MODULE FOR

EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION THEORY AND PRACTICE

and
SUPERVISION OF INSTRUCTION
Lesson Objectives:

 To help future administrators understand the following:

 the content and context of schools
 key ideas and principles of educational administration
 To apply and practice those principles as they lead.

Specifically, you should be able to do the following after completing this module:

1. Describe effective leadership.

2. Formulate strategies to develop effective leadership skills in a
school setting.
3. Enumerate the various roles of a school head in achieving instructional goals.
4. Define instructional and curriculum leadership.
5. Discuss the challenges to instructional leadership in Southeast Asia.
6. Enumerate some dominant issues in the next decade for instructional leadership in
Southeast Asian schools.
7. Describe the three personal leadership styles of a school principal.
8. Describe the instructional leadership roles and behaviors of instructional leaders.
9. Promote teacher competence.
10. Differentiate between a leader and a manager.
11. Practice transformational leadership.
12. Identify ways to implement transformational leadership.
13. Explain the need for contributing to the field of knowledge
on education.
 MODULE 1
INTRODUCTION

This module is comprised of three lessons that will guide you through
the different roles of a school head or principal in leading curricular and instructional
processes.

The lessons are:

Lesson 1: The School Head as Chief Executive Officer and Instructional Leader:
21st Century Expectations and the Southeast Asian Context

Lesson 2: The School Head as Instructional Leader:

Enhancing Teacher Competence

Lesson 3: The School Head as Transformational Leader and Chief Learning Officer:
Building a Learning Community

Lesson 1 provides a framework for approaching instructional leadership in the 21st century and
in the Southeast Asian context. It focuses on a proposed first step towards effective instructional
leadership, that of establishing, implementing and achieving academic standards.
Lesson 2 zeroes in on your most important roles as an instructional leader, which include
curriculum leadership, instructional supervision, coaching and mentoring, and becoming an
instructional resource for your academic staff. It also explores principal styles and their impact
on students and teachers.
Lesson 3 introduces you to the mindset of a learning leader, taking bold steps to transform the
school into a learning organization. It suggests a third step towards effective instructional
leadership, that of creating a school culture and climate conducive to learning.
Each lesson could be completed in about 90 minutes. The whole module could be completed
in about five hours, if you really concentrate on it. It may take about four days to a week if
you are to work only on one lesson per day. Each lesson has activities for you to do which
will help you gauge your progress throughout the course. Make sure you work diligently on
these tests and activities to find out how well you are progressing with your learning.
Flow of Instruction

Lesson Focus Topics

1. The School Head Provides a context  New Paradigm,
as Chief Executive for developing one’s New Roles
Officer and competence as a  The School Head
Instructional Leader: school head in
as CEO
21st Century leading curricular
 Effective
Expectations and the and instructional
Southeast Asian processes, and the Instructional
Context important steps of Leadership
establishing,  The Challenges for
implementing and Instructional
achieving academic Leadership in
standards. Southeast Asia
 Characteristics of
an Ideal School

2. The School Head Discusses the  Monitoring

as Instructional important roles of Teacher
Leader: Enhancing instructional Performance and
Teacher Competence leadership, including
Student Learning
becoming a
 Coaching and
curriculum leader,
instructional Mentoring
supervisor, coach,  Principal Styles
mentor, and and their Impact
instructional on Students and
resource for Teachers
academic staff

3. The School Head Explores the mindset  Practicing

as Transformational of learning leaders Transformational
Leader and Chief and how to take bold Leadership
Learning Officer: steps in transforming
 Fostering a Culture
Building a Learning the school into a
of High
Community learning
organization and Expectations
creating a school  Valuing Teachers
culture and climate as Leaders
conducive to  The Principal as
learning. Learning Leader
What Do You Already Know? (Pre-Test)

Name: RONNIE A. VERAGRA

Date: October 17, 2020

Directions: To find out how much you already know about the concepts discussed in this
module, try and answer the questions below:

1. Explain why instructional leaders are also called learning leaders.

Instructional leaders are called learning leaders in the sense that, they focused on in
promoting deep students’ learnings. Their actions are directly related to teaching and
learning such as conducting classroom observations.

2. Give four reasons why a school principal functions much like a Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of a company.

3. Identify the appropriate domain to which the following tasks of school

heads belong. Each domain is signified by a specific letter (A, B, C
and D). Write the corresponding letter of the appropriate domain on
the box beside each task of a school head.

A. Instructional
Supervision C. School communications

B. School D. School community

management relations

A
   Class observations
B
   Ordering supplies
A
   Assessment of student performance
B
   Hiring teachers
A
   Basic record keeping
C
   Writing to alumni
D
   Coordination with national education officials
B
   Involvement in PTCA/PTA activities
D
   Attending meetings of local organizations
 A
   Teacher supervision
B
   Joining community councils
C
   Curriculum planning

4. Name the three personal styles of principals.

AUTOCRATIC

1.
DEMOCRATIC

2.
LAISSEZ FAIRE

3.

5. Describe transformational Leadership.

Transformational Leadership is flexible, energetic, enthusiastic and passionate in managing

the school and the one who inspire positive changes as well as having the ability to motivates
team member to create positive changes within an organization.

6. In each box on the right, indicate whether the listed function/action

describes a Leader or a Manager.

