LEADERSHIP AS A DIMENSION OF TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS

Abstract

In the past the teacher has been the focus of attention by critics of teacher performance. Those who view the school from outside hardly think that other factors within the school and outside the teachers control could influence teacher effectiveness.The classroom is usually regarded as the exclusive domain of the teacher. Students’ coverage of contents involvement in classroom activities and students’ success at school work are viewed from the standpoint of the teacher. In this paper, the author examines the role of the school leadership in creating the proper working and learning conditions for teachers and students without which teachers efforts would amount to nothing. The author argues that in the new education system being adopted, focus should sfiift from the classroom teacher to the quality of leadership the school enjoys. Good school leadership can support, enhance and create such essential teacher characteristics as appropriate lesson plans, classroom management, instruc­tional methods that facilitate the achievement of school objectives, high teacher expectation of students, teacher sensitivity to students’ emotional and motivational needs and evaluation.