Saadet Garan
Istanbul Okan University, Turkey
E-mail:
saadetgaran@gmail.com
Submission: 02/25/2021
Revision: 09/23/2021
Accept: 12/9/2021
ABSTRACT
The
aim of this study is to identify the difficulties faced by school principals
working in disadvantaged schools in order to raise students with 21st century skills
and to ensure the continuity of school success, and to examine the effect of
the role of school principal on teacher and student success. The study group
includes 10 school principals from primary schools located in disadvantaged
regions of Istanbul. In the study, a phenomenological qualitative research
design was used and the snowball sampling method, a purposeful sampling method,
was employed. In order to achieve the aim of the study, participants were asked
the following questions: 1. What kind of problems do you encounter in your
school? 2. What methods do you use to deal with the problems? 3. How do you
support your teachers who cannot cope with their problems? 4.How do you support
troubled students to cope with their problems?
Through
the study, several problems faced by the principals emerged: financial
constraints, lack of commitment to the school, socio-economic structure of the
school environment, and the socio-cultural structure of the school environment.
The study also shows that to address these problems, school principals lead
teachers' professional knowledge by displaying "correct
communication", "resilience", "flexibility and positive
thinking", and they try to create a positive school climate. In addition,
it was determined that principals’ approach problematic students caringly,
gaining their trust and trying to find solutions to their problems. Such an
approach creates positive changes in teachers’ and students' attitudes and
behaviors toward the school and increases academic success. The main finding in
this study is that school principals' experiences in dealing with difficulties
can be a guide to other colleagues in how to deal with difficulties.
Keywords: Disadvantaged school, school leadership,
resilience, school principal, leader school principal
1.
INTRODUCTION
The effectiveness of a
school and its ability to achieve its predetermined goals depends on the
leadership skills of the school administrator, who is primarily responsible for
the execution of the education and training program (Balcı,
2014).
Urbanization and migration, which
started with the acceleration of industrialization since the end of the 19th
century, greatly affected the economy and population structure. As a
continuation of this, the great social changes seen in the 20th century
significantly affected schools. Until this period, the role of technical-human
manager, which was the management role of school leaders, was left to the role
of professional manager. In our age, schools are seen as the center of social
problems and solutions related to education.
In particular with the increasing
schooling in cities, an instructional leadership role has emerged that can
respond to the problems of students' low academic achievement. Then, with the
effect of rapid urbanization, the concept of transformational leadership role
emerged, which can provide holistic change of a school in parallel with the
change and transformation of the school environment (Gümüşeli,
2014).
Globalization, a
characteristic of the 21st century, has increased human mobility, causing large
migrations both nationally and internationally. As a result, changing family
structures, changing school environments, and rapidly increasing environmental
problems make it difficult for school communities to adapt. These changes impact school leaders,
diversifying and increasing their workloads.
According
to the 2008 OECD Report, expectations from schools and education are increasing
in OECD countries and, as a result, school leaders are experiencing more and
more difficulties in adapting to new demands and changing environments. The
transformation of education systems in response to rapid technological change,
economic globalization, and increasing migration mobility is radically changing
the role of school leaders.
The
function of school leadership in OECD countries is now defined by a challenging
set of roles that includes financial and human resource management and learning
leadership. For this reason, there is a need for leading school principals who
comply with the expectations of the age and behave according to the conditions
of their environment.
School
principals should not only supervise the education and training processes of
the school, fulfill tasks such as education visionary, curriculum and
evaluation expertise, budget analysis, but also create an educational
environment that can meet the requirements of the 21st century for all
communities around the school. They are expected to provide educational
services to all children around them.
The
expansion of education systems has not enabled all young people to reach their
full potential. The OECD's PISA assessments show that an unacceptably large
number of young people in many countries fail to acquire basic skills.
As
countries move rapidly toward becoming knowledge societies with new learning
demands and new citizenship expectations, strategic choices must be made not
only to reform but also to explore education systems that can teach today's
youth to cope with tomorrow's challenges. To this end, school leaders must
constantly adapt their schools to the demands of the outside world and redefine
their roles in response to a changing environment.
Leadership
at the school level is increasingly responsible for guiding teachers to respond
to uncertain futures and new challenges. Therefore, an important role of school
leadership is to ensure that both students and teachers continuously learn,
develop and adapt to changing environments (Pont et al.,2008).
The
effectiveness of teachers in the development of students is greater than that
of the school principal. Principals, however, fulfill
many indirect tasks in order to influence education and training and to ensure
student development. Among
these tasks, the main ones are monitoring, evaluating, and developing teachers
in the classroom, creating high expectations of students and teachers,
providing the necessary resources for effective teaching, and creating a school
climate that supports learning (Hallinger &
Murphy, 1985).
Effective school
leadership is important but alone it is not sufficient for successful schools.
