Although there has been a paucity of research on what effective secondary school principals do, two recent studies offer some clues. A 1983 report by William Firestone and Bruce Wilson asserts that a high school principal may best be able to influence the school through bureaucratic and cultural linkages. Bureaucratic linkages are formal enduring…

The literature presents a variety of approaches for a principal to take when evaluating how well teachers are passing on to students the learning constructs indicated in the program via the teaching process. Chester McNerney suggests evaluation of teacher knowledge, personal attributes, and social skills and interactions. J. Minor Gwynn advises…

A recent study indicates that the superintendent's personal involvement in principal supervision and evaluation, including frequent school visits, can be a key ingredient in school effectiveness. (MCG)

The role of the principal as the instructional leader is particularly important in special education because the principal's attitude toward special-education students, as well as his or her ability, or inability, to supervise their instruction, will ultimately determine the efficacy of the school's special-education services. Moreover, the…

This document reviews the attributes of instructional effectiveness and supervisory practices in special education and examines the extent to which these attributes and practices are used as criterion measures for supervising instruction. The document prescribes and recommends exemplary practices that supervisors in special education ought to…

Instructional leadership is the principal's role in providing direction, resources, and support to teachers and students for the improvement of teaching and learning in the school. This handbook reviews factors affecting that role in four broad domains: keeping informed about trends, planning for instructional improvement, implementing…

This paper summarizes research on teacher attitudes and performance under clinical supervision. The literature for comparative studies of inservice personnel (not student teachers) in elementary and secondary schools was extensively searched. The 19 complete and 4 in-progress studies reported are grouped as follows: (1) attitudes toward…

Literature is reviewed and research is proposed on the supervision of teaching. The literature review on administrative theory in business and education reveals three periods of thought: a period when theories of supervision focused on the producer (the worker or teacher), a period when theories focused on the supervisor-producer relationship, and…

A model for improving school and classroom effectiveness must pay attention to: (1) leadership; (2) school climate; (3) supervision; (4) teacher behaviors; (5) student behaviors; and (6) student achievement. Chapter 1 of this book on effective schools and classrooms introduces these important issues and describes a model incorporating these…