Teacher-Principal Interaction Leading to Feelings of Concern or Pleasure

Abstract

This investigation was concerned with the detection and study of types of behaviour of principals with teachers which led to teachers experiencing concern or pleasure. From free response data in an initial phase of the study, common sources of teacher concern and pleasure in teacher-principal interaction were derived. In the main phase of the study, the 13 concern-causing types of behaviour and 12 pleasure-giving types derived were investigated further. These items were scored by 232 teachers from 14 Queensland state high schools for degree of pleasure or concern experienced and frequency of occurrence. Principal axis analyses and subsequent rotation of the axes yielded three concern-causing factors, “Aloofness”, “Hindrance”, and “Lacking Consideration”, and two pleasure-giving factors, “Leadership” and “Support”.