International evidence points to the importance of joint implementation of the
two leaderships, both transformational and educational/pedagogical, pointing to
the impact of teaching leadership at all levels of schools, but particularly as
a critical determinant of the quality of the school's psychological, physical
and social environment, and conditions.
What kind of teaching and learning takes place in school is important. This
affects students' motivation, expectations, attitudes, and behaviors in the
classroom.
Most
of the research on effective schools has defined school leaders as
"strong" and "purposeful". However, the IMPACT Research
(2009), which focuses on school leaders who want to improve, emphasizes the
importance of focusing on the work and lives of successful school leaders,
their values, knowledge, skills, wants, capacities, and practices (Day & Sammons,
2015).
The
above research findings suggest school principals should hold themselves
responsible for all aspects of the school and aim to sustain the success of the
school by developing a proactive leadership style regarding the problems they
will encounter. On the other hand, the school leader should be aware that there
is an important relationship between the quality of classroom teaching and the
quality of student learning and achievement in order to create a successful
school. However, the question of the magnitude of the effects of leadership and
how it works directly or indirectly to increase student outcomes is still a
matter of debate.
While
measurable outcomes of successful leadership such as student development and
achievement are recognized as key indicators of effectiveness, they are
insufficient in themselves to ensure success. In addition, it is of great importance that principals working in
schools in disadvantaged areas create a school climate that supports students'
learning by promoting positive values such as honesty,
compassion, and justice, and encouraging lifelong learning in order to ensure
full access to education. Promoting
citizenship and personal, economic, and social abilities is considered just as
important as fostering students' academic outcomes and is therefore a key
aspect of successful leadership.
The
environment where the school is located, its physical location and economic
factors are important factors affecting the implementation of an education
program (Gümüşeli, 2014). It is possible to come up against
difficulties in the implementation of a targeted education program due to a
rapid increase in the number of students, especially in disadvantaged
environments exposed to rapid migration, and the limitation of physical space.
In many countries, it cannot be said that the state fully meets the financial
resources that school need.
This
situation is quite evident in countries with a large school age population.
Turkey is experiencing a rapid increase in the school age population. Over
recent years, economic difficulties arising from agricultural policies have
accelerated migration from rural areas into cities. People move to the cities
hoping to find employment and a better standard of living and they settle in
slum areas, creating a new life style that sits between village and city life. These communities, which find it difficult to adapt to city culture,
are prevented from giving the necessary importance to education due to their
primary problem: employment.
The children in these communities, therefore, do not benefit
sufficiently from quality education opportunities. The success rates of these
students in central exams are very low. In addition, students with low academic
success often leave school because of lack of motivation or to help with family
finances by working in daily, irregular jobs (Özcan
et al., 2018). Students who leave school after basic education in Turkey have
been found to be mainly children of disadvantaged families. 63% of students who
leave school have at least one child worker in their family and are generally
under the age of 15 (Özdemir et al., 2010). According
to Tabcu (2015) this situation suggests that students
are born into congenital deprivation.
In
addition to these children’s low educational achievement due to being in school
for only a few months of a school year, they have little belief in education
and few expectations that they will enter a profession through education. The
children of disadvantaged families that lack material, moral, and emotional
resources are unlikely to benefit from their rights, are unable to fully
develop their potential and cannot participate in society as equal citizens (Özcan et al.,2018). Additionally, The Education Assessment
Report (2019) report revealed that socio-economic factors affect student
achievement in international exams (Tosun et al.,
2020).
In
order for students to be academically successful and fully take part in
society, schools need to be equal in the opportunities they provide. In
practice, the opportunities and facilities provided by schools differ: for
example, 51% of students in science high schools and 42% of Anatolian high
school science students in Turkey are children of families from the highest
socio-economic level (Özcan et al.,2018) argue that
inadequate physical and technical infrastructure and education staff play an
active role in the academic failures of socio-economically disadvantaged
students.
However,
the future success of children living in disadvantaged regions is possible with
quality school education, strong guidance, and psychological counseling (Oral
& McGivney 2014). Therefore, making schools in disadvantaged areas stronger
in terms of physical and human resources is important for equal opportunity in
education and social justice.
Every
individual has the right to equality of opportunity through education (Ural,
2012). However, economic, political, and social inequalities continue to exist,
for example, in access to services and the distribution of goods. This inequality
significantly affects students’ access to education, which is a fundamental
human right. The right to education is guaranteed by both national and
international studies, policies, contracts and directives.
The 2015 PISA report
socio-economic and cultural status index (EKSD), which considers parental
occupation and education level and the education resources and equipment
available to students at home, defines 64% of students in Turkey as socially
and economically disadvantaged. The OECD average is below 18% (Yaşar & Amaç, 2018).
