Principals in Rural, Remote, and Northern Schools in Canada: Workload, Roles, and Instructional Leadership

• In Event: New Perspectives on Leading and Teaching in Rural Schools

Abstract

This paper reports on an ongoing research that examines the role of school principals in rural schools in Canada. Due to contextual constraints many rural principals spend a percentage of their time teaching. Our study indicates: 1) principals engaged in dual roles of administration and teaching have a higher sense of efficacy than non-teaching principals; 2) many rural, remote, and northern principals (particularly women principals) pay a heavy price in their personal and family lives because of the heavy demands of their jobs; 3) principals in this study identified the difficulties they faced with respect to balancing administrative, teaching, and personal responsibilities; and 4) principals who maintain a teaching role believe that their teaching roles improve their leadership capabilities.

Authors

• Paul Newton, University of Saskatchewan

• Dawn C. Wallin, University of Manitoba

• Mickey Eyrle Jutras, University of Saskatchewan

• Jordan Adilman, University of Saskatchewan