Leader or
 Function/Action
Manager
Excite people with vision LEADER

Diagnose and influence MANAGER

systems
Create a vision and goals that
influence others to share that MANAGER

vision
Set the direction LEADER

Plan and budget MANAGER

Motivate People LEADER

Emphasize systems structures MANAGER

and action
 Change organizational rules MANAGER

     

7. Name the particular quality or behavior associated with transformational leadership being
described on each blank. The choices are provided below:

Idealized influence Inspirational motivation

Intellectual Individualized
stimulation consideration

INTELLECTUAL STIMULATIONS This is a behavior that

 a.
influences individuals to
view problems from a
fresh perspective and with
a new and increased
awareness.
INDIVIDUALIZED CONSIDER This is a behavior that
 b.
inspires individuals to
feel
powerful identification
and strong emotion
toward the leader.
INSPIRATIONAL MOTIVATION This provides support and
 c.
encouragement to
individual members.
IDEALIZED INFLUENCE This models high values
 d.
as an example and
includes communication
of an inspiring vision.
Feedback

What Is Your Score?

Check if your answers are correct by comparing them with those in the Key to Correction. Since
some answers are in essay form, they may not be exactly the same as those in the Key to
Correction. As long as the thoughts expressed are similar, you may give yourself a check mark
for the appropriate item. If you got all the answers correct, that means you are already very
familiar with the contents of this module. However, you may still study the module to refresh
your memory and learn new concepts. If you missed a lot of items, read the module carefully to
gain knowledge and skills required for success in practicing instructional leadership.

Before you proceed to Lesson 1, evaluate your current level of competency as an instructional
leader by accomplishing the self-rating competency checklist on the next page. For each listed
competency, place a check mark in the column that best describes your current level of
knowledge, skill and ability.

SELF-RATING COMPETENCY CHECKLIST

I can do this I can do this

I cannot do I am learning but I need to very well
COMPETENCY this yet how to do learn more (Expert)
(Novice) this. and
(Apprentice) improve.
(Practitioner)

Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post

1. Define instructional
leadership.

2. Identify the
characteristics of
instructional leaders.

3. Discuss the challenges

to instructional
 leadership in Southeast
Asia.

4. Identify the domains of

responsibility of a
school head in
achieving instructional
goals.

5. Describe the three

personal leadership
styles of a school
principal.

6. Enumerate leadership
qualities of school
principals.

7. Differentiate between a
leader and a manager.

8. Practice
transformational
leadership.

9. Promote teacher
competence.

10. Identify ways to

implement
transformational
leadership.
 Module 1 | Lesson 1  
  What Is This Lesson About?
 
     

The School Head as Chief Executive

LESSON Officer and Instructional Leader: 21st
1 Century Expectations and the Southeast
Asian Context
What Is This Lesson About?

Education holds much promise for the youth of today. It is deeply embedded in
most cultures that an educated populace is essential to national progress. Be it in
Western countries or in Southeast Asia, there is a common belief that education is
an important requirement for quality life. Being educated does not only mean
having better opportunities in life. It also means being able to live life to the
fullest. John Dewey, a noted educational philosopher in the 1900’s, shared this
vision “…that one could and should expect much from life” (Farris, 1996). There
is perhaps no society in this world that does not value wisdom and knowledge.
The transfer of that wisdom and knowledge from generation to generation is one
of the most important and noble of human endeavors. The importance of schools
to the vision of not only providing knowledge but also opportunities for self-
enrichment cannot be underestimated. Teachers shape the future by influencing
their students. Being the school principal, you have the power and opportunity to
guide teachers and all school staff towards the goal of all educational institutions
-- to help prepare students for life, make them productive citizens and ready to
take their place in society.

Are you aware of your crucial role in determining your school’s course in
delivering instruction? There is a saying that “wherever the principal goes, the
school follows.” Your position as a school head provides an enormous
opportunity to influence others. When used skillfully, that opportunity could
promote quality learning and help shape your country’s future.

Are you aware of what you can do to help your school achieve its goals? Have
you examined what you should do and what you can be as a school leader? This is
a good time for you to do so. Studying the lessons in this module is your first step
towards being a leader in achieving educational success.

This lesson will familiarize you with what is expected from principals as a
reflection of the time, events and locale where the school operates. You will learn
more about the Southeast Asian educational context where you work. Knowing
this enables you to position yourself well within the sphere of educational
leadership, especially since we are now in the 21st century.

What Will You Learn?

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to do the following:

 Enumerate some expectations of various stakeholder groups of

their principals.
 Define leadership.
 Describe instructional leadership.
 Name the characteristics of an effective instructional leader.
 Discuss the indicators of active instructional leadership.
 Discuss the challenges to instructional leadership in Southeast Asia.
 Discuss the barriers to effective instructional leadership and give
some strategies to overcome these.
 Enumerate some dominant issues in instructional leadership in
Southeast Asian schools.
 Explain why the school principal functions like a CEO.
 Describe how emotional intelligence could be applied in
instructional leadership.

Let's Try This (Activity 1.1)

In the spaces below, write the things that you need to do on a typical day
in performing your role as a school head. Imagine that this is your daily
planner. Write as many tasks as you can. You may use an additional sheet
of paper if necessary.

Things I Need to Do Today:

1. Attending flag ceremony.

2. Inspect the school facilities.

3. Monitor the cleanliness and beautification of the school.

4. Meeting with the district officials.

6. Making daily plan on observation classes.

7. Meeting with the PTCA about the school improvement concerns.

8. Checking school reports, due dates and memorandums.

Sample “To Do” List

Mr. Gohng is a principal in a primary school in Vietnam. Study his list of

things to do below.

Things I Need To Do Today:

Flag raising ceremony 8:00 AM.

Announce upcoming visit of district officials.

Meet with the PTCA about the construction of a basketball court.

Sign memos to teachers.

Observe Miss Ngah, English IV 9:45-10:45 AM.

Inspect school grounds.

Check Science lesson plan of Mrs. Huong.

Send out solicitation letters to alumni for basketball court.

