Administrative Needs and Instructional Leadership in Maternity Schools within Primary Education

Abstract

In this study, the aim is to examine the administrative needs of preschool teachers working in kindergarten classes within primary education institutions and the problems related to instructional leadership. As a method, employing a qualitative research, specifically adopting the fundamental qualitative research design, the study encompasses a cohort of 24 preschool teachers engaged in kindergarten classes situated within primary schools in Usak province. Data procurement involves the utilization of a semi-structured interview technique, with the interviewed educators being selected via the criterion sampling method, a subset of purposive sampling. A literature review was conducted to form an open-ended question pool, and expert opinions were sought to ensure the content validity of the study. The findings indicate that teachers in kindergarten classes within primary education institutions experience administrative issues related to power distance and the instructional process, primarily stemming from differences with school administrators and subject matter. Notably, teachers frequently find themselves excluded from expectations concerning the conceptual and technical competencies anticipated of school principals. Additionally, it was noted that school administrators lack sufficient knowledge of legislation related to preschool education institutions and the preschool education program. Generally, there were no significant issues with human-related expectations. It has been observed that teachers were found to generally meet their needs within the scope of instructional leadership; however, they encountered difficulties in receiving support specific to their fields.