Curriculum Instructional Role of the Principal

Although there is considerable agreement in the literature on the need for the principal to be a leader in the areas of curriculum and instruction, there is considerable disagreement on what specific roles and behaviors should be exhibited and how much time should be devoted to these twin areas of leadership. Unfortunately, many other aspects of the job do interfere with curriculum and teaching on a daily basis. School wide supervision, discipline, meetings, paperwork, etc are ever present.  However, when principals are surveyed, they do consider curriculum and instruction aspects of the job as one of the top priority work areas and that they need to spend more time on the job related to these two technical areas of development (Lynn & Murphy, 1997).

Joseph Murphy has developed six curriculum and instructional roles for the principal. 

1. Prompting quality instruction. Ensuring consistency and coordination of instructional programs and defining recommended methods of instruction.

2. Supervising and evaluating instruction. Ensuring that school goals are translated into practice at the classroom level and monitoring classroom instruction through numerous classroom observations and evaluations. 

3. Allocating and protecting instructional time. Providing teachers with uninterrupted blocks of instructional time and ensuring that basic skills and academic subjects are taught is extremely vital.

4. Coordinating the curriculum. Translating curriculum knowledge into meaningful curriculum programs, matching instructional objectives with curriculum materials and standardized tests and ensuring curriculum continuity vertically and across grade levels.

5. Prompting content coverage. Ensuring that content of specific corses is covered in class and extended outside of class by developing and homework and project policies.

6. Monitoring student progress. Using both criteria and standardized reference tests to diagnose student problems and evaluate their progress as well as using test results to set or modify school goals (Potter, Bulach, Fiore, & Hulsey, 2000) and (Bulach, Lunenburg & Potter,  2016).

Based on a review of the research, according to Murphy, the six major dimensions or roles exemplify an effective principal; moreover, his research supports the assumption that the distinguishing reason for effective schools is a principal who exhibits strong curriculum and instructional leadership.

As practicing educational leaders you surely know the importance of curriculum and instruction. It should be your top priority. Teachers and parents expect this. To do what is necessary for instruction, you must carve out time during your school day to observe, evaluate and meet with teachers concerning their instruction. This is a must! One of my constant challenges were drop in parents who just wanted a minute of my time. We all know that those few minutes grew to many minutes. You must have a firm commitment to instruction. Set up time for classroom observation and teache meetings and for parent meetings. I don’t believe your medical doctor allows you to just “drop” in their office and neither should you. Either your secretary or you should set up your daily routine and calendar and stick to it. I have been in a classroom observation and have been notified that the area superintendent was on the phone. My policy was for the secretary to take a message and I would return the call when I could. Remember your priority is instruction. 

You owe the students the very best instruction possible!

Written by Les Potter, Ed.D.

Les Potter is a retired US educator with 35 years in the US in K-12 (28 in school administration), as well as 10 years in higher education. Most recently Les has 8+ years in school administration in international education. Currently Les is working as an consultant and lives in Cairo Egypt.