How does your list compare with that of Principal Gohng’s? Can you
identify the tasks that are similar? Which of these tasks fall under
instructional leadership practice?
 Based on his list of things to do for the day, Principal Gohng seems to be a
very busy man. This is probably true for all other principals regardless of
where they are or how big their school is. Indeed, the school head has
many responsibilities. This is perhaps why many people admire principals
for their dedication and hard work. Do you agree with me when I say that
a principal’s job, your job, is a tough one? Many would think so.

Going back to Principal Ghong’s list, out of the eight things for him to do
that day, it looks like only two (numbers 5 & 7) are easily recognizable as
directly affecting the instructional process.

In a day’s work, how much time should the school head spend in
providing instructional leadership? In the Philippines, Republic Act No.
9155 mandates that a principal spend more time as instructional leader
than as administrative manager. This makes sense if the primary purpose
of schooling is learning.

Reflect on this observation by Fink and Resnick (2001, p. 598): “Most

principals spend relatively little time in classrooms and even less time
analyzing instruction with teachers. They may arrange time for teachers’
meetings and professional development, but they rarely provide
intellectual leadership for growth in teaching skill.”

Our recommendation is that you focus on the fundamentals: Curriculum,

Instruction and Assessment (CIA). If you are to provide quality education,
focus on getting the results that you aim for. Get everyone to synergize
their efforts toward the goal of increasing student learning.

 
Let's Think About This

Recall the time when you were a student in primary school. Imagine that you were
the school’s principal during that time. How different were the challenges faced
by principals then from those that they are facing today?

What skills must principals possess nowadays that were not required of them
before? To help you compare today’s schools with their counterparts twenty years
earlier, read a letter written by Mrs. Cruz, a retiring primary school principal in
the Philippines, to her son Jose Cruz, an aspiring teacher.

To my dear Jose,

          I am so glad that you are about to start teaching very soon. I know that this
has been your lifelong dream and I am so proud that you are finally starting your
career in the teaching profession. Being a teacher is indeed a noble calling. You
have the power to shape the minds of future generations. However, it may not be
as easy as during my time. There are many challenges to teachers now that were
not there before, maybe due to the changes in our society. I notice that there are
more students now per classroom. The average class size has increased through
the years. There are new skills that you need to have such as knowing how to use
the computer and the Internet. You may also need to know how to use an
overhead projector and even an LCD to make your lessons more interesting.
These technologies were not available to us then. Aside from that, you should be
ready to answer more questions from students who get more and more inquisitive
each year. I notice, too, that parents get more involved with their children. Jose,
schools today are very different from the schools twenty years ago. Study these
new challenges and learn to adapt to them. These will make you a better teacher.
I wish you only the best and hope that you will be happy in your chosen career. I
will pray for your success.

Love,
Your Mother

Do you agree with the observations made by Mrs. Cruz in her letter? Are these
observations also true in your country? What are the implications of these
observations to you as a principal? If classrooms generally have more students
now than there were twenty years ago, would it make your job more or less
difficult? In what ways? Reflect on your answer before proceeding.

Let's Read

Core Functions of Leadership in Schools

As a school leader, a principal is expected to function in many different ways. Let

us first look at leadership in its broadest sense. A good guide for you is the model
developed by Thomas Sergiovanni (2001) which gives us a picture of the essential
components of leadership. There are seven core functions of leadership in schools.

In a study by the Center on Reinventing Public Education, University of

Washington (2003) titled “Making Sense of Leading Schools: A Study of the
School Principalship,” these functions were expounded as follows:

Strategic Leadership - promoting vision, mission and goals -- and

developing a means to reach them.

Instructional Leadership - ensuring quality of instruction, modelling

teaching practice, supervising curriculum, and ensuring quality of
 teaching resources.

Managerial Leadership - overseeing the operations of the school (its

budget, schedule, facilities, safety and security, and transportation).

Human Resources Leadership - recruiting, hiring, firing, inducting, and

mentoring teachers and administrators; developing leadership capacity and
professional development opportunities.

Cultural Leadership - tending to the symbolic resources of the school (its

traditions, climate, and history).

Micropolitical Leadership - buffering and mediating internal interests

while maximizing resources (financial and human).

External Development Leadership - representing the school in the

community, developing capital, tending to public relations, recruiting
students, buffering and mediating external interests, and advocating for the
school’s interests.

Let's Try This (Activity 1.2)

Being a school principal is indeed a demanding job. People have a lot of

expectations from you. Do you have an idea of what these expectations are?
Imagine that you are a parent, what would you expect your children’s principal to
be able to do? Using short phrases, write your answers below.

As a parent, my expectations of a school principal are the following:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The teachers, too, expect something from a principal. Imagine that you are one of
them. What would you expect?

As a teacher, my expectations of a school principal are the following:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Now think of yourself as a student. What would you expect of your principal?

As a student, my expectations of a school principal are the following:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
How about community stakeholders like government officials, ministry of
education officials or district supervisors?

As a community stakeholder, my expectations of a school principal are

the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Review your answers. Are they the same for each group of people or are they
different? What could be the reasons for these differences? What have you
learned from this activity?

Let's Read

Expectations of a School Head

The position of a school principal is certainly a demanding one. So many groups

and individuals have expectations as to what school principals should give or
achieve. According to Marsh (1992), each of these groups of stakeholders has its
own expectations of a school principal, such as the following:

 Parents and community members expect someone who is public minded

and high-principled. They expect a person who is open to outside
initiatives and who will regularly communicate with them.

 Teachers expect their school principal to be an instructional resource, a

supporter of curriculum initiatives, a notch higher in expertise. The
principal is expected by teachers to be very visible and active around the
school campus.
  Students expect a sympathetic counselor in their school head. They see the
principal as the final arbiter on matters of justice, discipline, and
relationship issues. Above all, they expect an inspirational model and a
charismatic figurehead.

