The role of school leaders instructional behaviors in enhancing teachers professional practices. A case study of Gakenke public secondary schools

Abstract

Instructional leadership behaviour is a type of school leadership in which school leaders collaborate with teachers to support and guide the implementation of best practices in teaching. Performing professional practices such as setting instructional objectives, using instructional language effectively, employing didactic materials, managing classrooms, and providing meaningful feedback on assessments has been a challenge for many teachers. This study, therefore, aimed to examine the role of school leaders’ instructional leadership behaviours in addressing these challenges. A descriptive survey research design was employed, targeting school leaders and teachers in public secondary schools in Gakenke District. Twelve school leaders were purposively selected from a population of 64, while 300 teachers were randomly sampled from a population of 1,194. Data were collected through questionnaires for teachers and interview guides for school leaders. Descriptive statistics including means, frequencies, percentages, and standard deviations were used for data analysis and direct narration was applied to qualitative data analysis. Additionally, Pearson’s correlation coefficient was applied to examine the relationship between school leaders’ instructional behaviors and teachers’ professional practices, yielding a strong positive correlation (r = 0.829, p = 0.000). The findings revealed that instructional leadership behaviors such as defining and communicating school goals, managing instructional programs, and promoting a positive school culture and climate play a significant role in enhancing teachers’ professional practices.