Exploring Connections between Teacher Efficacy and Principals’ Leadership Behaviors

Abstract

This paper reports the results of an exploratory investigation of the connections between principals’ leadership behaviors and teachers’ sense of efficacy in selected middle schools currently involved in building-level change efforts. Our findings indicate that there is a significant difference between general teaching efficacy (GTE) and personal teaching efficacy (PTE), the two dimensions that define the construct of teacher efficacy. When asked to interpret principals’ leadership behaviors, there was a significant difference between teachers’ and principals’ perceptions of principals’ leadership behaviors. Finally, the principal leadership behaviors most strongly related to GTE were models behavior, provides contingent rewards and inspires group purpose. Modeling behaviors and providing contingent rewards were also significantly related to PTE. Implications for further research, for principal preparation, and for administrative practice are discussed.

Principal Leadership and Teacher Motivation under High-Stakes Accountability Policies

“…For example, Ross (1998) found that high workload, low collaboration among teachers, low control over work, low participation in schoolwide decisions, and other workplace features were negatively associated with expectancy (or "efficacy"). 1 Other studies have found relationships between principal leadership and expectancy (or related beliefs, such as efficacy or context beliefs) (Hipp & Bredeson, 1995;Lee, Dedrick, & Smith, 1991;Leithwood & Jantzi, 2006;Leithwood, Jantzi, & Steinbach, 2000), as well as relationships between aspects of the environment that the principal is largely responsible for, such as a communal school organization (Lee et al, 1991), or the provision of resources (Tschannen-Moran & Hoy, 2002). Although these studies are not consistent in how they define constructs, they suggest important linkages between principal leadership behaviors and teacher motivation.…”

The Impact of Principal Leadership Behaviors on the Efficacy of New and Experienced Middle School Teachers

“…• Consideration-The principal expresses genuine concern for the welfare of teachers and makes efforts to get to know each individual (Blase & Kirby, 2000;Hipp & Bredeson, 1995). • Discipline-The principal protects teachers from intrusion into their instructional time.…”

Teacher Efficacy: Its Meaning and Measure

“…Bandura (1997) points out that teachers' sense of efficacy is not necessarily uniform across the many different types of tasks teachers are asked to perform, nor across different subject matter. A number of researchers have chosen a combination of interview and survey research methods to enrich their understanding of the role that context plays in the development and maintenance of teachers' sense of efficacy (Hipp & Bredeson, 1995;Rosenholtz, 1987;Webb & Ashton, 1987). Each item is measured on a 9-point scale anchored with the notations "nothing, very little, some influence, quite a bit, a great deal."…”