The Role Of The Principal In School Reform

The Role Of The Principal In School Reform - Michael Fullan writes: "While research on school improvement is now into its third decade, systematic research on what the principal actually does and its relationship to stability and change is quite recent. Some of the earlier implementation research identified the role of the principal as central to promoting or inhibiting change, but it did not examine the principal’s role in any depth or perspective. During the 1980s research and practice focusing on the role of the principalship, vice-principalship, and other school leaders mounted, resulting in greater clarity, but also greater appreciation of the complexities and different paths to success.

"I start with a description of where principals are. I then turn to the part of their role that interests us the most — what principals do and don’t do in relation to change. In the last section of the chapter, I talk about the complexity of leadership, and offer some guidelines for how principals might lead change more effectively. I should also acknowledge at the outset that effective principals share, in fact, develop leadership, among teachers. So we are really talking about assistant principals, department heads, grade level coordinators, and teacher leaders of all types in the school."

Note: This article was first published in 2000. You can find Fullan's recent writings on his website.