What is the Principal’s role in autonomy and curriculum flexibility? The teachers’ perception

Abstract

It would be incongruous if the school did not keep up with the pace of change in society, constituting Autonomy and Curricular Flexibility (ACF) as a window of opportunity for its innovation. Taking into account the teachers’ perception, this investigation aims to understand the Principal’s role in the implementation of the ACF, reflecting on the impact of transformational leadership in the management of the curriculum. The sample consisted of 172 teachers, who completed a three-part questionnaire, which included the Portuguese version of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ). Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results emphasize the involvement of principals in the implementation of the ACF, giving special emphasis to the promotion of inclusive education and the implementation of the school grammar that facilitates the process. Nevertheless, these top leaders leave to the background the involvement of teachers, students, and families, the constitution of educational teams, and the implementation of collaborative work. Markedly characterized by transformational and transactional behaviors, it was possible to conclude that the more directors perform transformational leadership, the greater is the management of the curriculum.