Exploring Learning and Practice of Instructional Leadership among Principals: A Narrative Study

Abstract

The study explored the ways principals learn their instructional leadership skills and the practices of instructional leadership they employ in schools within the contexts of Nepal. I purposively selected four principals of private schools from Bhaktapur district. I had in-depth interviews with them at their schools, as well as observed the school activities and their surroundings. I collected their stories as information for my study. I employed narrative inquiry as the research method and explored their stories through an interpretive paradigm. I followed the experiential learning theory of Kolb and Kolb and the instructional leadership framework of Hallinger and Murphy as the theoretical lenses for my study. After exploring the narratives of my participants, I found that principals learned instructional leadership from their academic institutions, such as schools, colleges, and universities, where they studied to earn academic degrees. They can learn it from the workplace experiences. They can also learn it through professional development programs. Their learning is reflected in their school practices. This study offers insight that principals need to continue learning instructional leadership consciously to make teaching and learning more effective. I discovered that principals, as instructional leaders, place an emphasis on regular communication with teachers, students, and parents to remain updated on ongoing issues at school and at home. They also emphasized the importance of co-learning from one another at school and in broader society. They revealed that monitoring and evaluating teachers’ and students’ activities are crucial for enhancing teaching and learning. These activities make teachers and students more alert and conscious in the teaching and learning process. Principals emphasized the importance of creating a positive learning atmosphere at school. However, they were unable to do as expected due to lack of resources. The study concludes that instructional leadership competence can be developed through reflecting on experiences and engaged practices. Professional development training can play a significant role in its enhancement. When instructional leadership competence among principals is well-practiced in leading instruction for teachers in the classroom and promoting a positive learning climate within the school, it becomes a significant strength in school development.