A Study On The Resistance Of Primary And Middle School Principals In Educational Reform

This paper mainly investigates the self-resistance problems of primary and secondary school principals in educational reform, come to understand principals` true thoughts about reform and practical difficulties as the key role.The paper analyses and discusses the causes of these realistic problems in the view of resistance. At last this paper puts forward the suggestions and countermeasures to reduce or eliminate the resistance, the aim is to improve the principal’s leadership, to ensure the smooth progress of reform of education. This paper makes a research on the following aspects:The introduction part sums up the current situation of primary and secondary education reform, resistance of teachers and resistance of principals, the principal role in the reform adopting the method of literature research.The introduction part analyses on the curriculum reform process, reform resistance sources, the present situation of the education reform in our country, resistance from the principals themselves. Its purpose is to understand the progress and direction of the current research at home and abroad, providing the basis for this study. In addition, this part focuses on the educational management theory, social role and principal role theory, attitude change theory, and education management culture theory, and then defines the concept of the principal resistance in education reform: The psychological factors and behavior of some principals,who can’t really carry out the education reform, even hinder the reform and resist reform due to their own reasons.The first chapter surveys 9 primary and secondary school principals and 200 teachers by interview and questionnaire survey method. This chapter adopts the self-designed interview outline the Interview Outline of the Principals’ Resistance in Education Reform, and the self-designed questionnaire questionnaire A: Principal Resistance in the Reform:(principals questionnaire), the questionnaire B: Principal Resistance in the Reform:(teachers questionnaire) as a research tool. The results shows: even if education reform is in good condition, there is problems,such as inadequacy of investment in human and finance, the principal education idea needs to strengthen in the concrete implementation, the professional level of the principals needs to improve in teaching and learning, teachers` lack confidence about reform.These all indicate that the current reform comes into the bottleneck. So here reveals three aspects of the resistance:cognition, emotion, behavior of principals. The cognitive aspect: unclear of concept and the direction of the reform, the lack of foresight, rigid thinking, form the cognitive resistance.The emotional aspect:the principal is confused, helpless, at a loss what to do, worry, fear, do things carelessly, or rejects, boycotts, ”don’t do things”, they produce a strong emotional conflict. Behavioral aspect: due to the lack of personal accomplishment, professional knowledge,and leadership ability principals thus reduces the effectiveness of the implementation of the reform.In the second chapter, we analyze factors of principal resistance combining with the results of the interview and the questionnaire results. The results shows that the principal individual personality traits, psychological concerns, inertia psychology, organizational conflict of interest, balance of power, the restriction of environment and social culture,defects of these social organization, role conflicts.Three interaction of principal individual factors, organization factors and social factors leads to the fact that headmaster himself becomes a strong resistance in education reform.In the third chapter, we propose solutions and suggestions to the principal resistance, including the president’s own construction, the school organization and coordination, social policy support. First of all, the principal should establish a scientific concept of education reform. He needs to pay attention to every professional training, and do a good job of role transformation. Secondly, the principal should broaden the benefit demand channel in school leadership. He must establish outstanding leadership team, and make the harmonious interpersonal relationship. Finally, the education reform needs strong policy support and adequate resources security. Therefore we need to establish a successful pilot reform, we will provide examples and experience of success to the principal, which will be conducive to the smooth progress of reform.