Publication Date

2002

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

MacFeely, Richard W.

Degree Name

Ed.D. (Doctor of Education)

Legacy Department

Department of Leadership in Educational and Sport Organizations

LCSH

Elementary school principals--Illinois; Education; Bilingual--Illinois; Elementary schools--Illinois

Abstract

This case study compared two performing bilingual schools in Illinois by exploring the effective schools correlates, community building, and the principal's support for the bilingual program. A questionnaire and document review were used to identify the extent to which the effective schools correlates were present in each of the schools. Interviews were held with staff members to examine the leader's role in building community, as described by Thomas Sergiovanni (1994), and to discover how each principal provided support for the bilingual program. While data collected from the document reviews and questionnaires showed the effective schools correlates were present to some extent in both schools, evidence suggested School A possessed the correlates to a greater extent than School B. Additionally, there was evidence to support that the following three correlates existed to a greater extent in both schools: Clear and Focused Mission, Opportunity to Learn/Time on Task, and Effective Instruction. Findings confirmed that although the environment at School A was primarily positive, warm, and friendly, there were issues related to bilingualism which created divisions among the staff. School A was described by this researcher as a potential emerging school community. Conversely, the environment in School B exhibited strong shared leadership, mutual support, and a “we” identity. School B represented an example of a near “perfect” community school. Emergent findings from interviews at School A revealed that the principal was an advocate of bilingual education and very supportive of the students in the program. Additional findings confirmed the principal's support for materials and activities as well as a thorough understanding of bilingual theory and research. Interviews at School B revealed the principal was generally supportive of the bilingual program; yet there was no evidence of dynamic advocacy. The strong sense of community found within School B appeared to diminish the potential for separation between people and programs. One pattern that was evident from interviews in School B was the principal's desire to expedite the process of learning English. The overall research and findings of this study showed a correlation between performing bilingual schools in Illinois and the previous research on effective bilingual schools.

Comments

Includes bibliographical references (pages [224]-230)

Extent

263 pages

Language

eng

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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