Faculty of Education - Theses

Permanent URI for this collection

http://hdl.handle.net/11343/162

Filters

1982 1
Reset filters

Settings
Statistics
Citations
Author: McArdle, Frederick William × Type: Masters Coursework thesis × Subject: Administration ×

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Item
    Thumbnail Image
    A descriptive portrayal of the role of the principal in a Catholic parish primary school during the period of development of a curriculum policy statement
    McArdle, Frederick William ( 1982)
    Arguments about the efficacy of school-based curriculum development, involving teachers in curricular decision-making, are conducted at many levels, while teachers in schools continue to confront the myriad daily problems which make up the normal classroom life. There is constant pressure on teachers to become more aware, more informed and more "professional", while still meeting the enormous demands of classroom teaching. In this educational climate, the role of the principal as administrator, as educator and as senior architect of the school curriculum becomes crucial. This is particularly true in the Catholic parish primary school, which is somewhat distanced from the centralised bureaucratic tradition of the state primary schools. In this case study of a single parish school, the process of producing a curriculum policy document has taken over two years. The task is seen to be difficult and affected by the need to write a rational, sequential explanation for a public audience which expects such a precise account, of an educational reality which is very personal, varied and unpredictable. The real curriculum in this school is founded on the personality, background, ideals and style of the principal, and the greatest benefits of the process seem related to the growth in educational awareness of teachers and in interaction between all staff members to the benefit of the whole school community. The school as a whole was observed, with special focus on the authority and influence of the principal, in an attempt to portray the management of the curriculum in a way which teachers can identify. Human resources rather than library references turned out to be the key. The study has produced a sense of achievement but not the opportunity to make clear judgements. Decision-making has been seen to proceed in a personal and problematic way. Generalisations are not possible, but doubts are raised about whether a written curriculum policy can reflect the full complex reality of a school's real rationale or practices.