A LEADERSHIP MODEL TO IMPROVE HIGHER SECONDARY MATHEMATICS TEACHERS TEACHING STRATEGIES AT DINDIGUL DISTRICT SOUTH INDIA

Assumption University[1] Velankanni Alex (vlknn306@gmail.com)

[2] Asst. Prof. Dr. Yan Ye (norayeyan723@hotmail.com)

Abstract:

The study investigated higher secondary mathematics teachers’ leadership styles to improve their teaching strategies at Dindigul district of South India. It is a common problem of knowing the strategies on how to explain the mathematical concepts to others well and clearly even though they have enough knowledge of mathematics. The researcher found that the problems of the teacher’s leadership styles towards their teaching strategies. The mixed-method research design and seven objectives were used in this study. The qualitative analysis was used for the first two objectives and the quantitative analysis was used for the other three objectives. The sixth objective was the leadership model and it was developed from all the five objectives. The seventh objective was tested for the result. From the first objective and the second objective researcher found that the transformational and transactional leadership styles, and three teaching strategies were used by the secondary mathematics teachers. The survey results of the third objective showed the overall Mean in a “Very good” category (M=3.89). The survey results of the fourth objective showed the overall Mean in a “Very good” category (M=3.89). The survey results of the fifth objective was the coefficient of multiple linear regression was R2 =0.836. This means that approximately 83.60 percent of the variation in the leadership style was explained by the factors impacting the teaching strategies. The survey results of the seventh objective showed that before training and after training programs of leadership style result that repeated-measures t-test found this difference to be significant since, t (149) = -58.001, p = .000 < .05 level of significance. This result supported that there was a significant difference between the means of Pre-Test and Post-Test. The new leadership model will help the higher secondary mathematics teachers, administrator, and principals at Dindigul District South India. The researcher recommended the higher secondary school mathematics teachers to adopt the new leadership model for their teaching strategies.

Keywords: Higher Secondary, Mathematics Teachers, Teaching Strategies, and Leadership Model.

Introduction:

The word education is important to everybody. Teaching professional gives more enthusiasm in our life. In the school settings, the principals and the teachers are capable of molding the students‟ future, and significantly, the school culture and qualities. They are the ones seen as leader fronting these associations. The characteristic interest of Teacher Leaders makes them long lasting students who are available to new encounters and difficulties. Juggling numerous significant expert and individual jobs, they successfully organize their work to keep up a feeling of equalization. Effective Teacher Leaders offer and keep on building up, a lot of miens and mentalities. They are enthusiastic daring individuals whose honesty, high adequacy, and substance learning give them believability with their partners. Their craving to work with grown-ups is grounded in their conviction that frameworks level change will emphatically affect student

learning. All together for Teacher Leaders to prosper, certain qualities and conditions must be available.

Objectives:

1.To explore desirable leadership style to improve higher secondary mathematics teachers teaching strategies in higher education.

2.To determine the optimal teaching strategies of higher secondary mathematics teachers at Dindigul district South India.

3.To determine the current leadership styles of higher secondary mathematics teachers applied in the classroom at Dindigul district South India.

4.To determine the current teacher teaching strategies at higher secondary mathematics teachers applied in the classroom at Dindigul district South India.

5.To determine the impact of leadership style on teachers teaching strategies of higher secondary mathematics teachers at Dindigul District South India.

6.To develop a leadership model to improve higher secondary mathematics teachers teaching strategies of at Dindigul District South India.

7.To compare the teachers teaching strategies before and after they attend the leadership style training program at Dindigul District South India.

Literature Review:

The Dindigul district was found in 1951. According to the populations it contains many villages, town and ward of the district. After a couple of years in 1961 the administrative statistics gradually increased (Kannan & Sivapragasam, 2016).

Higher secondary means grade eleven and grade twelve. This study prepares for the students graduate studies. It helps to find their own interest towards in a particular subject. These investigations support the conflict that the primary result of instructional authority is the "expanded limit of an association to persistently make strides". It is thus that I consider the methodology a vital yet not adequate condition for school enhancement, for the basic reason that it comes up short on a particular introduction towards student learning (Raza & Sikandar, 2018).

