypothetical in-service programs and the assessment principals make of their performance in 11 categories of administrative performance.

The study utilized the Educational Administrator Effectiveness Profile (EAEP) instrument to assess perceptions of administrative performance. The instrument is produced by Human Synergistics, an international management consulting firm, under a grant from the Danforth Foundation.

A total …

An Experimental Cost Index Model For The Analysis Of Service Cost Differentials Of Iowa School Districts, Dean W. Meier

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of the study was to construct a service cost index (SCI) for a sample of Iowa school districts and to use the SCI to examine the relationship school district size has to efficiency of educational services delivery. The SCI was based upon the computation of the cost of delivering a fixed market basket of services to a typical student in each of 44 randomly selected Iowa high schools. The Minimum Curriculum Requirements and Standards for Approved Schools, as outlined in the Code of Iowa, comprised the market basket of services. Instruction, administration, support, and transportation cost components comprised …

Selected Characteristics Of The Iowa Elementary Principalship, 1980-81, Dennis A. Heth

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to provide current information and analyses of selected characteristics of Iowa elementary principals for the 1980-81 school year. Data concerning the current status of Iowa elementary principals was sought by the Iowa Association of Elementary and Middle School Principals.

The study reported data available from Iowa, other individual states and the nation. Comparisons were made of data provided from this study and those previously reported.

Data was collected by means of a questionnaire sent to 225 persons listed as elementary principals with the Iowa Department of Public Instruction. For comparative purposes, the data was …