An expanding body of research affirms that certain skills are necessary for educational leaders to be effective (Baron & Uhl, 1995). There are many examples of role descriptions or studies which provide guidelines for leadership development program content.
In a study designed to identify the skills that educational leaders are likely to need in the year 2000, practising principals were interviewed. These leaders indicated that aspiring principals should develop interpersonal skills and participate in an internship. Many suggested that aspiring principals also take courses in finance, school law and computers (Behar-Horenstein, 1995).
Another study by Thurston, Clift and Snacht (1993) recommended that professional preparation programs should prepare leaders who are knowledgeable about child development, cultural and linguistic diversity as well as the social and academic aspects of schooling. Aspiring principals should participate in administrative internships and work with stakeholders, including teachers, teacher educators, community leaders and politicians who are engaged in school improvement efforts. They urged that improved communication become an objective of professional preparation. Students should also acquire a fundamental understanding of school law and finance. Finally they proposed that leadership curricula should be grounded in research-based knowledge designed to provide principals with methodological expertise to understand and undertake educational research.
Based on field-validated and research-based images of the school leadership role, profiles with learning objectives derived from descriptions of expert leadership practice are useful guides for the design of leadership development programs (Begley, 1995). Begley (1994) presented a profile for contemporary school leadership in Canada which is an extension of Leithwood's (1987) Principal Profile. Begley's profile is a "two dimensional matrix which describes developmental growth in professional practice within selected dimensions of professional action" (p. 3). These dimensions are described as: manager, instructional leader/program facilitator, school-community facilitator, visionary and problem solver. There are behavioural descriptions within each dimension which explain the range of professional behaviours that might be observed in the work setting.
Two recent American models also provide insight into content for leadership development programs. In Principals for our Changing Schools, the National Commission for the Principalship (1990) outlined 21 domains which have been grouped into four categories: functional domains, programmatic domains, interpersonal domains and contextual domains. This document also included a "Taxonomy of Standards for the Principalship" which describes six managerial functions and eight substantive areas related to the three leadership roles of the principal as motivator, director and evaluator.
The National Association for Elementary School Principals published Proficiencies for Principals, Revised: Elementary and Middle Schools (1991). This document outlined four fundamental prerequisites for principals and three principal proficiencies. Leadership proficiencies were subdivided into leadership behaviours, communication skills and group processes. Supervisory proficiencies were subdivided into curriculum, instruction, performance and evaluation. Administrative/Management proficiencies were subdivided into organisational management, fiscal management and political management.
Specific suggestions for leadership development content are also available. The Indiana Principal Leadership Academy curriculum was organised into four broad content areas:
Behar-Horenstein (1995) proposed a change-oriented model which included the following content domains:
Based on my experience as a principal and on suggestions from a variety of print and electronic resources, I would consider the following content appropriate:
It is essential for program designers to "fit" the content to the situations and needs of the participants and for participants to have input regarding the content presented.
Return to the Table of
ContentsGo to the next
section