Leadership Styles

Autocratic leadership style opined Masood, Bilal and Baig (2013) are known for individual authority overall choices and little contribution from staff. Regularly totalitarian administrations settle on decisions dependent on their own thoughts and decisions and seldom acknowledge counsel from supporters (Luthans & Stewart, 1977). Leadership is a capacity to motivate trust and backing from the individuals who are expected to accomplish the authoritative objective (M.Fullan, 2012).

The task-oriented leadership style covers a few highlights of undertaking the executives. Assignment the executives, requires coordination of employment-related exercises, offering significance to authoritative exercises, directing item quality and planning money related reports. Transformational leaders are rousing since they anticipate the best from everybody in their group

just as themselves (Zapata Ros, 2006). Coaching is a rule continually created. There are various sorts of training extending from outside expert mentors and a few types of coaching utilized as an advancement device inside the association (Rimpola, 2011).

Visionary leadership characterized as one that "set up objectives and destinations for individual and gathering exercises. (Cetin, 2004). The different leadership styles in the situational leadership approach are characterized by their level of mandate and steady conduct.

Teacher Teaching strategy I

Teacher Teaching strategy I was adapted from Davies and Ellison (1997b, p.59) Creating, Utilizing the lesson, Cooperative learning, Nurturing math success. Thought initiative could really compare to ever in light of the fact that there was more than a strategy needs to learn and share than any time in recent memory. Leaders occupied with Strategy practices identified with one subject, Planning-Organizing-Aligning, which exhibited fundamental vision-centered and frameworks arranged reasoning. (Vidoni, Grassetti, & Vidoni, 2003).

Teacher Teaching Strategy II

Teacher Teaching strategy II was adapted from Pisapia (2009) warned that attributes, core processes and functions were important conditions before a leadership Strategy was adopted by a school leader and the teachers. When these three preconditions are possessed, school leader proceeds to take the five steps in making strategy with the organization through: awareness, articulation, affiliation, alignment, and accountability. (Pisapia, Reyes-guerra, & Coukos-semmel, 2015).

Teacher Teaching Strategy III

Teacher Teaching Strategy III was adapted from Johnson, W. S. and Angwin (2014) Attributes, Core Process, Functions. The method of procedure advancement starts when a leader endeavors to change the thinking about people. According to Sophocles "what you can't maintain, don't course" For incredible execution designer needs to introduce the need for progress. At the point when the lifestyle has developed the whole strategy of procedure definition and execution would be straightforward (Roony, 2014).

Conceptual Framework:

This study attempts to explore the leadership styles for improving teacher teaching strategies, this study is based on the theory of transformational leadership style proposed by Hersy & Blanchard (2008), and transactional leadership style proposed by House and Michell (1974), and teacher teaching strategies proposed by Davies and Ellison (1997), Pisapia (2009) and Johnson, Whittington, Scholes and Angwin (2014). As shown in the conceptual framework, there are 3 phases through this study. The researcher has used exploratory mixed method research design by collecting substantial qualitative data from sources: books, journals, and online sources. Then, quantitative research data collected from using the validated questionnaires based on the result of the qualitative data.

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of This Study

Method/Procedure:

To achieves the objectives of the study, the researcher has used mixed methods to get the breadth and depth of conducting this study. A qualitative method requires the researcher to collect the data through documents and analyze the content carefully to answer the identified research questions (Randolph, 2009), while a quantitative method of research requires the researcher to collect, analyze, interpret and write the result of the study (Creswell.J.W, 2013). The questionnaires were answered by the higher secondary school mathematics teachers and the interview was conducted by 8 principals or headmasters or headmistresses from 8 cities.

This study has used the systematic literature review, interview, questionnaires, and model development as the research instruments. For the data analysis, the researcher has used the

methods of systematic review, and has applied advanced statistical approaches. These research methodologies were explained one by one as the following.

Systematic Literature Review

The researcher has used the systematic literature review and interview to find the objectives 1 and 2 and it has taken three parts, plan review, conduct review and reporting review (Baumeister, 2014).

Questionnaire

In the qualitative study, the investigator has described a trend to identify the research problem. Quantitative design of study collected data from a large number of people through the instrument of a questionnaire, analyzed the data by using statistical analysis, interpreted the findings by comparing groups, or related variables. “A questionnaire was a form used in a survey design that participants in a study complete and return to the researcher” (Creswell.J.W, 2013).

