Support for Principals in Compulsory Schools in Iceland – What They Get and What They Wish For

Starfsumhverfi skólastjóra hefur breyst mjög mikið á undanförnum árum, orðið flóknara og starfið viðameira. Með breyttu starfsumhverfi og auknu álagi er stuðningur í starfi þýðingarmikill. Markmið þessarar rannsóknar var að kanna viðhorf skólastjóra í grunnskólum til stuðnings við þá í starfi og þörf þeirra á stuðningi. Gögnum í rannsókninni var safnað með spurningalista sem sendur var til allra skólastjóra, 174 alls, og var svarhlutfall 67%. Meginniðurstaða rannsóknarinnar var að skólastjórar voru óánægðir með þann stuðning sem var í boði við upphaf ferils þeirra, eingöngu 32% eru ánægðir með þann stuðning sem þeir fá nú í starfi og 47% þeirra nefndu að þörf fyrir stuðning væri fullnægt að mestu leyti. Flestir nefndu að þeir hefðu fengið mestan stuðning frá fjölskyldu eða vini við upphaf ferils síns og eru niðurstöður svipaðar við núverandi aðstæður. Skólastjórar voru sammála um að mikilvægt væri að njóta stuðnings í starfi en 95% sögðu það mjög eða frekar mikilvægt. Flestir töldu að fræðsluyfirvöld ættu að veita þeim mestan stuðning en einnig kom fram að skólastjórar teldu sig þurfa mestan stuðning við úrlausn erfiðra starfsmannamála og við stefnumótun. Svarhlutfall í rannsókninni var vel viðunandi og dreifing svara yfir landið nokkuð jöfn. Það má því álykta að þá mynd, sem dregin er upp hér, megi að öllum líkindum yfirfæra á skólastjóra í grunnskólum almennt. Af niðurstöðunum má álykta að margir skólastjórar kalli eftir víðtækari og markvissari stuðningi og þá aðallega frá fræðsluyfirvöldum.The conditions in which principals work have changed drastically over the past decades. Many aspects of the principal’s role have become more complex, and the demands of the job continue to escalate. These changes, in addition to causing a heavier workload, have increased the need for support for both new and experienced principals. The main purpose of this research project was to study the support that compulsory school principals in Iceland received when they first started their careers, the kind of support they now receive, and their perceived needs for support on the job. Furthermore, principals were asked from what source most of the support should come. Constructive support is vital to principals, both in the early stages as well as later in their career. Boerema (2011) asserts that constructive support for school principals should be provided both in the beginning and throughout their career. He states that it is becoming more common for principals to quit their jobs or change careers after a few years. Evans (2010), Hargreaves and Fink (2006), and Meyer, Macmillan and Northfield (2011) share this observation and point out that frequent changes of principals can have negative effects on school staff, stability in school operations, and student achievement. In the same way, Honig (2012) states that constructive support of school principals can facilitate better leadership practices and improve schooling. Support to school principals can be provided in various ways. Preparation and support are quite strategic in some countries, while not in others (Pont, Nusche og Moorman, 2008). According to Lee (2015), the support can range from assisting new principals with practical matters concerning the management and operation of schools to personal support and development on the job. Whitmore (2017) outlines several forms of coaching as types of support, ranging from formal to informal. According to Retelle (2010), mentoring and coaching are support schemes of a similar nature that emphasise context-based learning. In some instances, the focus can be on developing competencies for dealing with difficult staff issues, while in other cases, the emphasis can be on personal growth and development in general. Pardini (2000) and Marsh (2010) claim that the main purpose of all available support schemes for school principals is to assist them, in one way or another, in fulfilling their role as school leaders as effectively possible. In Iceland, no quantitative study has yet been conducted regarding what principals think about the support they get and what kind of support they need and prefer. This study provides new information, understanding, and knowledge about support of principals in Iceland. This knowledge and understanding can be utilized by education district offices, the Union of Principals, and the principals themselves for policy making and actions regarding provisions for support. A questionnaire was developed to collect the necessary data. It was sent to all compulsory school principals in Iceland, 174 in total, and the response rate was 67%. The survey was conducted using SurveyMonkey software, and the findings were analysed in Excel and SPSS. The main findings of the study show that the majority of the principals are rather dissatisfied with the support they received in their beginning years as principals, and only 32% are content with their current level of support. Most of the principals reported that their main support came from family members or friends, both in the beginning of their career and now. Nearly all the principals, 95%, agreed on the importance of receiving support in their role as principals. In addition, they maintained that this should primarily be provided by educational district offices. The study also revealed that the kind of support principals need most is related to managing difficult staff problems and policy making. The response rate in this study was acceptable. The distribution of answers from different parts of the country reflect the actual numbers in each area. Therefore, the findings can be seen as providing useful insights regarding the support Icelandic compulsory principals in general receive and the support they need. Key support providers, such as educational district offices and the Union of Principals, can utilize these findings to develop and further enhance support for principals in all parts of the countryPeer Reviewe