Participative Leadership Style of School Heads: Implications for an Effective Academic Mentorship Program
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69569/jip.2025.033Keywords:
Leadership, Participative leadership, School heads, Mentorship program, AcademicAbstract
This study explores how school heads in the Schools Division of Bulacan apply participative leadership in their daily work and how it influences decision-making and school improvement. While leadership is crucial to educational success, there is limited research on how participative leadership is practiced in this setting. There is also a lack of mentorship programs designed to support school heads in strengthening this leadership approach. This study aims to fill these gaps by examining the leadership practices of school heads and developing a mentorship program to enhance their effectiveness. A mixed- method, explanatory-sequential approach was used, combining surveys and interviews. The study included 81 secondary school heads for quantitative data and 15 informants for qualitative insights. Results showed that school heads consistently demonstrated participative leadership, with most practices rated to a "Very Great Extent." However, challenges such as resistance to change, lack of cooperation, and time constraints were identified. Other difficulties included personal issues, student disengagement, limited parental involvement, and weak community connections. Overcoming these obstacles requires strong community support, clear communication, and active stakeholder engagement. Best practices for participative leadership include involving stakeholders, being resilient, and maintaining effective communication. The study highlights improved collaboration, increased teacher engagement, and a better work environment. Key support strategies include teamwork, recognition, and training programs. Based on these findings, an academic mentorship program was designed to help school heads develop sustainable and effective leadership practices, ensuring long-term improvement in school leadership.
Downloads
References
Abraham, K. (2017). Governing through stakeholders: Systems thinking and the making of participatory global governance (Doctoral dissertation). Johns Hopkins University AL-Muslawi, I. A., & Hamid, A. A. (2020). External and internal factors affecting students' academic performance. Social Sciences, 1(1), 1–26.
https://doi.org/10.36478/sscience.2019.155.168
Amanchukwu, R. N., Stanley, G. J., & Ololube, N. P. (2015). A review of leadership theories, principles, and styles and their relevance to educational management. Management, 5(1), 6–14. https://doi.org/10.5923/j.mm.20150501.02
Ávalos-Bevan, B., & Flores, M. A. (2022). School-based teacher collaboration in Chile and Portugal. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 52(8), 1222 –1240. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2020.1854085
Bangayan-Manera, A. (2020). Writing without permission: A case study on Skinner’s analogy through vandalism. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 24(08), 571–578. https://doi.org/10.37200/IJPR/V24I8/PR280059
Brown, K. M. (2013). Trait theory. In B. J. Irby, G. Brown, R. Lara-Alecio, & S. Jackson (Eds.), The handbook of educational theories. IAP Information Age Publishing.
Cornito, C. M. (2021). Striking a balance between centralized and decentralized decision making: A school-based management practice for optimum performance. International Journal on Social and Education Sciences, 3(4), 656–669. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijonses.217
Dalkin, S., Forster, N., Hodgson, P., Lhussier, M., & Carr, S. M. (2020). Using computer assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS; NVivo) to assist in the complex process of realist theory generation, refinement and testing. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 24(1), 123–134. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2020.1803528
Daud, N., Norwani, N. M., & Yusof, R. (2018). Students’ financial problems in higher education institutions. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(10), 1558–1565. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v8-i10/5312
De Jong, D., Grundmeyer, T., & Yankey, J. (2017). Identifying and addressing themes of job dissatisfaction for secondary prin cipals. School Leadership & Management, 37(4), 354–371. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2017.1338253
Deng, Y., Cherian, J., Khan, N. N., Kumari, K., Sial, M., Comite, U., Gavurova, B., & Popp, J. (2022). Family and academic stress and their impact on students’ depression level and academic
performance. Public Mental Health, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.869337
Doney, P. (2013). Fostering resilience: A necessary skill for teacher retention. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 24, 645–656. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-012-9324-x
Fatimah, R. A., Sugiarto, W., Mailandari, O., Tajudin, M. A. N., & Husna, D. (2023). Cooperation between schools and parents in the learning of visually impaired children. Journal Corner of Education, Linguistics, and Literature, 2(3), 200–206. https://doi.org/10.54012/jcell.v2i3.109
Garcia, N., & Acosta, A. (2017). From leadership attribution to leadership contribution: Diversified leadership skills and abilities of Philippine Schools Overseas (PSO) administrators.
