The Role of Transformational Leadership
Style in Secondary Level Teaching.
A Case Study of Secondary Schools in Oman

ABSTRACT

Teachers of the 21st century are qualified, motivated, facilitators of learning who play a key role in the education of children in their respective countries. Their mission is not only to impart education but also to nourish higher-order thinking skills, effective collaboration, communication, counseling, critical thinking skills, etc. Since teachers play such a major role in the learning outcome of the students, they need to perform their best. Their performance is directly linked to their motivation which on one side affects their attitude at work and on the other side impact’s student’s motivation to study (Hyseni Duraku and Hoxha, 2021).

Teachers’ motivation is influenced by various factors and one of the major determinants is a school leadership style which affects the teacher’s motivation to work, their mental exhaustion, burnout, etc. Some research findings have suggested that the leadership styles and practices followed by school leaders have a direct impact on the motivation of teachers. Leadership styles have evolved from religious, political, and military styles and later during the industrial revolution towards transactional and latest transformational leadership. Transformational Leadership has emerged today as the new leadership paradigm. This kind of leadership leans towards internal motivation and personal development rather than the traditional exchange process of transactional leadership and this doctrine is very much pertinent to school heads. It is a well-known fact that a school leader has a direct impact on the entire body of the school- teachers, students, parent committee, school committee, local community, and government (Bellibas and Liu, 2018).

Transformational leaders also improvise student relations. They consider the lived experiences of the students and find out means to better their experiences. “If we want our students to have the courage to speak up, then the adults around them need to demonstrate that we have trust in them. Lisa Brady, Superintendent, Dobbs Ferry Union Free School District, New York State (Fontein, 2022)

The educational sector in Oman has gone through major changes and is always in the process of keeping abreast with the educational reforms. Oman like other countries in the Gulf region employ expatriates from all over the world. Due to this, the demand for private schools with different curriculums are always increasing. In this study the focus is going to be on private schools and secondary education as leadership in secondary education is very crucial as its critical to be aware of the diverse needs of students which can be emotional, or career related.

Most countries nowadays are trying to modify their education system to the constantly changing society. The expectations of parents and students from educational institutions are changing. There are still many old thinking-run schools where the school leaders are selected as per their age and who are almost on their verge of retirement. The requirement of necessary leadership skills needs to be redefined in majority of the educational sectors. The ultimate role of school leaders or school administrators should not be to acquire a particular position through their qualifications and experience but to imbibe or learn leadership skills to carry out effective leadership in diverse environments.