An Exploration of the Relationship between Teachers\u27 Perceptions of Principals\u27 Instructional Leadership and Transformational Leadership Behaviors

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of their principals’ instructional leadership behaviors and transformational leadership behaviors. In addition, the study examined the relationship between teachers’ perceptions of their principals’ instructional leadership and a principals’ level of degree and principals’ teaching area background. This quantitative study was driven by two teacher questionnaires: the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). The subscales examined in the PIRMS include framing the school goals, communicating the school goals, supervising and evaluating instruction, coordinating the curriculum, monitoring student progress, protecting instructional time, maintaining high visibility, providing incentives for teachers, promoting professional development, and providing incentives for learning . The subscales utilized for the MLQ include idealized influence (attributes), idealized influence (behaviors), inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. In addition to the teacher questionnaires, the principals answered two demographic questions about their level of education and their principal teaching area background. A multiple regression analysis was used to determine if the transformational leadership subscales, principals’ level of degree, or principals’ teaching area background are predictors of effective instructional leadership. The findings from this study depicted a strong relationship between instructional and transformational leadership behaviors. In addition, “intellectual stimulation,” “idealized influence (behavior),” and “individual consideration” are the three best predictors of instructional leadership behaviors as identified by the regression analyses. The findings from the study did not find that a principals’ level of education or a principals’ teaching area background are predictors of effective instructional leadership as perceived by teachers