According
to the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), more than half of
teachers in Turkey (50.4%) work in rural areas. The percentage of newly qualified teachers working in socio-economically
disadvantaged schools in Turkey is 40.4%, the highest of 48 countries, while
the OECD average is 22.2% (Karip, 2019).
According
to Milner (2015) school leaders and teachers committed to creating the best
educational opportunities for their students introduce effective practices at
school and individual classroom level in disadvantaged schools that consider
students’ standard of living and their life experiences. Poverty is probably the most pressing problem
throughout the world and significantly affects educational status. People
living in poverty have limited access to important resources. Parents may not
have access to adequate or reliable transport to reach schools, and many may
not have had positive school experiences themselves making them uncomfortable
during direct contact with teachers and school staff. It is therefore the
school’s responsibility to create inviting environments that are comfortable
and engaging for all parents to keep them connected to the school.
As
is apparent from the above description, more than half of the number of
students present in Turkey are from disadvantaged groups. This situation makes it
necessary for school administrators working in disadvantaged regions to make
more effort in their leadership roles (Yalçınkaya,
2002). Disadvantaged schools have limited opportunities. Educating students to
meet the needs of the 21st century requires school administrators to have an
understanding different from the usual management roles.
Undoubtedly,
administrators can achieve this by first getting to know the school
organization she/he is responsible for, becoming familiar with all its
stakeholders, accurately identifying their problems, and allocating resources
in the best way possible. To address this, the research
focus of this study is: "The difficulties faced by school principals
working in disadvantaged schools and the effects of the manager role they
exhibit on teacher and student success."
2.
METHOD
2.1.
Study Model
The aim of this study is
to examine the difficulties faced by principals in disadvantaged schools and
the effects of their role as school administrators in the face of these
difficulties on the success of students and teachers. The study uses a
phenomenological qualitative research method design.
Qualitative research is
created through a long and intense interaction process applied to a slice of a
social life or a field. These processes reflect the daily lives of individuals,
groups, societies or organizations. The aim of the researcher is to look at the
features of the environment in which she is working in a holistic way. With
this systematic, inclusive and integrated view, the philosophy of the research,
its arrangements, secrets or explicit rules, with a very rigorous and empathetic
approach, collects data from the participants and the main themes and
statements are evaluated in accordance with the naturalness of the data
(Wolcott, 1992; Akbaba & Ersoy,
2016). This study was conducted with face-to-face interviews through reflective
listening. Expert opinion was used in the preparation of interview forms, which
was made up of semi-structured questions.
2.2.
Research Participants
The participants of the
study, selected on a voluntary basis, are 10 school principals who were working
in primary schools in Istanbul in the 2019-2020 academic year.
Some participants were
selected using the snowball sampling method, a purposeful sampling method very
effective method for finding individuals and situations that can be a source of
data related to the researcher's problem. Where the researcher has difficulty
obtaining some information, she asks the participants, "Who would you
recommend I should talk to about this issue?" Starting from this question,
a working group is obtained, growing like a snowball (Patton, 1987; Yıldırım & Şimşek,
2018).
The interviews were
conducted in the participants' own environments. Participants and schools are
given pseudonyms in order to maintain academic and institutional
confidentiality.
Table 1: Demographic characteristics of principals
|
School
Name |
Principals’
Name |
Gender |
Seniority in the Profession |
Year in current school |
Branch |
|
A |
Atıf |
Male |
21 |
11 |
Class teacher/ undergraduate |
|
B |
Serhat |
Male |
23 |
8 |
Class teacher / undergraduate |
|
C |
Ferhan |
Male |
19 |
5 |
Class teacher / undergraduate |
|
D |
Ayşenur |
Female |
22 |
4 |
Class teacher / Master |
|
E |
Aylin |
Female |
19 |
7 |
Class teacher / Master |
|
F |
Naci |
Male |
23 |
6 |
Class teacher / undergraduate |
|
G |
Yılmaz |
Male |
25 |
5 |
Class teacher / undergraduate |
|
H |
Aydın |
Male |
21 |
3 |
Class teacher / undergraduate |
|
I |
Âdem |
Male |
22 |
3 |
Class teacher / undergraduate |
|
J |
Haluk |
Male |
19 |
6 |
Class teacher / undergraduate |
2.3.
Procedure and Process:
Data Collection Tools
Invitation letters were
sent to the principals inviting them to take part in the study group. These
letters explained the purpose of the research and asked whether the recipient
would voluntarily participate in the study. After receiving approval for
participation, the participants were interviewed with the help of interview
forms consisting of semi-structured questions prepared using expert opinion.
During the face-to-face
interviews, reflective listening was used and records of the interviews were
taken with the permission of the participants. The data obtained was deciphered
and put into writing. These transcripts were shared with
the relevant participants for confirmation. The study, which started on January
3, 2019, was terminated on January 28, 2020.
