The evaluation of leadership approaches adopted by school principals according to teachers' views: A survey study

Abstract

This research evaluates school principals' leadership approaches according to teachers' opinions. In the study, the leadership understanding of the principals was analyzed by the relational scanning method within the quantitative research design. Three hundred ninety-four teachers working in Izmir province participated in the research through random sampling, and the findings were analyzed and interpreted. Multifactor leadership scale was used as a data collection tool. The scale consists of 8 propositions and a 5-point Likert scale. The findings obtained from the research were analyzed, reported and interpreted. The results determined in the evaluations of school principals' leadership approaches are not statistically significant according to teachers' gender and working hours. On the other hand, in evaluating teachers' opinions regarding the leadership approach of principals, a statistically significant difference was detected between teachers' professional seniority and graduation status. The research results show that teachers' opinions are mostly that school principals adopt a laissez-faire leadership approach. As teachers' professional tenure and education levels increase, they are more affected by the negative consequences of this leadership approach. At the end of the study, suggestions were presented.