School Principals and Change Processes in the Secondary School
Keywords:
secondary schools, school principals, curriculum change, educational change, 4Mat system, school improvementAbstract
Most research on the principal's role and on classroom-based instructional change has been confined to the elementary school. This article examines principals' roles in large urban secondary schools as they initiate comprehensive classroom-based curriculum change. Based on case studies of three urban high school principals in one district, the article traces formal and informal events that affected adoption and implementation of the 4Mat system of instruction over a two-year period. In particular, we link the three principals' roles as managers of curriculum change to goals, strategies for involvement, sources of pressure and support, the roles of teachers and of district personnel, and the overall impact of the change on the three schools. We identify eight themes that highlight both the complexity of curriculum change in the high school and the potential for further change.
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