dc.contributor.author	Utley, Matt Shawn	en_US
dc.coverage.spatial	United States, Georgia	en_US
dc.coverage.temporal	2003-2005	en_US
dc.date.accessioned	2010-09-23T14:53:16Z	en_US
dc.date.accessioned	2011-03-02T17:29:04Z
dc.date.available	2010-09-23T14:53:16Z	en_US
dc.date.available	2011-03-02T17:29:04Z
dc.date.issued	2005-12	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10428/457	en_US
dc.description.abstract	ii This qualitative study examined effective leadership from the perspective of five elementary school principals as it pertains to school improvement. The researcher sought to understand what effective leadership was in practice to further the understanding of the attributes and qualities of an effective leader. Purposeful sampling was used to select five principals from five school sites in five different school districts in the State of Georgia. Five principals were interviewed and tape recorded, and field notes were also maintained. Other data sources included a teacher survey, researcher observations of principals, relevant school documents, and a five day journal of activities maintained by each principal. The MaxQDA qualitative data analysis computer software was used to organize data into coded sections. These data were then analyzed using the grounded theory approach as the dominant method of analysis. Data from each case were analyzed both separately and as cross cases. Findings essential to each principals system of school operation were reported using portraiture in which seven common themes emerged: (a) ability to build and nurture positive relationships with faculty, (b) strong instructional leadership, (c) sharing of power, (d) providing meaningful professional development, (e) use of data to guide instruction, (f) value parent involvement and foster positive home/school relations, and (g) use of curriculum guides for effective instructional delivery. Findings of characteristics that were essential to each principals analytical operation of his or her school, identified as best practices, were analyzed from which ten common themes emerged. These themes were (a) school culture and climate, (b) assessment of student progress, (c) strong instructional leadership combined with effective instruction, (d) home/school relations, (e) effective use of resources, (f) building the capacity for leadership, (g) meaningful professional development, (h) assembling and mentoring a faculty, (i) external support and assistance, and (j) targeting at risk students.	en_US
dc.description.tableofcontents	iv CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1 The Research Project ........................................................................................... 1 Problem Statement .............................................................................................. 1 Context of the Problem ........................................................................................ 2 Purpose of the Study ............................................................................................ 4 The Research Questions ...................................................................................... 6 Significance of the Study .................................................................................... 6 Conceptual Framework ....................................................................................... 7 II. PERSONAL NARRATIVE .............................................................................. 10 III. PORTRAITS ..................................................................................................... 29 Portrait of Dr. Ruth O Dell ................................................................................ 29 Relationships, Relationships, Relationships ............................................ 32 Instructional Leadership ........................................................................... 37 Team Building/Shared Decision Making ................................................ 40 Professional Development ....................................................................... 43 Student Assessment/Student Data ............................................................ 46 Defining Success, Internally/Externally................................................... 50 Portrait of Micki Wallace .................................................................................. 52 Faculty Relationships ............................................................................... 57 Leadership Teams .................................................................................... 61 Instructional Leadership ........................................................................... 62 v Student Data ............................................................................................. 64 Home/School Relationships ..................................................................... 67 Defining Success, Internally/Externally................................................... 70 Portrait of Hulet Kitterman ................................................................................ 72 Home Grown Talent ................................................................................. 76 Creating a New Environment ................................................................... 78 New Teacher Indoctrination ..................................................................... 81 Emotional and Academic Development of Students ............................... 84 Shared Leadership .................................................................................... 87 Curriculum Guides ................................................................................... 90 Analysis of Student Data .......................................................................... 93 Parent and Community Relationships ...................................................... 95 Defining Success, Internally/Externally................................................... 98 Portrait of Donnie Smith ................................................................................... 99 Relationships in a Collaborative Environment ...................................... 103 Alignment of Policy and Practice with Academic Goals and Teacher Support ............................................................................ 108 Allocating Resources to Support Student Achievement ........................ 113 Parent Involvement ................................................................................ 115 Defining Success, Internally/Externally................................................. 118 Portrait of Tammie Smith ................................................................................ 120 Developing a Vision to Unite Projects ................................................... 124 Developing a Common Curriculum ....................................................... 127 Community Support ............................................................................... 129 vi Redefining the Role of Principal ............................................................ 132 Focused Professional Development ....................................................... 134 Relationships with Teachers and Students ............................................. 136 Defining Success, Internally/Externally................................................. 139 IV. COLLECTIVE PORTRAIT: CROSS CASE ANALYSIS ............................. 142 Cross Case Analysis 1 ..................................................................................... 143 School Culture and Climate ................................................................... 143 Assessment of Student Progress ............................................................ 154 Strong Instructional Leadership Combined with Effective Instruction . 156 Home/School Relations...........................................................................161 Effective Use of Resources .................................................................... 165 Building the Capacity for Leadership........................................ ............ 167 Meaningful Professional Development .................................................. 171 Assembling and Mentoring a Faculty .................................................... 174 External Support and Assistance ............................................................ 177 Targeting At Risk Students .................................................................... 180 Cross Case Analysis 2 ..................................................................................... 181 Definitions of Success ........................................................................... 181 Analysis of Teacher Survey .................................................................. 183 Journal Analysis .................................................................................... 196 V. CONCLUSIONS........................................................................................ 198 VI. REFERENCES .......................................................................................... 203 VII. APPENDICES ............................................................................................ 211 Appendix A: Literature Review..............................................................................212 Climate and Culture..............................................................................215 Student Expectations.............................................................................218 Effective School Leadership..................................................................219 Monitoring of Learning and Teaching..................................................222 Learning Environment..........................................................................223 Schools as Communities........................................................................224 Collaboration and Communication Skills..............................................225 Professional Development.....................................................................227 Appendix B: Methodology.....................................................................................229 Grounded Theory...................................................................................232 Portraiture..............................................................................................235 Data Collection......................................................................................240 Principal Interviews...............................................................................247 Principal Journals...................................................................................249 Principal Observations...........................................................................249 Teacher Questionnaires..........................................................................250 Appendix C: AYP: Its Terms and Its Consequences..............................................251 Appendix D: Teacher Survey..................................................................................255 Appendix E: Informed Consent Form.................................................................... 257 Appendix F: Participant Email Correspondence.....................................................259	en_US
dc.language.iso	en_US	en_US
dc.subject	Principal Leadership	en_US
dc.title	Portraits of Six Successful Principals: Context and Components of Effective Leadership	en_US
dc.type	Dissertation	en_US
dc.contributor.department	Educational Leadership	en_US
dc.description.advisor	Schmertzing, Richard W.	en_US
dc.description.committee	Ballard, Chet	en_US
dc.description.committee	Green, Ronny III	en_US
dc.description.committee	Clevenger-Schmertzing, Lorraine	en_US
dc.description.degree	Ed.D.	en_US
dc.description.major	Education	en_US