Date of Award
9-15-2023
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Educational Leadership, Ed.D.
First Advisor
Amany Saleh
Committee Members
Deborah Wammack; Debra Smith
Call Number
LD 251 .A566d 2023 B64
Abstract
This phenomenological study highlighted teachers' perceptions and experiences with principal support in improving classroom instruction. The issue addressed in this study is that classroom teachers may fail to improve classroom instruction or raise student achievement without the appropriate support of principals. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the experiences of classroom teachers regarding the skills principals need, as effective instructional leaders, for classroom instruction. The phenomenon apparent in this study is the participants' experience working with principals that focused on constructing a culture of teaching and learning which created opportunities for collaboration among colleagues, provided professional learning, and concentrated on student-centered instruction. The method of this research study was qualitative and utilized the phenomenological approach involving 12 classroom teachers located in states across the country, and who have worked with their principal(s) for over two years. Axial coding was used to strategically reorganize and reanalyze the data that was collected during the initial coding phase. By re-organizing the codes and analyzing the data, patterns were observed to develop themes to answer the research questions which were further broken down into subthemes. The findings of this study indicate that participants experienced working with principals who focused on creating a culture of teaching and learning that developed opportunities for collaboration among colleagues, provided professional learning, and concentrated on student-centered instruction. Additionally, the findings also indicate that participants felt supported when their principal created a culture for learning through a safe and supportive environment, focusing on the whole child, and having a shared purpose. The findings of this study are significant in that they provide some much-needed insight into what a teacher values in the support provided by their principal and how that translates into impacting student achievement. Principals should consider this knowledge to guide their effort to impact the school culture, teacher instructional practice, and improve student learning.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Bohler, Lindsey Renee, "Teachers’ Perspectives on Qualities of An Effective Instructional Leader: A Phenomenological Study" (2023). Student Theses and Dissertations. 151.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/151
