An Investigation Into the Behaviors of High School Leaders
Author: Melissa Murray Nixon
Publisher:
Published: 2006
Total Pages:
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOK"The purpose of this research was to determine if principals' behaviors or actions related to a systems orientation or person orientation as defined by the trait approach to leadership theory. Also important to the study was to determine if teachers' perceptions of principal leadership behaviors were gender specific, i.e., to determine if subordinates (i.e. teachers) perceived male and female principals differently, as well as to determine if those perceptions differ according to subordinate gender (i.e. do male and female teachers view male and female principals differently?). Data were gathered from a school district in the southeastern United States. Approximately 300 teachers from eleven traditional high schools were surveyed using the Leader Behavior Description Questionnaire (LBDQ) based on the work of Ralph Stogdill and the Ohio State University Leadership Studies. The survey was uploaded and administered as a web based survey, with respondents contacted through email. The evidence from the study shows that there was no statistical difference in the leadership styles of mid level and high performing men and women principals as reported by teachers. However, male principals were reported more often to be in the lower performing quadrants (Structured or Passive Leaders)than women leaders. Female principals were reported as being more attentive to systems and person orientations than their male counterparts. Data gathered outside of the LBDQ provided evidence that women and men teachers both report being more satisfied with female principals than with male principals, as indicated by responses to the question of "do you feel your principal is effective?" "--Abstract from author supplied metadata.