Model Development

A model was a representation of structure in a physical system and its properties. Mostly a model was the structure of an innovative system representing the change in the practice to achieve the desired results. The created changes mostly were the inputs and processes, and the expected results were better products, outputs, and outcomes. Model development was a development of creative change for desirable results, that was, the specifications of cause and effect relationship among input, process, and product variables.

Advanced Statistical Approach

The advanced statistic was one of the important parts of data analysis, for analyzing the data, advanced statistic statistical approaches are necessary. The researcher has used the Regression and t-test as the method to analyze quantitative data in this study. Not only Regression was applied to determine the value of a dependent variable based on the value of several independent variables but also it was used to learn more about the impact on independent and dependent variables.

Findings/Results:

Research Objective One to find out the leadership style for the higher secondary mathematics teachers, systematic literature review was employed. Approximately, 60 percent out of the 140 books and articles were read. The results of the systematic review literature revealed two leadership styles practices in higher secondary mathematics teachers at Dindigul district South India. 1.Transformational leadership style and sub variables are Telling, Delegating and 2. Transactional leadership style and sub variables are Directive, Remove Obstacles, and Achievement Oriented. The results of the systematic review literature regarding leadership styles were consistent to the overall framework theory.

Table 1Summary of the Key words of Leadership Styles

Keywords Books and Articles

in PercentLeadership Styles 9+24=33Teaching Leadership styles 9+23=32Mathematics Teachers Teaching Leadership styles 9+17=26Higher Secondary Mathematics Teachers Teaching Leadership styles 8+18=26India Hr.Sec.Mathematics Teachers Teaching Leadership Styles 5+18=23

Total books and articles 140

Research Objective two to find out the teaching strategy for the higher secondary mathematics teachers, systematic literature review was employed. Approximately, 60 percent out of the 160 books and articles were read. The results of the systematic review literature revealed three teaching strategy practices in higher secondary mathematics teachers at Dindigul district South India. 1. Teaching Strategy I and the sub variables are creating, utilizing lessons. Cooperative learning, Nurturing math success. Teaching Strategy II and the sub variables are Attributes, Core Process, Function. Teaching Strategy III and the sub variables are Organizing, Practice, Changing, Process, Evaluating. The results of the systematic review literature regarding teaching strategy were consistent to the overall framework theory.

Table 2 Summary of the Key Words of Teaching Strategies

Keywords Books and Articles in PercentStrategy 15+47=62Teaching Strategy 12+37=49Teachers Teaching Strategy 8+27=35Mathematics Teachers Teaching Strategy 5+23=28Higher Secondary Mathematics Teaching Strategy 5+17=22Indian Hr.Sec.Maths Teachers Teaching Strategy 5+9=14

Total books and articles 210

Research Objective three to find out the current leadership style for the higher secondary mathematics teachers at Dindigul District South India. The survey results show the overall Mean in a “Very good” category (M=3.89). The highest Mean shows at dimension Selling (M=3.99) for putting their ideas and innovative style in higher level in the education. The lowest Mean shows at dimension of Achievement Oriented (M=3.78) for reaching their goal in the field of education sector.

Table 3

Descriptive Statistics

N Mean Std. Deviation

T 150 3.94 1.11592

S 150 3.99 1.13972

P 150 3.98 1.14121

Valid N

(list wise)

150

Research Objective four to find out the current teaching strategy for the higher secondary mathematics teachers at Dindigul District South India. The survey results show the overall Mean in a “Very good” category (M=3.89). The highest Mean shows at dimension process (M=3.98) for a thoroughly fulfilling life as an individual and an individual from the network. The lowest Mean shows at dimension of practice (M=3.76) indicating the create methods and create practices.

