Arab Educational Information Network

This paper aims at exploring the effectiveness of a training program which was designed to optimize the role and participation of elementary school principals (women only) in the implantation process of a school curriculum. Once principals have completed that training program, researchers analyzed the data of 16 semi-structured interviews in 16 schools with principals and teachers who respectively work for the same institution. The aim was to extract extensive data about the effectiveness of that training program. Also, the reflective writings of principals (38 self- reflection journals) were analyzed. Data analysis revealed (8) themes: (1) training: lack of training programs dedicated to optimizing principals’ role of and participation in curriculum implementation, (2) decision making: minimal and insufficient delegation of responsibilities empowering principals (women) to take decisions, (3) workload: heavy load of administrative work, (4) priorities: focus on administrative tasks at the expense of technical ones (5) passivity/dependence on supervisors: total dependence of principals on supervisors in terms of overseeing the implementation of the curriculum, (6) passivity/dependence on teachers: dependence on teachers regarding issues related to the implementation of the curriculum, (7) positive attitude: principals who followed the training have demonstrated positive attitude towards the program, (8) positive effect: the training program had positively, yet variably, contributed in changing anchored perceptions and beliefs amongst principals regarding their role and responsibility vis-à-vis the process of curriculum implementation. Variations in the impact of the training program seem to correlate with the principals’ set of beliefs regarding specific issues, and the target aspect to be changed, as well as the level and number of professional challenges with which these principals are confronted. Researchers recommend the implementation of this training program on a larger scale, and development of additional/ similar ones, as well as the opening of extensive collaboration channels for harmonized coordination between supervisors and principals for the betterment of curriculum implementation. (Published Abstract)