Leierskapgedrag van skoolhoofde in onafhanklike laerskole om 'n positiewe skoolklimaat te bevorder

Abstract

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.