Blazing New Trails - Connexions

254 CRITICAL ISSUES IN SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
Principal as Curriculum Leader
When asked to define their role as curriculum leaders, principals’ responses were
similar to their definition of curriculum leadership. Ninety percent of the respondents alluded
to some aspect of managing or monitoring existing curriculum, district-developed or adopted
curriculum, and/or the TEKS objectives. They understood their role in evaluating teachers,
but only in relation to curriculum that had already been developed by the curriculum director
or district administration. One principal stated, “My role as curriculum leader is to ensure that
the district approved curriculum is followed.” Most of the participants focused on their
responsibility in evaluating teachers in the classroom.
Words commonly used by principals included, “supporter,” “facilitator,” “monitor,”
“supervisor,” and “evaluator.” However, only two of the 186 respondents utilized the word
“leader.” Only eight principals stated that their role was to develop the curriculum that was
best for their campus.
In the superintendent study, participants were asked to rate six principal
responsibilities in order of importance when hiring. Of the 210 participants in the study, all
completed the rating scale. The rating scale rated decision-making skills first, instructional
leadership next, knowledge of school law third, knowledge of curriculum fourth, community
relations fifth, and managerial responsibilities last.
When asked what qualities they expected in a principal, five primary areas emerged:
relationships, communication, instructional leadership, modeling, and ethical leadership. Of
the 124 responses from principals, over half indicated that relationship building and effective
communication were the qualities that they looked for in a principal. One-third indicated that
instructional knowledge and leadership were the qualities they needed in a principal, and
more than a fourth stated that integrity and honesty were the most important characteristics.
Interestingly, five of the participants responded that “loyalty to the superintendent” was the
quality most sought in a principal. Only two of the 124 respondents stated that the knowledge
of curriculum or curriculum leadership was the quality they wanted in a principal. Though
each of the five characteristics listed above are important, that curriculum leadership was not
listed as a top characteristic desired in principals reflected a lack of emphasis on this role by
superintendents.
CONCLUSIONS
In order for principals to expand their role from instructional leaders to curriculum
leaders, principal preparation programs, practicing principals, and practicing superintendents
must first be able to define the meaning of curriculum leadership and its impact on the role of
the principal in practice (Wiles & Bondi, 2004). Principals cannot truly lead instructionally
without understanding the impact of the curriculum on effective classroom instruction (Wiles
& Bondi, 2004). In other words, curriculum and classroom instruction are dependent on one
another.
Understanding this need for transition, principal preparation programs should consider
how instructional leadership is currently defined and taught. A stronger focus on curriculum
development should be emphasized in educational leadership and principal preparation
courses. Even though only 12 professors answered the question in the study, they were able to
define curriculum leadership as it relates to the role of the principal. These professors stated
that they were teaching the concept of curriculum leadership; however, 53% of the principals