A team-based approach to leading and managing a rural primary school.
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Date
2011
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Abstract
The aim of this study is to explore a team-based approach to leading and managing a rural
primary school. A requirement in a team-based approach to make quality decisions and
improvements in the school, comes from people working in harmony. In noting that teams
are more effective than individuals, this study explores how a team-based approach to leading
and managing schools plays itself out in a rural primary school. The objectives of this study
were to determine how a team-based approach is operationalised in a rural primary school
and to determine the challenges and possibilities associated with a team-based approach. The
study employed an interpretive meta-theoretical approach with a case study research design.
For the purpose of this study, purposive sampling was chosen. The study was conducted in a
public rural primary school in the eThekwini Region of the Ilembe District. The research
participants sampled comprised two male and three female participants to accommodate
gender representation. The principal, head of department (intermediate, phase), acting head
of department (foundation phase), one level one educator (intermediate phase) and one level
one educator (foundation phase) who were concerned with the day-to-day activity of the
organisation and the delivery of its performance were selected. Data was collected by means
of semi-structured interviews. The collected data was analysed and categorised into common
categories, patterns and themes. The key findings that emerged from the research were that
to ensure achievement of school goals, teamwork is necessary. People working together,
learning and sharing together will promote team effectiveness. The principal, together with
the SMT play an important role in creating and managing the different types of teams. By
having regular formal and informal meetings; ongoing professional development; monitoring
and evaluating members of a team; having a clear vision and rationale to manage change and
conflict will lead to continuous improvement and team effectiveness.
Description
Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.
Keywords
Rural schools--KwaZulu-Natal--Administration., Education, Rural--KwaZulu-Natal., Education, Primary--KwaZulu-Natal., Theses--Education.