 Government officials and senior officers expect principals to be thorough,

reliable, efficient and capable of implementing and monitoring
departmental policies, not overly influenced by vocal minority groups.

Do you agree with these expectations? These varying expectations of a principal’s

role obviously contain conflicts and ambiguities. Different groups expect different
things as they have different needs and come from many perspectives. Regardless
of whether one is a teacher, student, parent or community stakeholder, they all
expect the principal to demonstrate leadership.

I suppose these expectations do not surprise you. You’ve probably played some or
all of these roles as school head.

Let's Study

21st Century Expectations

At the turn of the century, the demand for world-class graduates who would be
globally competitive became more pronounced. Vivien Stewart (2007), in her
article Becoming Citizens of the World, pointed out that the new skills set that
students will need goes well beyond the basics and math, science and technology.
She says that these skills are necessary, but to be successful global citizens,
workers and leaders, students will need to be knowledgeable about the world, be
able to communicate in languages other than English, and be informed and active
citizens.

There is, therefore, a need for schools to be able to prepare students adequately
for these challenges. Toward this end, principals’ roles were redefined. Three
major themes emerged (McEwan, 2003):

1. The focus of the principalship must be shifted from management to

instructional leadership.

2. Instructional leadership is essential to developing and sustaining excellent

 schools.

3. There is a shortage of trained administrators who are capable of handling

the demands of instructional leadership.

In a time of intense competition between and within societies, intellectual capital,

the most critical resource in any country today, becomes more and more
important. An educated nation is a productive nation. The development of a
country’s brain power greatly determines how far its progress would be. Countries
that perform best in educating their children are most likely to enjoy the highest
levels of economic success. Schools are mandated by society to create an
intellectually strong populace. They are strategically positioned to provide the
foundation for developing minds. You, as the school head, play an important role
in achieving this.

Technology Leadership

In addition, the need for another kind of leadership has surfaced. As countries
rush towards industrialization and information-based knowledge economies,
governments, employers and civic organizations clamor for better quality, more
relevant and responsive education that prepares students for work and life.
Technological advances in the 21st century such as computers, information
technology, improved communication access, and other new technologies require
students to develop new skills and knowledge to become technologically literate,
and for teachers to use new technologies as instructional tools to improve student
learning. For this to take place, principals and teachers must, of course, become
technologically literate as well. In this regard, school heads are expected to
exercise technology leadership. Principals need to learn how to plan, promote and
manage the use of technology in schools.

Let's Read

What is Leadership?

Leadership has been defined in many ways, but the classic definition that
encompasses the critical dimensions of leadership is that offered by Tannenbaum,
Weschler, and Massarik (1961): “interpersonal influence directed through the
communication process toward the attainment of some goal or goals.”

The leader, in contrast to the follower, is characterized as follows (Bass and

Stogdill, 1990):

“A strong drive for responsibility and task completion, vigor and persistence in
pursuit of goals, venturesomeness and originality in problem solving, the drive to
exercise initiative in social situations, self-confidence and sense of personal
identity, willingness to accept consequences of decisions and action, readiness to
absorb interpersonal stress, willingness to tolerate frustration and delay, the
ability to influence other persons’ behavior, and the capacity to structure social
interaction systems to the purpose at hand.” (p. 81)

Such specifics provide us with the fundamentals of success. You should read
these characteristics again and assess to what extent you manifest these attributes.
Are there some characteristics you don’t understand? Which ones don’t you
manifest? The first step in improving oneself is to acknowledge the inadequacy.
Then work out a self-improvement plan. For starters, you can check out
leadership articles that can help you attain these characteristics.

How is Instructional Leadership Defined?

Research into instructional leadership reveals there is no single definition of

instructional leadership nor specific guidelines or direction as to what an
instructional leader does. The term encompasses “those actions that a principal
takes, or delegates to others, to promote growth in student learning, and comprises
the following tasks: defining the purpose of schooling; setting school-wide goals;
providing the resources needed for learning to occur; supervising and evaluating
teachers; coordinating staff development programs; and creating collegial
relationships with and among teachers” (Chell, J., 1995).

The literature review also reveals there has been considerable shift in the
descriptors associated with the leader. In the past, the accent was the negative.
Nowadays the leader is referred to as “cheerleader, nurturer of champions, hero
finder, coach, facilitator, or builder” among other names (McEwan, 2003, p. 4).

One model of instructional leadership that has stirred some interest is that of
servant leadership, espoused by Sergiovanni (2001). Here, the leader is no longer
“the high and mighty” who pushes people to achieve the goal. Here, the leader is a
“servant leader” who provides inspiration and the pull to achieve the goal. Times
have changed.

Sergiovanni (2001) proposed a new theory of school leadership that focuses on

the school as a community and the principal as a servant:

“Servant leadership describes well what it means to be a principal. Principals

are responsible for ‘ministering’ to the needs of the schools they serve. The needs
are defined by the shared values and purposes of the school’s covenant. They
minister by furnishing help and being of service to parents, teachers and students.
They minister by providing leadership in a way that encourages others to be
leaders in their own right. They minister by highlighting and protecting the values
of the school. The principal as minister is one who is devoted to a cause, mission,
or set of ideas and accepts the duty and obligation to serve this cause (pp. 257-
258).

A good guide to instructional leadership are the six standards set forth by the US
National Association of Elementary School Principals (2001, pp 6- 7):

1. Lead schools in a way that places student and adult learning at the center.
2. Set high expectations and standards for the academic and social
development of all students and the performance of adults.
3. Demand content and instruction that ensure student achievement of
agreed-on academic standards.
4. Create a culture of continuous learning for adults tied to student learning
and other school goals.
5. Use multiple sources of data as diagnostic tools to assess, identify, and
apply instructional improvement.
6. Actively engage the community to create shared responsibility for student
and school success.