2.4.
Data Analysis
A
content analysis was made of the study data. Miles and
Huberman describe the data analysis process as processing data, visualizing
data, drawing conclusions, and confirming (Miles & Huberman, 1994; Yıldırım & Şimşek,
2018). By analyzing the data in this way, concepts and
relationships that can explain the data are reached. While
coding the data, themes and concepts that are important to the research problem
were used. The important data was then selected and presented in figures,
tables, graphics, etc. Related concepts and themes were identified and
interpreted. The findings obtained according to the results of the study
are explained in detail in accordance with the nature of the content analysis,
and direct quotations are included.
3.
FINDINGS
This section contains
the findings and interpretation of the research data.
3.1.
Findings Regarding the
First Problem
The principals were
asked the first sub-problem question: "What are the problems you have in
your school? The problems faced by the managers were coded and the main
problems emerged as "financial constraints", "lack of commitment
to the school", "socio-economic structure of the school
environment" and "socio-cultural structure of the school
environment".
3.1.1. Financial
Constraints
Financial
constraints emerged as the main problem for all school principals. School
principals stated that they had financial difficulties in meeting the needs of
the school. They stated that the state did not provide sufficient funding to
their schools and that they felt abandoned in this regard. Haluk
said he felt very helpless when he took over the principal’s position as the
school funds were empty and that the previous principal had had some renovation
work done by the local tradesmen but left without paying some bills.
“….. In fact, the beginning was a very troubling process.
Parents? What could I ask from poor people? Also, I was new to the school and
didn't know anyone.” (Haluk).
In
addition, principals complained about problems with the school cleaning staff
being employed as contracted personnel which was a serious burden in terms of
paying salaries and social security premiums. All of the principals are
responsible for materials, tools, training materials, paint, renovations, etc.
They stated that they spend time looking for financial support to meet their
needs and this shortens the time they can spend on education and training.
3.1.2. Lack
of Commitment to the School
All of the school
principals stated that the teachers assigned to schools in disadvantaged
regions wanted to leave the school as soon as possible. Generally, newly
qualified teachers are appointed to these schools. Since these teachers are
inexperienced, they have trouble dealing with difficult students and parents. Atıf stated that a problem with the parent of a
student who does not do homework led to a threat on a teacher’s life on the
social media account set up by the teacher with his class's parents.
Newly qualified
teachers have a lot of shortcomings in terms of human relations and the ability
to manage as they do not demonstrate appropriate response or patience.
Therefore, they stated that instead of finding solutions to problems, they tend
to quickly give up and look for appointments elsewhere. Some participants
stated that this situation harmed the students and left the institution in a
difficult situation.
“....
For a commitment to have something there must be something that attracts you. I thought a lot about how to connect my teachers to the school. I
sympathize with teachers; there is no magic formula for poor schools with
limited opportunities, students who do not come to school regularly, and
parents ready to attack the teacher. We
try to give responsibility to children who are surrounded by poverty and
indifference, who are subject to violence and who are forced to work in order
to contribute financially to the home. Teachers
cannot adapt to the school. Once they realize the problem, they see the only
solution as running away from school."(Atıf).
3.1.3. Socio-economic
Structure of the School Environment
All
school principals stated that the socio-economic difficulties of the school
environment reflect on the school. It was emphasized that families from Eastern
and Southeastern Anatolia with poor financial means come and settle in these
regions. Most parents are unemployed or trying to survive with short-term jobs.
The absenteeism of the children of families suffering from poverty is very
high.
It
was stated that some students go to different jobs on a daily basis due to
poverty and often ran away from home. Some families saw the school as an
"aid distributing institution". Teacher are responsible for theater
trips, school trips, museums, etc. Low participation in such activities where
learning and cohesion can be achieved are important symptoms of poverty.
According to the principals, it is not possible to expect financial support
from parents or for them to cooperate with the school for these reasons.
“We asked for very small contributions for
some consumables and personnel expenses, and we got a response. Most of the
students are neglected and have no equipment. If we ask them for money, they don't come to school. ‘The state says
the school is free of charge. Why do you want us to contribute?’ We are even
threatened with complaints to the national education ministry.” (Serhat).
3.1.4. Socio-cultural
Structure of the School Environment
Another
problem faced by school principals is the socio-cultural structure of the
school environment. According to the principals, families' lack of education,
indifference to education and poor behavior deeply affect their children and
these problems are reflected in the school.
Many
fathers and family members are drug addicts or dealers. The children of these
families face poverty, lack of ownership and apathy, as well as violence and
harassment. In addition, they are constantly influenced by the bad habits they
witness in the family. Ferhan expressed his
experiences as follows:
“... Domestic violence is extremely severe.
