The main task of the principal in this scenario is to hear and understand the interests of all stakeholders and increase student performance. For this purpose, the principal should use communication as the primary tool for finding and making rational decisions. Consequently, the steps that will support the math program are identifying the causes of dissatisfaction and concerns, introducing consultations for parents and children, as well as strengthening communication between teachers and parents.
The first task of the principal is to understand the causes of concerns of teachers and a decrease in students’ performance. For this reason, she needs to involve teachers in the decision-making process and allow them to identify students’ problems and measures to solve them by their methods. However, the principal must check and confirm all solutions to avoid contradictions in approaches. This method refers to Likert’s the third system of management style as it implies extensive opportunities for the participation and independence of teachers, but leaves the main power for a principal (Owens and Thomas, p. 8). For the next step, it is necessary to introduce additional classes and consultations in math for parents and students based on the interests of all participants. Classes can differ in format for the convenience of teachers but should be aimed at one goal, that is strengthening the interaction between children and parents and elimination of parent’s knowledge gaps. This step will help to reduce the misunderstanding and concerns of parents, and also allow them to study with their children at home.
The third step is to strengthen communication between parents and teachers outside the school to provide ongoing support. For example, such a solution could be a short explanation of each new topic of the lesson by e-mail, which will help parents understand the essence of the tasks quickly and help their children with homework. Thus, in this way, the interests of such key stakeholders as teachers, parents, and children will be satisfied, and student performance will increase.
These steps have the features of two strategies for change, precisely normative-reeducative and power-coercive. Normative-reeducative traits are manifested in the fact that a plan or form of consultation is developed based on the knowledge, skills, and preferences of teachers but taking into account the interests of children and parents. Therefore, this approach is built on an interaction-influence system, in which teachers bring their initiatives and collaborate for good of organization (Owens and Thomas, p. 229). Besides, the involvement of parents in the process of changes shifts a closed climate to a more open climate (Owens and Thomas, p. 229 ). A feature of a power-coercive strategy is the fact that consultations and innovations to enhance communication are mandatory for teachers, even if they are unwilling to do extra work beyond their immediate responsibilities. Therefore, the lack of a choice between participation or non-participation in the implementation of the innovation demonstrates a power-coercive strategy (Owens and Thomas). However, combining these approaches to making and implementing decisions contributes to the most effective outcomes of change.
In conclusion, successful communication between the principal, teachers, parents, and children is the basis for a program support plan. This communication is displayed in three steps, such as finding out the cause of the concerns, introducing additional classes and counseling, and strengthening the interaction of parents and teachers outside the school. Such steps will help to eliminate the misunderstanding and worries of parents due to lack of information and allow teachers to convey information to children and adults. Thus, the new math program will receive support in schools.
Work Cited
Owens, Robert G., and Thomas C. Valesky. Organizational Behavior in Education: Leadership and School Reform. 11th ed., Prentice Hall, 2015.