Leadership, interpersonal relationships, and collaboration: A comparative study of organizational structure in three middle schools

The middle school has been selected for this study because it is unique from that of the more traditional elementary and high school programs. This study notes that a standardized educational program for middle level children has never been fully accepted nor as widely implemented as has the elementary school for younger children and the high school for older ones. Yet, middle schools differ in their organizational structure, with self-contained classes, departments, or teams. Therefore, this study has concentrated on the influence of organizational structure on the affective and cognitive behavior of middle level children. Additionally, this study has examined the effect of organizational structure on the leadership style of principals, the interpersonal relationships of teachers and administrators, and the collaborative environment of middle schools. The methodology of this research is a comparable case study of organizational structure in three middle schools with self-contained classes, departments, and teams. The case study relied upon qualitative data obtained from interviews, observations, and official documents. The findings of the study indicate that the organizational structure (a) conforms to a school district\u27s philosophical interpretation of the needs of a middle level child, (b) complements a specific leadership style of the principal, (c) affects the availability of time for decision-making, (d) determines the flow and accuracy of communication in the school, (e) influences the attitudes and perceptions in a school, (f) affects the motivation of teachers in a school, (g) influences the climate, and (h) influences the degree of collaboration