Teacher Resistance to Academic Supervision by Principal at the State Junior High School Level

Abstract

The principal’s supervision of teaching is essentially to assist and develop teachers’ professionalism in classroom instruction. Unfortunately, field evidence reveals teachers’ resistance to principals’ supervision. This study explores and analyzes the phenomenon of teacher resistance in the East Nusa Tenggara Province of Indonesia. The research employs a qualitative method with purposive sampling data collection techniques, involving twenty-one teachers from eight public junior high schools and two policymakers in the region. The findings indicated that teachers’ resistance to principals’ supervision of teaching increases as the principals do not meet the competency standards required to be school leaders, which include knowledge, interpersonal skills, technical skills, and personality traits. This finding is attributed to inadequacies in the principal selection and appointment mechanisms, which have not been properly implemented. The study recommends the enforcement of a selection and appointment mechanism for principals that begins with cadre formation at the school level and ongoing development by regional policymakers.