This field study profiles the roles of secondary school principals in Lebanon, focusing on four areas: (1) role-specific behaviors necessary for success; (2) the degrees of significance attached to each of the behaviors by principals, teachers, and students; (3) the extent to which such behaviors are actually found; and (4) the consequent picture…

The authority-based powers, traditionally the exclusive domain of principals, have been weakened by court decisions and collective bargaining. The principal must seek and develop ability-based powers--referent power and expert power. (Author/MLF)

Some insights gained in a first principalship are shared in hopes they may prove helpful to other new or aspiring principals in understanding the requirements of the job. (Author/MLF)

Tongue-in-cheek advice on how to survive the principalship. (Author/MLF)

Examined secondary school administrators' perceptions of the role of school psychologists (N=361). Found little difference in their ranking order of actual and ideal roles. Significant differences were in "counseling with students" and staffing for special education; with administrators desiring more involvement in counseling than…

Based on data from three successive surveys, this article examines whether principals of small secondary schools perceive their roles differently differ from those administering larger schools. Although results are inconclusive, a significant decrease was reported in the number of principals reporting major scheduling problems, reliance on fund…

Coaching occurs in many fields, including music, drama, and various sports activities. Building a "coaching" metaphor might help clarify differences in coaching roles that principals and teachers find confusing. Most head coaches recognize that responsible evaluation is more helpful than absolute power in helping each player be the best…

Effective principals pay close attention to body language and other subtle actions that are constantly read and interpreted by staff and students. Principals must not only talk the talk of an instructional leader but also walk the walk of a committed instructional leader. Specific suggestions are provided. (MLH)

Administrators are missing access to endless information and support if they disregard library media specialists (LMSs)' expertise. LMSs offer access to research, periodicals, and statistics benefiting the entire school community. They can contribute to public relations, facility planning, curricular tie-ins, technology training, grant-writing…

The principal is expected to resolve conflict that stems from school board policy clashing with personal need. Board policy of necessity deals in generalities. A parallel is drawn between the principal and the sin-eater--the man who, for little payment, was believed to consume the sins of the deceased. (Author/MLF)

A study of 50 schools investigated extent to which the degree of congruence in principal's and students' perceptions of the principal's role was related to the level of student conflict behavior. Results indicated high negative relationship and that a major determinant of student conflict may be perception of the school administration. (DS)

In a study investigating principals' career life cycles, five urban secondary principals were interviewed. When analyzing interviewees' perceptions of their leadership, different role perceptions emerged that appeared to be influenced by length of time in service. Experience may lead to a lessening of creative tension via intrusion of current…

The central purpose of the study was to identify the role of the vocational counselor in the public schools of Texas as perceived by vocational directors, vocational counselors, secondary school principals, and secondary school counselors. Of the 121 school districts in the sample, 99 complete school district data sets, consisting of returned…

Data were gathered from 18 superintendents, 15 curriculum directors, 16 principals, 92 department heads, and 120 high school teachers in the state of Delaware regarding their perceptions of high school principals' leadership role in the areas of curriculum development and instructional improvement. (Author/MLF)

A study was conducted to examine the relationship between the belief system structure (dogmatism) of principals and media specialists and their role expectations for the media specialist, and whether agreement by principals and media specialists on the role of the media specialist was related to the similarity of their belief system orientations.…