Alexander Schneider’s Updates

Emotional literacy – A crucial element in school principalship

.

The study attempts to examine the influence of emotional literacy (interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence, Gardner, 1983) as a component of school principalship, as perceived by the school principal, in order to complete the currently used Campbell's traditional model based on three pillars: leadership, administration and pedagogy (Campbell, 1999) for principal training.

In proposing an updated model of school principalship characteristics, the research attempts to improve principal's performance and principal training program as part of an ongoing effort.

Fifty seven principals took part in a survey. Then a group interview of ten principals and two individual interviews were conducted.

In characterizing the Ideal School principal inter and intra personal intelligence was marked as the key element for successful principalship.

Research questions tried to verify the existence of personal intelligences – "emotional literacy" as perceived by school principals, identifying and mapping its prerequisites, and demonstrating ways principals make use of this element in a school's daily life. The research also evaluated the importance attributed by the school principals to the other three elements: leadership, management and pedagogy.

This study is another ingredient in the examination of the personal intelligences – "emotional literacy" nature among senior and experienced school principals, with the assumption that given their knowledge and expertise they will be able to identify that element, and characterize and measure its weight in school principalship

Confirmation of the existence of personal intelligences "emotional literacy" to can offer an updated model of school principalship, a model that could serve as a basis for developing and updating school principals training programs to prepare them properly for their mission