Transforming educational leadership through mediation: Uniting teachers and parents

The quality of leadership in educational institutions is critical for creating effective schools and enhancing student achievement. This study examined leadership in decision-making and the role of principals as mediators between teachers and parents. A quantitative research method was employed, utilizing systematic sampling to gather data from primary schools in Western Macedonia. The sample consisted of 222 teachers, aged 20 to over 50, including permanent and substitute teachers, principals, deputy principals, and non-executive teachers. This diverse representation allowed for a comprehensive analysis of perspectives from various roles within the school system. The survey instrument was a specially designed questionnaire based on previous studies with similar themes. Data entry, processing and analysis were carried out using the statistical program IBM statistics SPSS version 21. Two key characteristics emerged as essential for principals to be effective mediators: involving both parents and teachers in problem-solving and being proactive in mending relationships. Factor analysis identified important traits for effective mediation, including collaboration, organization, body language, practical skills, strong character, ethics, and proper training. Principals who acted as mediators reported their interventions were generally well-received and effective while deputy principals and teachers, viewing the process from the recipient’s perspective, felt that the principal's interventions did not always achieve the desired results. The practical implication of this study is that for principals to be effective mediators in educational settings, they must actively engage both teachers and parents in decision-making processes and develop key mediation skills such as collaboration, organization and ethical leadership.