Teachers' Perception of Leadership - Essay Example

However, they all agree that measuring job satisfaction is challenging because teachers are not in harmony with what satisfies them throughout their career. In spite of its difficulty to measure, investigators note that the degree of teacher satisfaction directly affects the school's stability, the quality of instructions and hence the overall climate of the school (Bogler, 2000; Richards, 2003; Woods & Weasmer, 2004).Chapter 1Introduction1.

1 Literature ReviewResearchers examined the various qualities in a principal that are desired by teachers (Haser & Nasse, 2003; Nir & Kranot 2006; Jorissen, 2002; Richards, 2003). Richards (2003) compared the needs in terms of principal's behavior of three groups of teachers - those with 1-5years experience, those with 6 - 10 years and those with 11 years or more of teaching experience. Richards utilized a phenomenological study and discovered that the beginning teachers cited "emotional support and safety" as their main need.

Teachers with 6-10 years valued "respect as professionals" as the key element in their job satisfaction while those with more than 10 years regarded "respect for their knowledge and experience" as their chief need (2003, p.12). However, support for the teacher was the main factor in influencing teacher's satisfaction for the entire range of teachers. Richards (2003), like Woods and Weasmer (2004), concluded that teachers at all stages in their career agreed that support in relation to parental confrontations, as well as in student.

Researchers examined the various qualities in a principal that are desired by teachers (Haser & Nasse, 2003; Nir & Kranot 2006; Jorissen, 2002; Richards, 2003). Richards (2003) compared the needs in terms of principal’s behavior of three groups of teachers - those with 1-5years experience, those with 6 - 10 years and those with 11 years or more of teaching experience. Richards utilized a phenomenological study and discovered that the beginning teachers cited “emotional support and safety” as their main need.

Teachers with 6-10 years valued “respect as professionals” as the key element in their job satisfaction while those with more than 10 years regarded “respect for their knowledge and experience” as their chief need (2003, p.12). However, support for the teacher was the main factor in influencing teacher’s satisfaction for the entire range of teachers. Richards (2003), like Woods and Weasmer (2004), concluded that teachers at all stages in their career agreed that support in relation to parental confrontations, as well as in student discipline were of primary importance for teacher retention and teacher job satisfaction.

Other investigators have identified what teachers expect from their administration and their perception of their behavior. Factors affecting teachers’ satisfaction included the attitude of the principals toward them, the satisfaction of informal peer group relationship, freedom in planning work and the opportunity to participate in planning policies which affected them.