Instructional leadership facilitates direction and support for a school’s

instructional program. It is the organizational glue that keeps things on track.
Instructional leadership is practiced by a school head who makes sure that
common goals are understood and that everyone feels accountable for one’s own
performance; where the goal is to improve instruction in order to achieve quality
education; and where the goal is realized by making sure that existing policies,
practices and resources are aligned with one another. A school becomes effective
when its principal practices instructional leadership.

Let's Think About This

Mr. Keang is a principal in a primary school in Cambodia. He has been a principal

for 20 years. His teachers greatly admire his management of the school. Below are
some comments that reveal why Mr. Keang is viewed as an effective principal by
his teachers and other members of his school:

 "Mr. Keang is an effective principal because he makes sure that the

necessary paper work is in order so we receive our salaries on time from
central government.” (Mrs. Nga, a Grade 3 teacher)
  “Mr. Keang makes sure that we have adequate supplies such as paper,
pens, chalk and books.” (Miss Vin, a Grade 4 teacher)

 “Mr. Keang supervises the student teachers in his school. He devotes time
for us. He observes our performance in class and teaches us how to make
improvements”. (Mr. Tran, a student teacher)

 “I like Mr. Keang because he speaks very well. He gives good speeches
during school programs. He makes sure that he is well understood during
meetings”. (Mr. Hongvan, the school librarian)

 “Mr. Keang is a good principal because he is always there. He regularly

checks teachers’ performance. We all see him going around the school
every day to make sure that everything is going well.” (Mrs. Padna, a
Grade 5 teacher).

Based on the comments, do you think Mr. Keang is an instructional leader? What
makes you think so? What are his characteristics based on the descriptions given
by members of his school community? Write your ideas on the space below.

The comments by Mr. Keang’s staff are reflective of the following instructional
leadership behaviors as described by Bamburg and Andrews (1990):

1. A resource provider who:
a. marshals personnel and resources to achieve a school’s mission
and goals, and
b. is knowledgeable about curriculum and instruction.
 2. An instructional resource who:
a. sets expectations for continual improvement of instructional
programs and actively engages in staff development, and
b. encourages the use of different instructional strategies.

3. An effective communicator who:
a. models commitment to school goals,
b. articulates a vision of instructional goals and the means for
integrating instructional planning and goal attainment, and
c. sets and adheres to clear performance standards for instruction and
teacher behavior.

4. A visible presence who:
a. visits classrooms, attends departmental or grade-level meetings,
b. is accessible to discuss matters dealing with instruction, and
c. is an active participant in staff development.

Based on the above descriptors, which of the staff comments listed above
characterize Mr. Keang as a resource provider? An instructional resource? An
effective communicator? A visible presence?

Do you agree with these four characteristics? Does Mr. Keang have them? Are
these characteristics adequate in describing an instructional leader?

If not, what more can you add to the list? Write your ideas on the space below.

Continue to discover the answers.

Let's Read
Characteristics of Effective Instructional Leadership

Many researchers have studied the characteristics of active instructional

leadership. Instructional leadership requires the possession of several
characteristics and skills that help improve the overall performance of a school in
terms of delivering quality education. Trespeces (2003) maintains that active
instructional leadership is present only when the following characteristics are
observed:

1. The principal is seldom seen at the office; he/she is walking about.

2. An annual instructional program is being implemented and monitored
periodically by a committee chaired by the principal.
3. Regular meetings with staff are held. These aim to address problems
encountered during program implementation.
4. The school’s plan for supervision is prepared cooperatively by the staff
and monitored by the principal.
5. There is active documentation of instructional practice and materials that
teachers consider worthy of adoption.

Do you have these characteristics? Do you think you are on your way to
becoming the instructional leader of your school? Or are you already one?

Aside from the aforementioned characteristics, there are other indicators of active
instructional leadership. These are listed below:

 The mission and vision of the school are clearly stated.

 The curriculum and plans are aligned with school goals.
 A monitoring plan is established and implemented.
 The monitoring plan meets needs.
 Teacher observation and feedback are regularly conducted.
 Resources are accessible.
 Development needs of teachers are addressed.
 Data-based decisions are made.
 Strategies that recognize individual differences are in place.
 Consultations regarding instruction are held.
 Activities that result in student achievement exist.
 School staff are able to practice effective classroom management.
 A variety of supervisory models is employed.
 Technology is effectively integrated in the teaching-learning process
to improve student learning.
 Multiple opportunities to learn are given to students.
 The school climate promotes learning.
 Multiple criteria and assessments are used.
 Parents are viewed as partners.
  High expectations of teaching staff is the norm.

What can you say about the tasks on the list? Reflect on how each one impacts on
student learning. Are they easy to achieve given the realities that principals face in
the Southeast Asian context? Are you daunted by these stark realities? Why or
Why not?

Let's Think About This

Compared to schools in the United States or in Europe, do you think that

Southeast Asian schools face more challenges or difficulties? What do you think
are these challenges? Reflect on these questions before proceeding. You may
write your ideas on the space below:

Let's Read

The Challenges to Instructional Leadership in Southeast Asia

Countries in Southeast Asia, like the Philippines, Lao PDR, Cambodia and
Vietnam, face educational challenges associated with being a developing nation
with limited resources. Somehow, this prevents many principals from effectively
assuming their instructional leadership roles. Governments have target numbers of
students per year level that are expected to be served by schools through the
efforts of the principals. However, this is easier planned than implemented.

Let us study data from recent educational researches done in selected Southeast
Asian countries.

In Vietnam, educational delivery looks promising but still has a long way to go.
An article on Vietnamese education in the Journal of Southeast Asian Education
by Kieu and Chau (2000) provides the following information.

“One of major shortcomings in the recent past has been a lack of measures to
reform the instruction method, which is still quite conservative--the teacher reads,
the pupil takes notes; the main reliance is on memory instead of thinking, study is
passive. There is a shortage of school equipment to renovate the method of
teaching and learning” p. 227.

“(There is) shortage of school buildings and equipment. The teachers encounter
great difficulty in their lives and engage in sidelines to get supplementary
earnings. Schools are short of tens of thousands of primary education teachers”
(In Vietnam there are about 11,685 primary schools) p. 228.

“Education content must be subjected to government control, including

regulations and rules, examinations, degrees and certificates as well as teacher’s
standards” p. 233.

“Quality and effectiveness of education and training is low, both in terms of

knowledge and methodology, especially regarding practical ability and
application” p. 236.

The Asian Development Bank (in Chapman and Adams, 2002) also noted
the following findings in Vietnam:

 Poorly furnished and equipped schools

 Insufficiently relevant curriculum
 Lack of textbooks
 Poor assessment systems
 Insufficient teacher training
 Teachers unaware of new teaching methods

The above observations provide information that suggests the need to create
changes in what is taught and how instruction is delivered in some schools in
Vietnam. Teachers and principals are limited by generally low wages, lack of
textbooks and school personnel and poor educational infrastructure. Given these
realities, obviously, the role of a principal in practicing instructional leadership is
limited. Therefore, like an army general rising to a challenge, the Vietnamese
school head must think of creative and innovative ways to achieve instructional
goals, given the lack of resources and other realities.

In Cambodia, similar problems are encountered. According to the Programme

Management and Monitoring Unit under the Planning Department of the Ministry
of Education, Youth and Sports of Cambodia (2000), the country’s educational
system is stressed by low educational financing. Aside from this,

 There is a high pupil-to-teacher ratio of about 40 to 60 pupils per teacher.

 There is gender disparity in education observed. Female students are
under-represented at all levels as compared to males (p. 71).

The Asian Development Bank (in Chapman and Adams, 2002) also reports that in
Cambodia,

 There is a need to improve the quality of the teaching work force in order
to enhance learning achievement, and
 There is a need to enhance school improvement plans and the capability of
principals to assess school quality (p. 109).

What are your personal observations? Are there similarities between Cambodia
and Vietnam with regard to the educational challenges they face? Do you have
anything more to add? Write your ideas on the space below.

The same ADB report (in Chapman and Adams, 2002) said that in Lao PDR, the
critical requirement is to improve educational quality as conditions of low quality
exist (p. 5).

 There are inappropriate curricula and teaching methods. Textbooks are

scarce or nonexistent in many schools.
 There is low access to instructional materials.
 Some teachers are not very well qualified for their jobs.
 There is also an absence of a system for teacher upgrading and
professional support.
 There is low teacher effectiveness in the classroom as about 84% of
teachers are not formally trained for instruction.
  The usual 10 hours per week of instruction given to students is
insufficient.
 There are deteriorating educational facilities.

In Lao PDR, “major educational priorities include improving primary school

performance by increasing internal efficiency of primary schools. This is to be
achieved through improved school practices, such as improving teacher quality,
instructional materials and school management, especially improving the
capacity of school principals to assist teacher development, supervise teacher
performance and enhance school community relations“ (Mitaray, 2000).

Are these observations also true in your country?

The Philippines, another Southeast Asian country, shares similar concerns in the
delivery of education. The ADB study (Chapman and Adams, 2002) mentions the
following educational concerns (p. 3):

 Inadequate teacher in-service training,

 Low teacher salaries,
 Misallocation of teachers, i.e., teachers not teaching their specialization

Aside from this, there was also a note on low achievement of learners. This is a
recurring theme. The Philippine Department of Education has adopted a number
of educational initiatives to address the need to raise the quality of educational
outcomes in the Philippine schools.

    

 
     

Let's Try this (Activity 1.3)

If you were asked to contribute your ideas on the challenges facing many
Southeast Asian schools, what would you say? What suggestions would you
make to improve the situation? Write your answers on the space provided.
Let's Read

Barriers to Becoming an Effective Instructional Leader

and Strategies to Overcome Them

Be forewarned. It is not a quick road to becoming an effective instructional

leader. The road is strewn with obstacles. McEwan (2003, pp.12-14) has
identified a few of these common barriers to becoming an effective
instructional leader.

1) Lack of Skills and Training

If you want to become an instructional leader, you must seek out training and
development opportunities. Much of these abound out there. Go and network
with colleagues. Join professional organizations. Undertake personal
effectiveness programs. Be self-directed. Prepare a selfimprovement plan.

2) Lack of Teacher Cooperation

Most often, this stems from teachers’ distrust of the ability of the school head
to lead in instructional processes, especially if the school head’s undergraduate
preparation is a specialization in one subject area only. Principals sometimes
find it necessary to prove themselves as practicing teachers. Strong
instructional leaders “attend curriculum training programs along with their
teachers, teach lessons to students, seek out master teachers from whom to
learn, and identify master teachers to shadow on the job.”

3) Lack of Time

Principals complain of overcrowded agenda. There are never enough hours in

the day. However, principals have a choice on how to use their time, and that is
the difference between the average and the strong instructional leader.

Strong leaders focus on learning. They delegate, facilitate and collaborate to

maximize the amount of time they have available to focus on instructional
issues. They use the time to develop and maintain vibrant learning
communities.

4) Lack of Support from Superintendents, School Boards, and Community

Many school heads say they are demoralized by lack of funds and material
resources, government policies that impinge on their effectiveness, overbearing
superiors, uncooperative peers, unruly students, nonresponsive communities,
and the like. Strong instructional leaders, however, are not daunted by these
downers. Driven by their vision of what a school should be and can become,
they do not allow themselves to be waylaid in the pursuit of their goals.

