Leadership Practices of Middle School Principals that Promote Collective Teacher Efficacy

Abstract

The purpose of this case study was to understand the practices and actions of school leaders in middle schools with high levels of enabling conditions for collective teacher efficacy (CTE) according to the Enabling Conditions for Collective Teacher Efficacy Survey (EC-CTES) results. Through the identification of specific leadership practices and actions that enable CTE and with a clearer understanding of the rationale and intentions behind these practices, the case study provides insight into how CTE is enabled within middle schools. Research into instructional leadership and CTE indicates a correlation between high levels of CTE and student achievement. Other identified benefits of high levels of CTE include improved teacher practices and collaborative school cultures able to respond to change and innovation. However, there is limited research focused on the actual practices and actions of school-based leaders that enable high levels of CTE. This study used qualitative case study methodology involving semi-structured interviews with three middle school principals, and semi-structured focus group interviews with groups of four to five teachers from each principal’s school, totaling 13 focus group participants overall, all from a large urban school district in Alberta, Canada. The findings of this inquiry revealed five themes identifying general leadership practices within which 13 findings, identifying specific leadership practices and actions that enable CTE, are situated. These themes include building teacher capacity, leadership distribution and development, community engagement and decision making, school improvement, and principal deportment. The findings of this study contribute to a growing body of knowledge exploring the relationship between school leadership practices and actions and collective teacher efficacy, specifically in middle schools.