Assisting struggling teachers effectively

Abstract

In this research, we examine strategies school principals have used to assist struggling teachers. In an open-ended questionnaire designed for this study, we asked 219 school principals to describe a successful intervention they held. The results show that principals prefer supportive assistance to organizational changes (such as moving the teacher to another class). They rarely used confrontational approaches. A content analysis of the strategies that enabled successful intervention identified four conditions: (a) principals’ willingness to intervene; (b) intensive use of measures and resources; (c) the teacher’s willingness to make changes; and (d) the need for flexibility in managing the intervention. The findings indicate the need to train principals to assist struggling teachers more effectively and to encourage them to become more assertive. This requires a professional development program for teachers and principals, guidance in classroom management, as well as organizational, financial, and human support.

Different Patterns of Relationships Between Principal Leadership and 15-Year-Old Students’ Science Learning: How School Resources, Teacher Quality, and School Socioeconomic Status Make a Difference

“…Professional development is particularly helpful if teachers have specific developmental needs to be addressed. For example, principals can also help struggling teachers by providing professional development programs, guidance in classroom management, and organizational, financial, and human support ( Yariv and Kass, 2019 ). Indeed, teachers who undergo professional development get to become more cohesive, professional, competent, and efficacious ( Hendriks and Scheerens, 2013 ).…”

“…For example, principals can have regular discussions with teachers on instructional effectiveness and challenges faced during teaching. They can also provide professional development support to help struggling teachers ( Yariv and Kass, 2019 ). Lastly, principals empower teachers by promoting collaborative decision-making processes.…”

Leadership practices for Professional assistance of teachers in secondary schools

“…Whitaker (2003) suggests an option to increase productivity of heads "teachers should be placed in situations where they can learn from other teachers" (p.32). It will allow teachers to discuss student performance, curriculum, and instruction with their colleagues, as well as, provide encouragement and support (Eliezer & Efrat, 2017).…”

How principals identify low-performing teachers in public schools? Evidence from Chile

“…Other variables such as class size, student demographics, curriculum, infrastructure, and resources are relevant but the quality of the instruction is critical to student outcomes (Range, Duncan, Day, Haines, 2012). The quality of the teaching irectly affects student learning achievement (Darling-Hammond, Rothman, 2015;Nye, Konstantopoulos, Hedges, 2004;Yariv, Kass, 2019).…”