5) Lack of Vision, Will, or Courage

The good news is that all of us can be instructional leaders if we have vision,
have the knowledge base, are willing to take risks, are willing to put in long
hours, are willing to accept constructive feedback, are willing to change and
grow constantly, thrive on change and ambiguity, and can empower others
(McEwan, 2003, p. 14).

Let’s Try This (Activity 1.4)

What do you think are the common problems of schools in most countries in
Southeast Asia? Make a list of these common educational concerns on the
space below.

 
 

 
     
Let's Read

Emerging Issues in Instructional Leadership

Indeed, the problem of poor educational resources and support is common

among many Southeast Asian countries. The challenges are many, yet the
resources are few and often not of high quality because of funding constraints.

In the coming decade, new pressing issues will challenge Southeast Asian
schools. The school head must be aware of these and be ready with a response
(Chapman, 2002, p. 19).

Some emerging issues in the next decade for Southeast Asian schools include:

1. A push for better school quality

2. Increased pressure for efficiency
3. Decentralization
4. Privatization
5. Education management information systems
6. Teacher unionization
7. Gender diversity among education administrators
8. Search for more effective teacher incentives
9. Demand for more responsive and relevant curriculum
10. Integration of technology in the teaching-learning process and
educational administration

Given these realities and challenges, what do governments expect from school
heads in terms of instructional leadership and functions? What is their role
then, as instructional leaders?

Let's Study

The School Head as CEO

What can we learn from a corporate Chief Executive Officer (CEO)? Do you
know what a CEO does? Read on to find out.

In the business world, senior officers of the company carry prestigious titles
that define their functions. For instance, there is the COO or Chief Operations
Officer, the CFO or Chief Finance Officer, and the CLO or Chief Learning
Officer. At the helm, of course, is the CEO, providing the overall visionary
leadership.

Some companies bestow on one person the functions of a President as well as

a CEO. This means that this person manages and leads at the same time. As
President, this manager makes sure everything is done right and that the
organization is running smoothly. As CEO, this leader makes sure the
organization is doing the right thing, and that it is working towards its
strategic goals, driven by its mission and vision. It is the CEO that looks at the
big picture.

Much of this talk about the positive relationship between organizational

success and the CEO stems from the extraordinary thoughts and exemplary
leadership style of Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric (Krames, J.,
2002).

His notion of leadership made him legendary as a CEO. He believes that “the
genuine leader is someone who can express a vision and then get people to
carry it out.” His advice is to create a vision and then ignite the organization to
make this vision a reality.

There are four competencies that a leader needs to develop as a CEO:

1. Forming a vision which provides people with a bridge to the future;

2. Giving meaning to that vision through communication;
3. Building trust, “the lubrication that makes it possible for an
organization to work,” and
4. Searching for self-knowledge and self-regard.

The business of a school is to provide quality education. The school head’s

primary responsibility is to keep the school on track. This is in terms of the
many concerns that the school has to consider. For instance, for a school to
survive, it must raise enough funds, whether from government support or
other source, to pay for salaries, and wages, maintenance and operating
expenses, and capital outlay. Without financial soundness, a school is destined
to face difficulties. This makes the role of a principal,
the head of the school, much like that of a CEO.

Like a CEO efficiently running a company or business establishment, a

principal needs to think about many things, finances, personnel, delivery of
quality service, good business reputation and even maintaining a loyal client
base. What keeps things together is the instructional leadership that the
principal is expected to demonstrate.

Invite a colleague (another school head) to discuss with you the similarities
and differences between the corporate world and the education sector. Talk
about being CEO. What is your vision? Where do you want to bring your
school? How do you raise the bar of student achievement? Write your ideas on
the space below.
Let's Think About This

Critical Incident

Miss Romero is the principal of an elementary school

in a low income community in the southern part of the
Philippines. She noted that almost daily, half of the
Grade 3 class failed to report to school. She was
bothered by this so she talked to the teacher to find
out why. The teacher informed her that since the
students came from the poorest of poor families, they
would often skip school because of a very simple
reason, they were too hungry to be able to learn. Miss
Romero tried to ask for funds from local officials to
provide her school with a feeding program for the
poor pupils but she was flatly turned down for lack of
funds. This, however, did not dampen her spirit. She
was determined to bring back the children to school.
So she called a meeting of important people and
businessmen in her town. No one wanted to give away
food or materials for nothing. She thought of a great
idea. How about asking the parents of the children to
work for food? She was able to convince the
businessmen and the children’s parents to cooperate
with her in the plan. Each of the businessmen was to
“adopt” three children for the school’s feeding
program. They would provide food or cash enough to
feed each child every week. In exchange, the
children’s parents were to work for them for five
hours every weekend, washing clothes, doing
carpentry work or cleaning their house.
 It was a win-win situation. The children went back to
school and the parents learned new skills. The
businessmen also had extra manpower during
weekends. After three years, all those in the food-for-
work program, the 20 pupils who were too hungry to
go to school, graduated.
Was Principal Romero an effective school head? What characteristic did she
demonstrate in solving a seemingly insurmountable challenge? What did you
learn from her? How can you apply this in your own school? Write your
thoughts on the space provided.

Let's Study

Leadership with Emotional Intelligence

In the critical incident presented on the last page, Principal Romero can be

said to be an effective school head because she was able to unite various
stakeholders into a common goal. This was the goal of bringing back to school
the dropouts and promoting student learning. Principal Romero demonstrated
EQ or emotional quotient, more popularly known as emotional intelligence.

According to Daniel Goleman (1999), emotional intelligence refers to the

capacity for recognizing our own feelings and those of others, for motivating
ourselves, and for managing emotions well in ourselves and in our
relationships.

