Field Investigation of On-the-Job Behavior of an Elementary School Principal.

This paper reports on a study that investigated the managerial behavior of a principal for 16 consecutive days in a rural elementary school setting in Northeastern. Mississippi. According to available literature, no previously reported study has used direct observation to study an elementary school principal at work for longer than a week. Four particular areas were investigated: (1) amount of time spent on 10 administrative activities; (2) amount of time the principal spent participating in scheduled and unscheduled meetings and conferences; (3) the number of personal interactions on a daily basis; and (4) the number of times that the principal was interrupted while involved in office-related tasks or activities. Findings indicated that the principal spent the majority of her time managing by walking about the buildings and grounds, handling personnel matters, performing office-related tasks, disciplining students, and working with parents. The findings also revealed that the principal spent nearly 25 percent of her time on the job participating in scheduled and unscheduled meetings, and conferences. These findings indicate that preparation programs need to train elementary school principals to cope successfully with a role characterized by brevity, variety, and fragmentation. Principals need also to be taught how to manage by walking about, supervise human resources, perform office-related tasks efficiently, involve parents in their children's education, and improve education. (Contains 16 references.) (DFR) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. FIELD INVESTIGATION OF ON-THE-JOB BEHAVIOR OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL Jack Blendinger Mississippi State University Wallapha Ariratana Khon Kaen University Linda T. Jones Mississippi State University Abstract: This paper is based on a study investigating the managerial behavior of a principal for 16 consecutive days in a rural elementary school setting in. Northeastern Mississippi. According to available literature, no previously reported study has used direct observation to study an elementary school principal at work for longer than a week. The study's findings revealed that the principal observed spent the majority of her time managing by walking about the buildings and grounds, handling personnel matters, performing office-related tasks, disciplining students, and working with parents. The findings also revealed that the principal spent nearly 25% of her time on the job participating in scheduled and unscheduled meetings and conferences. This paper is based on a study investigating the managerial behavior of a principal for 16 consecutive days in a rural elementary school setting in. Northeastern Mississippi. According to available literature, no previously reported study has used direct observation to study an elementary school principal at work for longer than a week. The study's findings revealed that the principal observed spent the majority of her time managing by walking about the buildings and grounds, handling personnel matters, performing office-related tasks, disciplining students, and working with parents. The findings also revealed that the principal spent nearly 25% of her time on the job participating in scheduled and unscheduled meetings and conferences. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Mid-South Educational Research Association Bowling Green, Kentucky November 15-17, 2000 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) VThis document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 1 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY