Principal and teacher perceptions of principal leadership behaviors as it relates to teacher evaluative feedback and recognition

The attention of instructional leadership practices and their impact on teacher effectiveness continues to dominate the professional educational literature. Although much quantitative research has been conducted on instructional leadership styles and behaviors, few published studies have explicitly studied the principal and teacher perceptions of evaluative feedback and recognition. This study addresses the motivational needs of competent teachers and how evaluative feedback and recognition influence these motivations. The qualitative data were drawn from three elementary upstate schools in the state of South Carolina. A survey was given, observations in various settings were conducted, and principal and teacher interviews were conducted to further understand the attitudes and perceptions of principals and teachers. After analyzing the data, several themes emerged to further solidify the crucial nature of instructional leaders effectively utilizing evaluative feedback and recognition to motivate capable teachers.