The Impact of Effective and Ineffective Principal Leadership on Teacher Morale

Abstract

This study explored the reasons as to how effective and ineffective principal leadership affects elementary school teachers’ morale. There is a gap in literature regarding how education managers, particularly principals lack of leadership, affects teacher morale. This study focused on strategies and behaviors exhibited by elementary school principals that could impact the morale of an elementary school teacher. Theoretical frameworks employed for this study include Herzberg’s Motivation Hygiene Theory and Transformational Leadership Theory. A qualitive exploratory case study was utilized to address research questions. Results of the study revealed that teachers from an elementary school in South Florida gave their feedback on how their principles could impact their teacher morale. Unprofessionalism displayed by principals, negative student behavior, and micromanagement from principals were factors that were deemed to decrease teacher morale. Positive acknowledgment of teachers by their principal, supportive behaviors from principals, professional behaviors and effective communication were all strategies that could increase teacher morale of the elementary school teacher.