A newly-appointed principal describes the responses of schoolchildren, and how the responses vary according to age and experience, as the children adjust to her presence after the departure of a beloved predecessor. (Author/MLF)

Describes follow-up work to two citywide surveys (in Sheffield, England) investigating the deputy head's role in primary school. Findings highlighted lack of a robust definition of the vice-principal's role, which is heavily influenced and controlled by the headteacher and dependent on amount of time available to undertake responsibilities. (29…

Identifies the obstacles faced by principals in terms of teachers, students, principal role, principal characteristics, board-level administration, and the community. Also examines the relation between obstacles and levels of principal effectiveness. (RDN)

Documents results of an interpretive study on process of principal thinking, as both researcher and principal engaged in Shon's notion of reflective coaching. Principal change means switching from a judgmental to a more collaborative role. The study shows that metaphors can be a powerful reflective tool to help principals conceptualize their roles…

Explores the primary deputy head's role, focusing on the deputy/head interrelationship, based on interviews with administrators of 10 (British) primary schools. Identifies factors influencing this interrelationship, highlighting partner similarities and the use of complementarity, compensation, tolerance, acceptance, and accommodation to handle…

The roles and attitudes of public school administrators change as their schools become involved in the Accelerated School project. Traditional definitions of a principal's role--setting goals, leadership, decision making, improvement of teaching and learning, instructional management, staff supervisor, and home-school-community relations--are…

This monograph consists of 12 short articles written by students enrolled in a basic course in elementary school administration at Indiana State University. The monograph is intended to provide some insight as to what future elementary administrators believe is important in administering an elementary school. Each article focuses on a slightly…

The role expectation, role performance, and leader behavior of principals in 31 Birmingham, Alabama, elementary schools were studied. Comparisons were made between teachers' and principals' perceptions and between perceptions of teachers in self-contained, team teaching, and departmentalized schools. (Author/SJL)

Summarizes a study using latent-trait theory to construct a variable that conceptualizes practitioner perspectives about the deputy principalship in self-managing (Australian) primary schools. A sample of 403 deputy principals, 179 principals, and 138 teachers was analyzed according to both actual and ideal situations, using a Rasch measurement…

Summarizes findings of a study identifying problematic aspects of the deputy principalship (job dissatisfaction and lack of a significant professional identity) in self-managed Western Australia primary schools. Deputy principals can reshape their positions by increasing their role awareness, assuming greater policymaking responsibility,…

A study used a Personal Construct Theory/Repertory Grid approach to examine the work of 12 Welsh primary headteachers. Analysis of thematic work-activity grids suggests principals have a more coherent view of their work (as centered on children and education) than Henry Mintzberg's observational studies portrayed. (Contains 36 references.) (MLH)

Analyzes findings from a special (British) program that explored emotional dimensions of primary headteachers' leadership. Conceptualizes the emotions' role in organizations. Principals felt they had to abandon their humanity to lead, had sole responsibility for holding things together, and considered "good-enough" (imperfect) leadership…

The primary headteacher's role has undergone significant changes since Britain's Education Reform Act (1988). This article explores headteachers' perceptions of change resulting from their career paths, imposed legislation, and relations with key stakeholders. Many changes are contradictory and generate paradoxes. Heads manage, but are more than…

The decentralization policy of Tomorrow's Schools entrusted individual schools with their own operational funds, and responsibility for property and personnel decisions and for staff development. As a result, the role of the primary principal became wider, calling on new knowledge and skills. Principals were also given a greater workload and a…

To obtain a realistic understanding of the supervisory role perception of the elementary principal, a 10-item questionnaire was sent to 400 elementary principals and teachers throughout Texas. They rank ordered both real and ideal role dimensions and agreed that the role is not what it should be. Principals now serve as disciplinarians but do not…