Table 4

Descriptive Statistics

N Mean Std. Deviation

S-I 150 3.98 1.11692

S-II 150 3.97 1.13472

S-III 150 3.76 1.14721

Valid N

(list wise)

150

Research Objective five to find the impact factors. The coefficient of multiple linear regression was R2 =0.836. This means that approximately 83.60 percent of the variation in the leadership style was explained by the factors impacting the teaching strategies. The regression equation appeared to be useful in making the prediction since the value of R2 was moving closer to 1. Transactional leadership style dimension of Achievement Oriented is 0.770 which is the strong positive relationship with teaching strategy. Transactional leadership style dimension of Remove Obstacles is 0.511 which is the strong positive relationship with teaching strategy. Transformational leadership style dimension of Telling is 0.499 which is the moderate positive relationship with teaching strategy. Transactional leadership style dimension of Directive is .475

which is moderate positive relationship with teaching strategy. Transformational leadership style dimension of Delegating is 0.196 which is week positive relationship with teaching strategy. Transactional leadership style dimension of Supporting is 0.097 which is week positive relationship with teaching strategy. Transformational leadership style dimension of Practicing is 0.041 which is week positive relationship with teaching strategy. Transformational leadership style dimension of Selling is -.150 which is week negative relationship with teaching strategy.

Table 5 Coefficients (Factoring Impacting Teaching Strategy)

Model

Unstandardized

Coefficients

Standardized

Coefficientst Sig.

95% Confidence

Interval for B

Collinearity

Statistics

B Std.Error Beta Lower Boun

d

Upper Bound

Tolerance

VIF

(Constant)

T

S

P

DE

SU

D

RO

AO

-.452

.445

-.056

.141

.003

-.068

.149

.081

.437

.169

.050

.065

.087

.119

.081

.047

.039

.039

.461

-.060

.118

-.002

-.078

.170

.129

.588

-2.673

8.950

-.865

1.612

-.024

-.845

3.180

2.050

11.157

.008

.000

.389

.109

.034

.399

.002

.042

.000

-.786

.347

-.185

-.032

.238

-.228

.057

.003

.359

-.118

.543

.072

.314

.413

.091

.242

.158

.514

.440

.246

.220

.112

.137

.409

.294

.419

2.275

4.062

4.556

8.941

7.298

2.443

3.401

2.385

Dependent Variable : Teaching Strategy

Research Objective six was to develop a leadership model to improve higher secondary mathematics teachers teaching strategy which could be applicable for the Dindigul District South India. The model was developed based on the results of research objectives and the possible desirable elements from the related theories.

Figure 1. The Leadership Model to improve Teaching Strategy for the higher Secondary School Mathematics Teachers at Dindigul District South India.

Research Objective seven to compare before training and after training program of leadership style result that repeated-measures t-test found this difference to be significant since, t (149) = -58.001, p = .000 < .05 level of significance. This is supporting that there is a significant difference between the means of Pre-Test and Post-Test. Before training and after training leadership style conveys that repeated-measures t-test found this difference to be significant since, t(149) = -39.232, p = .000 < .05 level of significance. This is supporting that there is a significant difference between the means of Pre-Test and Post-Test.

Table 6 Paired Sample (Pre-Test and Post-Test)

M N S.D Std.Error

Pair 1 Pre-Test

Post-Test

2.6607

3.9024

150

150

.22538

.12338

.01840

.01007

Discussion:

There are a few manners by which an educator may address students' mathematical thinking in a helpful learning classroom. In their examination, Ding (2007) recognized three classes of instructor mediations: a) educators' direction focusing on the learning objective and understudies' subjective deterrents, b) advancing understudy thinking, and c) empowering significant level friend conversation.

The principal educator really provided some mathematical insights, albeit restricted through the setting of an appraisal. It required some investment for the other two to "oppose their common tendency to tell student data, make the errand more straightforward, or step in and do some portion of the assignment". The third instructor, disregarding constructive outcomes, continued demanding that the setting ought to appear as something else: that is, student dealing with a similar errand simultaneously. A difference in the setting is one method for defending the difference in the job for their student. A difference in the job during the typical exercises appears to be basic yet suggests an increasingly extreme change in the didactical agreement they have with their students.

After finalizing leadership model to improve higher secondary mathematics teacher teaching strategies with the experts, the model was tested at Dindigul district South India. The results of the testing computed by SPSS, particularly using Paired Samples t-Test conveyed that there was a significant difference between the means of the pre-test and that of post-test as the p-value (p=.000 <.05) was smaller than .05 level of significance. The results explained that the model was applicable in the selected higher secondary mathematics teachers teaching strategies and would be adapted gradually and progressively at Dindigul District South India.

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