When Principal Romero was faced with a seemingly insurmountable

challenge, she motivated herself and managed her emotions in order not to
give up. She successfully regulated her emotions towards the local officials
and the businessmen in her community. This enabled her to foster good
relationships with them.

Like this principal, people with high EQ are able to Appreciate, Understand,

Respond and Adapt to the challenges that face them. These people have
the AURA of leadership. In a study investigating the common denominator
for the success of CEOs of the first 100 of Fortune 500 companies, it was
found that EQ was the most powerful factor. As the principals are the schools’
CEOs, challenging situations are not hindrances but opportunities to practice
leadership with EQ, a leadership that adapts to the demands of the times.
Let's Read

Characteristics of a Quality School

How can you tell if quality instruction is delivered? According to Chapman

(2002), school heads are expected to work towards achieving the
characteristics of a quality school (p.16). Familiarity with these qualities gives
the Southeast Asian school head an idea of what to consider in transforming
one’s school to the ideal state.

Some characteristics of a quality school:

 Teaching methodologies are designed to encourage independent

thinking
 Students are engaged and look forward to school and learning
 Capable, motivated and well-trained teachers
 Appropriately designed curriculum
 Good teachers who motivate students, care about their needs, and
engage parents and the community as partners
 Effective learning materials, including but not limited to, textbooks
 A safe and well-maintained learning environment
 Appropriate technology integrated in the teaching-learning process
 A school culture and climate conducive to learning
 A valid reliable learner assessment and evaluation system
 Effective school leadership including instructional supervision
 A culture of collegiality is promoted among teachers
 Ample direct instructional time
 Adequate financing
 Effective communication systems
 Effective organizational structure and support

Since achieving the quality school requires a collaborative effort, what steps
can the school system take to help leaders develop the necessary skills? To
address the new challenges in practicing instructional leadership, there is a
need to redefine a principal’s management roles.
Let's Try This (Activity 1.5)

Operationalizing School Quality

Given the characteristics of a quality school presented above, explain/

illustrate what a principal must do relative to each. Write your answer on the
space provided. The first one is done for you.

1. Teaching methodologies are designed to encourage independent

thinking.

The principal needs to review the teachers’ lesson plans as well as

observe classes to check on how teachers encourage the development
of independent thinking and other related skills among students.

2. Capable, motivated and well-trained teachers

3. Appropriately designed curriculum

4. Effective learning materials including, but not limited to, textbooks

5. Appropriate technology integrated in the teaching-learning process

6. A safe and well-maintained learning environment

7. A valid reliable learner assessment and evaluation system

8. Effective school leadership including instructional supervision

9. Ample direct instructional time

10. Adequate financing

11. Effective organizational structure and support

Other strategies to achieve an ideal school (by Cummings, 1997, cited in
Chapman & Adams, 2002) are listed below:

1. Change span of control and lessen load of school heads.

2. Strengthen horizontal linkages by joining a network of schools in your
locale.
3. Train principals to assume greater initiatives.
4. Provide adequate time.
5. Mobilize community resources, develop school-community linkages
and put community-oriented education into practice.

This list is by no means complete. What you can do to achieve instructional

leadership is determined by local conditions. Use your EQ and be creative.
If you do so, you may already be on your way towards achieving your
school’s instructional goals through the effective practice of instructional
leadership.

Let's Remember

 Countries that perform best in educating their

children are most likely to enjoy the highest
level of economic success. The school head
plays an important role in achieving this end.
 School heads have a lot of responsibilities,
with different groups expecting different
things from them. However, they all expect
the school head to demonstrate leadership.

 Leadership is the practice of bringing a group

or institution towards a clear objective.
Instructional leadership, on the other hand, is
something specific to a principal. It refers to
anything that school leaders do to improve
teaching and learning in the school.
Instructional leaders are also called learning
leaders.

 An instructional leader is characterized as

being a resource provider, an instructional
coach, an effective communicator; and a
visible presence in school. Active
instructional leadership is demonstrated in
many observable ways.

 There are many existing challenges for

instructional leadership in Southeast Asia.
Countries like the Philippines, Lao PDR,
Cambodia, and Vietnam face problems
associated with being relatively resource-poor
developing countries. This limits most
principals in assuming their instructional
leadership roles.

 An instructional leader is tasked to spearhead

activities that address the educational
shortcomings identified within one’s area of
responsibility. This is your role as an
instructional leader. Emotional intelligence is
 needed in instructional leadership.

 The core task or business of a school is to

provide quality education. Like a CEO
efficiently providing leadership in the
organization, a principal needs to manifest
visionary leadership.

 A quality school has characteristics that

reflect the quality of instruction delivered.
Achieving these characteristics require
collaborative effort and a redefinition of a
school head’s management roles.

 People with high emotional quotient have the

AURA of leadership, meaning they are able
to appreciate, understand, respond and adapt
to the challenges that face them.

How Much Have You Learned?

To find out how much you have learned from this lesson, try and answer
the questions below.

1. Explain why different stakeholders expect different things from

school heads.
2. Why is the principal like a CEO of a company?

3. Which are the characteristics of an instructional leader? (click on the

box for your answers.)

 a. A resource provider

 b. A clinical supervisor

 c. An instructional coach

 d. An effective communicator

 e. A discipline enforcer

 f. A visible presence in the school

4. Name five emerging issues in the next decade for Southeast Asian
schools.
Reference:

Module 1:

Affirm the Instructional Leadership Roles and Functions of a

School Head

LEARNTECH eXCELS flexible instructional leadership program for school heads and
other instructional leaders. (http://www.seameo-innotech.org)
(http://www.seameo-innotech.org/learntech/learntech.htm)