Children do whatever they see at home, so that’s why they are constantly
fighting each other. For example, they don't know how to do such a thing as set
up a game or play together. They imagine normal life this way. Fights in the
classroom reflect on the home. They do not hesitate to exhibit violent behavior
even to teachers.” (Ferhat).
Some
families want to change teachers according to their religious beliefs.
Principals had difficulties where parents did not want female teachers or
teachers who wear the headscarf. In addition, it was pointed out that parents
become defensive and aggressive when informed of their children’s deficiencies,
when suggestions are made, or when parents' requests are not fulfilled.
“One of our teachers
reported that she noticed differences in a student's behavior and observed
signs of autism, so she wanted to invite the mother to the school. She wrote a note. After repeated calls, I
was able to bring the mother to school. However, he strongly rejected what the
teacher was saying and insulted the teacher, and later we learned that our
teacher complained to the district national education ministry. Our teacher was
very scared and asked for another appointment, stating that he did not want to
work at the school. They ignore the motivations of the employees." (Ayşenur).
Aylin, on the other
hand, stated that they had problems due to parents' indifference, that she fought
for a student who was subjected to domestic violence and harassment, and that
she had to resolve the incident through the courts, but the family was hostile
to her and they took the child away from the school.
3.2.
Findings Regarding the
Second Problem
To address the second
problem, the principals were asked: “What methods do you use to deal with the
problems?” Coding of the data identified "correct communication",
"resilience", "flexibility and positive thinking" as
themes.
3.2.1. Correct
Communication
School principals agree
that the art of communicating correctly is an important skill for an
administrator. According to Atıf, “a person who
cannot use communication methods well should never be a manager.” The success
of a manager is related to their competence in human relations. If a manager is
not successful in establishing relationships with people, she/he will have a
hard time because there are a lot of people in and around the school in
disadvantaged areas who cannot empathize or understand.
Most people, as they
understand it, look at events in a narrow frame, so communication is very
important. Atıf stated that he never brought
parents and teachers together at first when addressing problematic situations.
He first listened to the parents in his office to establishing good
communication and calm them down and then looked for appropriate ways to solve
the problem.
“A man came to the school with a crowbar in his angry hand, shouting
loudly, “let the teacher come here.” I took him to my room and tried to calm him
down. If the teacher were to come, he would have used the crowbar. The parent
had written a note to the teacher on WhatsApp. When the teacher angrily
responded, an argument blew up. The parent had been a drug user and had been in
prison. I calmed him down, offered tea, talked diplomatically and sorted the
problem out. A few days after the conversation, he donated a small amount of
money to the school in an envelope, which was not in a good economic situation.
He said, "Sir, you saved me from being a murderer, thanks." My
suggestion to my teachers and colleagues is: Listen, empathize and communicate
well.” (Atıf).
Adem
said that his school was trying to maintain healthier relationships between
students, teachers, and parents by using guidance counselors.
3.2.2. Resilience
According to school
principals, the first condition for being successful in disadvantaged schools
is resilience. Aylin said that you should make parents and school staff feel
that you are "unyielding", determined, and self-confident.
“Usually
administrators who cannot stand these schools either give up and leave or are
removed due to complaints or other reasons. So the school community should
recognize you as powerful. Employees who do not want to comply with the rules
may try to intimidate you. For example, a teacher requested class hours that
would negatively affect the course arrangements for all other teachers, so we
could not accept. The teacher was very aggressive. It is not possible for
everyone to have everything they want, you have to make the rules. (Aylin).
Haluk
emphasized the importance of being determined and following the rules.
Management is not easy. You can very easily be branded as a "bad person”.
“When
I took office, the exterior of the school needed painting. I received quotes
from the firm we used and others and found out that the firm that I was working
with was charging exorbitant prices so stopped using them. Two of my employees
at the school have always behaved negatively and later I learned that when the
tenders were given, their friendship relations were effective. I struggled and protected the school. Many seemingly small things can
create unsolvable problems later on, but if you are determined, after a while,
nobody can break your rules."(Haluk).
Principals stated that
the school tries to overcome a significant part of its financial problems by
using various non-governmental organizations, philanthropists, and personal
relationships.
3.2.3. Flexibility
and Positive Thinking
Management requires flexibility,
that is, acting according to the situation. According to the principals, it is
important to understand the different aspects of events and to understand them
flexibly. Everything is constantly changing. If it is known that a correct
decision made today may change over time or that more functional changes are
required, the managerial task becomes easier.
