Teacher Empowerment: School Administrators' Roles

Abstract

Purpose: Teacher empowerment involves investing teachers with the right to participate in the determination of school goals and policies as informed by their professional judgment. By empowering teachers, teachers can discover their potential and limitations for themselves as well as developing competence in their professional development. This makes teacher empowerment a crucial issue. The primary aim of this research is to determine school administrators' roles in empowering the teachers at their schools. Research Method: In this study, the researcher used a qualitative research design. The data were analyzed in accordance with the content analysis method. The researcher interviewed 20 teachers through over the course of this study. The researcher chose the respondents according to the purposive sampling method. Results: The results reveal that administrators have empowered these teachers by providing opportunites for shared decision-making, improving their status, making schools more attractive places, building relationships on principles of trust and creating good communication among teachers. However, administrators do not adequately support their professional development, develop their self-efficacy, support their autonomy or employ them in some managerial roles. Implications for Research and Practice: One main conclusion arising from the research is that administrators empower teachers by providing shared decision-making, improving their status, making schools more attractive places, building relationships depending on trust and creating good communication among teachers. However, administrators do not support their professional development adequately, develop their self-efficacy, support their autonomy or employ them in some managerial roles. (C) 2017 Ani Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved