Elementary teacher assessments of principal servant leadership, their experience with team learning and student academic achievement

This study compared teacher assessments of principal servant leadership and their experience with team learning in high, moderate, and low student academic achieving elementary schools. The participants were from fifteen moderate need elementary schools located in southern New York State counties. One hundred sixty two teachers responded to a 36 item survey instrument. The major finding of this study revealed a significant difference between teacher experiences in team learning in low and high student academic achieving elementary schools. Teachers in low performing schools engaged in team learning practices significantly more than teachers in high performing schools. A review of the literature revealed plausible reasons for the study findings. Results also revealed no significant differences between teachers' reporting of principal servant leadership in low, moderate, or high student academic achieving elementary schools. However, important discrepancies regarding principals' emotional healing behaviors between high and low performing schools were identified and discussed.