“The people of the region we are in already feel themselves socially,
economically, and culturally excluded. How will a teacher who is constantly
trying to punish a student who comes from such a life win this student. The
teacher who does not know how to be flexible and to produce solutions according
to the situation loses that child, and our student absenteeism is high. Many of
the kids don't like school. However, we can make success by evaluating each
child within their own characteristics and by motivating them like “you can do
it, you can also succeed, too”, by revealing the good aspects. I take the
student into my room and listen to their problems. I encourage them and try to
win them over by showing some flexibility toward some of their behavior. Their
trust in me builds, and then I see that they are among the beloved,
hard-working children of the class. Having positive emotions, getting away from
negative emotions, trying for psychological resilience, and developing good
feelings for the future encourages children.” (Ferhan).
“According to some, flexibility is like a
weakness, it is perceived as a compromise, whereas to be flexible, to think in
a versatile way, is to adjust according to circumstances.
“Each student is different and each
problem has different solutions. I see flexibility as an important skill. It is
necessary to focus on good things by thinking positively." (Naci).
3.3.
Findings Regarding the
Third Problem
To address the third
problem, the principals were asked: "How do you support your teachers who
cannot cope with their problems?" Coding with the data identified
"professional knowledge leadership" and "creating a positive school
climate" as themes.
3.3.1. Professional
Knowledge Leadership
According to school
principals, we are in a society where thoughts and beliefs are constantly
changing. Education is a dynamic structure. School principals have to manage
their school well by being open to innovation and developing new strategies in
line with these changes.
“Our
job used to be to just follow the instructions to complete routine work. Now,
we have to consider the interior of the school, its environment, the parents,
the student's life outside school, teachers’ expectations, that is, many things
together, and manage the school well as a whole. If you cannot share
responsibility with your teachers, you will have to deal the problem on your
own. You have to be a leader for this. You should try to listen to teachers,
get to know them and meet their needs. The solution to problems in the
classroom becomes easier when they feel close to you." (Yılmaz).
All
of the principals stated that they want to support teachers and the importance
of helping each other. They see
teachers' success as school success. Newly qualified teachers are usually
appointed to disadvantaged schools. Since these teachers do not have
experience, mistakes can be made that are difficult to overcome.
“Some
teachers who think that they can do their teaching profession with beautiful
dreams during their student years realize that their dreams cannot be realized
in such difficult conditions. Students, parent profiles, and physical
inadequacies of the school demotivate them. That's why we need to lead. I wish
more experienced teachers were assigned to these schools.
They would be role models for newly qualified teachers. However, it is
up to us to fill this gap. It is
necessary to be a guide. Talk to the parent
like this, talk to the student like this, let's watch the program like this.
It is necessary to train the personnel,
go around the classes regularly, check and complete the deficiencies." (Adem).
According
to school principals, after seeing the conditions of the school and the levels
of the students, most of the teachers look for employment in another school.
Atıf stated that he was frequently in the classroom
environment and observed the levels and progress of the teachers and led the
teacher in the light of the information he gathered. Similarly, Adam states
that he spends most of his time guiding teachers in parent-teacher cooperation.
“Inexperienced teachers learn by trial and error, which
can be waste of time, wasted effort and damaging. I have a non-judgmental
attitude This gave them confidence in me. I lead every teacher who wants to
learn and be informed. Current teacher training institutions do not give enough
professional knowledge. Field knowledge alone is not enough.
What does the teaching
profession require; as if characteristics such as patience, tolerance,
understanding and handling are not taught." (Adem).
According
to Serhat, the teaching profession requires
knowledge, courtesy, being a role model for the student, and the ability to
work in harmony with parents and other staff. Ferhan
stated that he assigned teachers with specific projects, tried to get to know
them, and in this way, he was able to provide help where needed. According to Aydın, parents of disadvantaged school children
generally do not expect academic success from their children. They see this as
impossible. They only aim to keep them off the streets.
“I direct my teachers to home visits, it is
very effective. There are teachers who cannot benefit enough from the guidance
service." (Aydın).
Referring
to the importance of in-service training, Aylin stated that teaching is a
profession that constantly learns and that the importance of teamwork is
guiding teachers to training and seminars.
3.3.2. Creating
a Positive School Climate
All school principals stated that they are trying to
create a positive school climate and ensure the participation of all school
stakeholders in decisions. Success cannot be achieved purely through the
effort of the manager or the teacher. Every
person, from the staff cleaning the classroom to the clerk, should do their job
well. This makes the teacher's job easier.
Providing this depends on the initiative of the
manager.
Atıf stated that, when he started his duty, he organized many
areas of the school that had been standing idle, such as the gymnasium and
conference hall, and made use of them, and created different areas and
opportunities for students and made the school attractive:
“Innovations
at school affect students and parents. For example, there are students from different cultures at
the school. We formed a school choir and assigned different roles to
each of them. Children from separate cultures who had been constantly
fighting suddenly began to get on. Listening to each other's voices and
listening to themselves made them feel valued and equal. The pride, joy,
and applause of being in public was the compliment they had perhaps never had
before. We enabled parents to see the talents of their children.
