Teachers’ Perceptions of school heads’ Instructional leadership behaviours at two primary schools in Lower Gweru district of Zimbabwe

Educational leadership literature has identified generalised instructional leadership roles of school leaders particularly in the context of the Western world. Using a multiple case study design, targeting ten senior teachers at two primary schools as participants, the study aimed at exploring teachers’ perceptions of school heads’ instructional leadership behaviours that supported or hindered effective teaching and learning. The two primary schools are situated in Lower Gweru District in Zimbabwe. The ten senior teachers from each school were purposefully sampled to participate in the study. Data for the study was generated using three research instruments namely group interviews, semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The data was analysed using the thematic approach. What came out of the study was that there are certain instructional leadership behaviours which were perceived by teachers as facilitating teaching like generating an attractive and inspiring vision of academic excellence, modelling best instructional leadership behaviours, creating a school atmosphere conducive for teaching and learning, individual consideration behaviours focusing on teachers’ professional and social needs and incentivising teachers. However some Instructional leadership behaviours by school heads were labelled as retrogressive to effective teaching and learning and these include lack of personal commitment to leadership by the school head (being a visiting head), an atmosphere of insecurity and inconsistencies, being disrespectful to teachers, not knowing curriculum content and managerialism. It was recommended that school heads should spend the greatest part of their time at their work station or better reside at their work stations to afford themselves enough time to monitor instructional processes at their schools. Workshops on instructional leadership must be held often to familiarise school heads of their new leadership roles.