Afrikaans: Hierdie studie is gebaseer op die uitgangspunt dat skoolhoofde se leierskapgedrag
ontwikkel moet word om beter skole te skep. Skoolleierskap is een van die
belangrikste faktore tot die verbetering en opheffing van skole en die daarstelling
van ‘n positiewe skoolklimaat.
Bekwame skoolleierskap in skole is noodsaaklik vir die effektiewe bestuur en
ontwikkeling van skole. Uitnemende leierskap is ‘n ideale beskrywing tot suksesvolle
leer en goeie leergeleenthede in skole. Leierskap is ‘n sosiale proses met ‘n direkte
invloed op die skoolklimaat, die werksbevrediging van onderwysers asook
leerderprestasie. Toepaslike navorsingsliteratuur bied agtergrondsinligting tot
uitnemende kernleierskapsgedrag en die belangrikheid van leierskapgedrag van
laerskoolhoofde tot die bevordering van suksesvolle onderwyspraktyk en ‘n
positiewe skoolklimaat.
In hierdie interpretiewe, meervoudige gevallestudie was die ondersoek na die
identifisering van kwaliteitspraktyke en toepaslike leierskapgedrag van laerskool
skoolhoofde in vier onafhanklike opvoedkundige instansies. Die navorser poog om
die invloed van hierdie faktore op die skoolklimaat te bepaal en die uitkomste
daarvan uiteen te sit.
As teoretiese raamwerk word daar eerstens van die sosiale kapitaalteorie gebruik
gemaak en dit beklemtoon dat die kwaliteit van ‘n bestaande verhouding tussen ‘n
mentor en individue in ‘n werksomgewing die sukses van ‘n organisasie kan
bevorder. Sosiale kapitaal verwys na sosiale netwerke of verhoudinge binne ‘n
werksomgewing én gemeenskap, wat deelnemers in staat stel om saam te werk.
Die doel van sosiale kapitaalvorming of verhoudinge is om die onderlinge
samewerking, sosiale norme en waardes, deelname en proaktiewe aksies te
versterk. Deur hierdie sosiale netwerke, verhoudings en betrokkenheid word kennis
verwerf en gedeelde waardes ontwikkel wat vertroue skep, wat weer waardevol is
in leef- en leerruimtes. Die skoolhoof tree op as ‘n rolmodel teenoor onderwysers,
leerders en die gemeenskap en bied hulle so die geleentheid om meer in en van die
skool te leer. Die gevolg is beter effektiwiteit van individue binne die organisasie omdat die individue die nagevolge van eie aksies binne die skool en
werksomstandighede beter verstaan.
Tweedens bou die morele leierskap voort op die sosiale kapitaalteorie en staaf dat
die optrede van ‘n leier gegrond is op eie professionele en persoonlike waardes. Die
visie en missie (rigting) wat die leier aandui is gegrond op eie persoonlike beginsels
asook persoonlike waardes (invloed). Die fokus van hierdie model is dat die
professionele en persoonlike waardes van ‘n leier ‘n invloed het op hoe dinge in die
skool gedoen word en hoe daar met mekaar omgegaan word. Die afleiding word
gemaak dat die waardes van ‘n leier ‘n invloed sou kon hê op die klimaat wat binne
‘n skool heers, aangesien professionele waardes en morele vertroue tot
konsekwente gedrag en ‘n gedissiplineerde optrede lei.
This study is based on the premise that, since school leadership is one of the
fundamental contributors to the improvement and upliftment of schools, the school
leadership skills of school principals need to be developed in order to attain better
outcomes for schools.
Effective school leadership is essential for the effective management and
development of schools. Exceptional leadership leads to successful learning and
helps optimise learning opportunities in schools. Leadership is a social process that
directly influences school climate, work satisfaction for teachers, as well as learner
performance. Relevant research literature provides a contextual background to the
embodiment of exceptional leadership behaviour and highlights the importance of
effective leadership of primary school principals towards the promotion of successful
teacher practices and a positive school climate.
This interpretive multiple case study inquiry examines the quality leadership
practices and behaviours of school principals in four independent primary schools.
The researcher aims to establish the impact of these aspects of school leadership
on school climate and to document the outcomes deriving from such practices and
behaviours.
As theoretical framework, the study employed, first of all, social capital theory which
highlights how the quality of existing relationships between a mentor and individuals
within a work environment can promote the success of an organisation. Social
capital refers to social networks of relationships within a work environment and
community, which enables role players to work together effectively. The purpose of
establishing social capital or relationships is to enhance cooperation among role
players, to strengthen social norms and values and to promote participation and
proactivity within the organisation. These social networks and relationships and the
resultant social cohesion enhances knowledge resources and develops a sense of
shared values which, in turn, brings about a climate of mutual trust – a valuable
asset in living and learning spaces. The school principal acts as role model for
teachers, learners and the school community and so, offers them the opportunity to
learn in, and about, the school. In this way, greater understanding and awareness of the individual, of the consequences of their own actions within the school
environment are facilitated, leading to improved effectiveness of both the individual
and the organisation.
Secondly, the moral leadership framework conceptually expands upon social capital
theory and confirms that leadership behaviour stems from professional and personal
values. The vision and mission, or direction, indicated by a leader are anchored
within personal principles and values or influences. The focus of this model is that
the professional and personal values of a leader directly influence the actions and
interactions of the role players at a school. Since professional values and moral trust
leads to consistent and disciplined behaviour, the values of a leader influence the
prevalent climate of a school.
Thirdly, social capital theory and the moral leadership framework intersect
conceptually with cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) to highlight the subject of
the inquiry. Cultural historical activity theory is applicable to education research on
leadership behaviour because it helps the researcher to gain a clear understanding
of the interaction between role players within a specific context, engaged in an
activity with the aim of a certain outcome. In the case of the schools in this study,
this refers to the interaction between the school principal, the teachers, parents and
learners. CHAT effectively highlights the social context, development, interaction
and activities taking place within the context of the schools.
The main research question in this study is: How do school principals, through their
leadership behaviour, influence the creation of a school climate in primary schools?
To answer this research question, as well as the secondary research questions that
derive from it, data were gathered through individual interviews with school
principals, deputy principals, members of the school governing body, teachers,
school secretaries and parents at independent schools.
The findings describe the experience of the school principal and other role players
within a school of the school climate. In answering the secondary research
questions, the process of thematic analysis brought three themes to the fore. The
first theme provides a profile of the schools and the school principals and describes
the individual and subjective perceptions of the principal and other role players of the principal’s vision of the realising of a positive school climate. The second theme
describes the leadership behaviour from the perspective of the school principal and
other role players. Finally, the third theme brings focus to the role of the school
principal as leader in the process of creating and promoting a positive school
climate.