For example, we
did a project with a group of foreign countries. Our project won
and our parents couldn't believe that the project their children participated
in won. We tried to get all parents to school and show them success
boards. I wanted their children to see the good side. Next came the
process of foreign project partners in Turkey. We hosted them in our school. We also gave roles
to parents and asked for small contributions. The parents cleaned the school. They made
pastries and cakes and brought them in. It is imperative to see the school as a whole
with its parent, students, drivers, cleaners, and teachers. "(Atıf).
3.4.
Findings Regarding the
Fourth Problem
To address the forth problem, the principals were asked:
“How do you support problematic students in coping with their problems?" Coding
the data identified the theme of “love and trust.”
3.4.1. Love
and Trust
Principals emphasized that they are intermediaries and
solution providers in addressing the problems students have with their teachers
in the classroom.
Violence, fighting, harassment, drug use, drug dealing, murder, stabbing,
theft, and imprisonment are common in the environment and at home. So, the school should be an assurance for them. Children should be loved, they
should be made to feel cared for. Complaining
to the father of a child who is constantly beaten at home for this or that
situation at school simply means the child is subjected to more violence, so
ends up running away from school or hating us.
"The teacher brings
the child by the arm saying this child is naughty, does not do homework, is
quarrelsome, etc. This is what the child sees at home and around them. How do
we turn this around? It is necessary to focus on this. Talking down to his level I make him trust
me. Dealing with the problem in the classroom by asking, what shall we do? What
do you say? I let him know that I listen to his requests and feelings and give
him advice so that he knows I love and care about him. He can control himself when he is given responsibility in the
classroom. Expectations or behaviors should be considered, knowing that these
are children.” (Naci).
“Success is not
expected from a child who is constantly scolded. The child should be motivated,
encouraged, ‘you can do it!’. For example,
there are immigrant children in our school. I
thought what can I do to motivate them. I
tried to balance the groups. I gave them
responsibilities and they needed each other to finish the job. Sports games, project studies, the simplest methods of integration,
even establishing a choir or a sports team. It
is important to hear, listen, and understand love." (Serhat).
Yılmaz emphasized the
importance of understanding and encouraging children as well as being a role
model for them.
" I have improved the lives of many
unsuccessful and unwanted children by treating them with love. We can develop each child by finding and highlighting a
side to be proud of. We dealt with
problematic children with our guidance service and produced solutions.
Later, these
children became more confident and more enthusiastic. "(Yılmaz).
4.
CONCLUSION, DISCUSSION AND
SUGGESTIONS
This study was
conducted to examine the difficulties faced by administrators in disadvantaged
schools and the effects of their role as school administrators in the face of
these difficulties. The principals were asked the first sub-problem question:
"What problems do you have in your school? The problems faced by the
managers were coded and the main problems emerged as "financial
constraints", "lack of commitment to the school",
"socio-economic structure of the school environment", and
"socio-cultural structure of the school environment".
All of the school
principals whose data were collected in the study stated that they had economic
problems and could not get enough financial support from the state. The
majority of the parents are poor, unemployed families who have migrated to the
area. Principals are responsible for the school's infrastructure, materials,
maintenance and repair, tools, etc. They try to meet their needs by appealing
to charities and donors.
Tosun et al. (2020) revealed that disadvantaged schools have
limited physical infrastructure, materials and technological equipment, and
that the budgets allocated to these schools are quite insufficient.
In the study, school engagement emerged as one
of the important problems faced by school principals. Participants stated that
disadvantaged schools do not have enough loyalty from teachers, students and
their parents due to their lack of appeal.
The high dropout rate
is an important issue in disadvantaged schools. School dropout is caused by the
socioeconomic status of the family, gender, ethnicity, academic failure, and
exclusion and neglect arising from the approach of the school administration or
teachers. According to Köse (2019) schools
in this region are very important not only for these children but also for the
large community groups around them.
In the research,
principals tried to ensure commitment to the school. They tried to make the school
a center of attraction. Involving students in projects, competitions, and
social events: choir, sports, folk dances, etc. They succeeded with this method
by encouraging their commitment to the school.
According to school
principals, schools located in socio-economically and socio-culturally
disadvantaged regions attract students from poor families. The limited
opportunities of the environment and families prevent their children from
seeing their education as a priority. First of all, meeting their economic
needs is their main issue. Many students even have to work at home to take care
of their siblings or contribute to the home economy.
To address the second
problem, the principals were asked: “What methods do you use to deal with the
problems?” Coding of the data identified "correct communication",
"resilience", "flexibility and positive thinking" as
themes.
Communication is
important for healthy harmony of the school organization. The first condition
of communication is to listen effectively and to empathize. Principals take
care to spread this habit in the school. Principals stated that they overcame
problems by listening to their parents and students effectively and making them
feel they understand.
Having a sufficient
number of guidance counselors in disadvantaged schools is very important for
compliance and communication. Principals have tried to increase the number of
guidance teachers in the school. In addition, attempts were made to make
teachers more understanding tolerant of the children by encouraging classroom
teachers and guidance counselors to visit students' homes.
In the study, school
principals stated that they encountered resistance originating from school
employees and parents in the process of creating the corporate culture in their
schools. In order to convince their employees, participants stated that they
use different strategies to make decisions that will benefit the school
organization, and that they try to establish school rules by showing decisive
and determined behavior.
According to Linquanti (1992) resilience is the state of not being
affected by the negative consequences of the anxiety and distress people face
in their lives.
Resilience is not an innate quality, but rather a relative, developmental, and
dynamic structure in which individuals can combine their positive adaptation
and development in difficult conditions (Henderson & Milstein,1996). According to school principals, the resilience of
administrators and teachers sets an example and encourages students to cope
with problems.
One of the methods
school principals use to solve problems is to think positively. According
to Fredrickson (2004) people turn into more creative, knowledgeable, flexible,
socially integrated, and healthy individuals with the acquisition of positive
thinking behavior. School principals attached importance to the spread of this
understanding. In the "age of diversity
and sustainability" created by the current process, being a manager and
teacher is a challenging job (Hargreaves & Fink, 2003).
The shift in focus on
success from teacher stress and burnout to resilience provides a promising
perspective for principals and teachers in understanding the ways in which they
manage and maintain their motivation and commitment in times of change.
To address the third
problem, the principals were asked: "How do you support your teachers who
cannot cope with their problems?" Coding of the data identified
"professional knowledge leadership" and "creating a positive
school climate" as themes.
Good leadership is
important in disadvantaged schools. According to school principals, the
professional knowledge provided in existing teacher training institutions is
not sufficient. They stated that the teaching profession can be improved by
practicing and observing experienced expert trainers. According to Yaşar and Amaç (2018)
creating projects where teacher candidates can come together with disadvantaged
students can make it easier for them to obtain information about this student
group. Principals try to address deficiencies with in-service training.
However, they stated that the constant change of teachers negatively affects
these efforts and the school.
The formation of a
positive school climate positively affects the success of teachers and
students, and school management is responsible for creating this positive
learning environment. Participants increased their motivation by encouraging
teachers to take part in various projects. This situation is reflected in the
academic success of the students. The friendships established with the schools
in foreign countries in particular mean teachers have become aware of
perspectives to the outside world, made them aware of innovations which they
then apply in their classrooms.
These developments,
which are brought home by students, have been important activities that make
school more appealing for disadvantaged people and enable parents to value
their children. School principals learn about their functions by observing
classrooms in various ways, and by chatting with teachers and students.
To address the forth problem, the principals were asked:
"How do you support problematic students in coping with their
problems?" Coding the data identified the theme of “love and trust”.
Principals emphasized
the importance of the school in the psychological, social, and academic success
of the students. It is necessary to approach students and parents with love and
empathy in order to overcome the negativities that affect their lives.
Participants try to have positive effects on their psychological, academic, and
social success by showing them love and gaining their trust. By inviting
students to their rooms, they try to listen, understand, and strengthen their
relationships with their teachers and families. Despite the limited opportunities,
the activities created at school make more students resistant to difficulties.
As a result, school
principals of disadvantaged schools are responsible for coping with the
negative aspects of their environment as well as their managerial roles.
Therefore, rewarding
self-sacrificing principals and teachers in various ways and preparing success
stories as a handbook can be a resource that can be useful to all educators.
Appointment of more experienced teachers to disadvantaged schools would enable
students to receive more qualified education, helping them integrate into
society.
Also, assigning newly
qualified teachers to schools with better conditions at the beginning will be
beneficial in terms of developing their professional experience.
Disadvantaged schools
should be supported economically and their infrastructures should be
strengthened. Teachers and principals working in these schools can be motivated
by being rewarded in various ways.
Providing skills
workshops or pilot schools that aim at student development in disadvantaged
schools can make these schools a center of attraction and these practices can
contribute to the awareness of the importance of education in the community in
the region. Undoubtedly, this study is limited to the experience and opinions
of 10 school principals working in disadvantaged schools in Istanbul.
It is not only school
principals who are affected by the problems in these schools and who affect the
solutions. Deputy principals, group heads, teachers, students, and families are
also affected by the problems in disadvantaged schools and they have a
significant effect on student success.
In this respect, more
comprehensive research can be conducted with the participation of all
stakeholders in different regions regarding the problems experienced in
disadvantaged schools and the success of students and teachers. Problems
related to disadvantaged schools and students can be revealed in many different
dimensions and applicable solutions can be developed.
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