International Journal of Educational Policy Research and Review, 4(7), 169-179 . https://doi.org/10.15739/IJEPRR.17.018
Gaspar, M. R., Gabriel, J. P., & Manuel, M. B. (2022). Transparency and accountability of managing school financial resources . Journal of Public Administration and Governance, Macrolink Institute, 12(2), 102115. https://ideas.repec.org/a/mth/jpag88/v12y2022i2p102115.html
Gokalp, S., Akbasli, S., & Dis, O. (2021). Communication barriers in the context of school-parent cooperation. European Journal of Educational Management, 4(1), 83–96. https://doi.org/10.12973/eujem.4.2.83
Goods, K. M. (2014). Culturally responsive leadership: A case study to explore stakeholders’ perceptions of culturally responsive leadership in a K-12 public charter school in North Carolina (Doctoral dissertation). North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Greene-Clemons, C., & Flood, C. T. (2013). Seven tips to effectively engage parents. Principal, 92(3), 46–47.
Gunawan, V. H. (2016). Parents’ attitudes toward bilingual education program (Master’s thesis). Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana
Hashmi, A., & Akhter, M. (2013). Assessing parental involvement in the schooling of children in public/private schools and its impact on academic achievement at the elementary level.
Journal of Educational Research, 16(1), 27–38. https://tinyurl.com/3xukhrj5
Huang, L., Joshi, P., Wakslak, C., & Wu, A. (2021). Sizing up entrepreneurial potential: Gender differences in communication and investor perceptions of long-term growth and scalability.
Academy of Management Journal, 64(3). https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2018.1417
Ibrahim, A., Al-Kaabi, A., & El-Zaatari, W. (2013). Teacher resistance to educational change in the United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 2(3), 25–36. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2013.254
Jain, R., & Kaur, S. (2014). Impact of work environment on job satisfaction. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 4(1), 1–8. https://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper- 0114/ijsrp-p2599.pdf
Jing, Z., Jianshi, G., Jinlian, L., & Yao, T. (2017). A case study of the promoting strategies for innovation contests within a company. Scientific Research Management, 38, 57–65. https://doi.org/10.19571/j.cnki.1000-2995.2017.11.007
Jones, G. R. (2013). Contemporary management. McGraw-Hill Press.
Julal, F. S. (2013). Use of student support services among university students: Associations with problem-focused coping, experience of personal difficulty and psychological distress. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 41(4), 414–425. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2012.741680
Khan, Y., Lodhi, S., Bhatti, S., & Ali, W. (2019). Does absenteeism affect academic performance among undergraduate medical students? Evidence from Rashid Latif Medical College (RLMC). Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 10, 999–1008. https://doi.org/10.2147/AMEP.S222059
Khassawneh, O., & Elrehail, H. (2022). The effect of participative leadership style on employees’ performance: The contingent role of institutional theory. Administrative Sciences, 12(4),
195. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci12040195
King, D. L. (2015). Why use social media? Library Technology Reports, 51(1), 6–9. https://doi.org/10.5860/ltr.51n1
Llego, M. A. (2022). Why schools should encourage parental involvement in education. Retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/2mj3nfcc
Locklear, J. D. (2019). Using social media to improve communication with stakeholders in a local school district (Doctoral dissertation). East Carolina University Lunenburg, F. (2010). The decision-making process. National Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journal, 27(4). https://tinyurl.com/yeaw56e8
Mailool, J. Kartowagiran, B. Retnowati, T., Wening, S., & Putranta, H. (2020). The effects of principal’s decision-making, organizational commitment and school climate on teacher performance in vocational high school based on teacher perceptions. European Journal of Educational Research, 9(4), 1675–1687. https://doi.org/10.12973/eu-jer.9.4.1675
Masaku, F. A., Muola, J. M., & Kimiti, R. P. (2018). Determinants of delegation of duties and responsibilities in the administration of secondary schools in Mbeere South Sub-County, Embu County, Kenya. Journal of Education, 2(1), 1–28. https://oaji.net/articles/2017/1201-1539426375.pdf
Mayo, A. T., & Woolley, A. W. (2016). Teamwork in health care: Maximizing collective intelligence via inclusion. AMA Journal of Ethics, 18(9), 933–940. https://doi.org/10.5860/ltr.51n1 Meyer, A., Beck, V., Gronostaj, A., Krüger, S., & Richter, D. (2023). How can principal leadership practices promote teacher collaboration and organizational change? Journal of Educational
Change, 24, 425–455. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-022-09451-9
Morenike, O. V. (2019). The practice of school-based management in Ondo State public secondary schools: Implication of school location. American International Journal of Social Science Research, 4(2), 88–93. https://doi.org/10.46281/aijssr.v4i2.352
Oundo, E. N., Poipoi, M. W., & Were, D. S. (2014). Relationship between parents’ attitude towards educational involvement and academic performance of day secondary school students in Samia – Kenya. International Journal of Human Resource Studies, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.5296/ijhrs.v4i3.5964
Papadatou-Pastou, M., Goozee, R., Payne, E., Barrable, A., & Tzotzoli, P. (2017). A review of web-based support systems for students in higher education. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 11(1), 59. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-017-0165-z
Puni, A., Mohammed, I., & Asamoah, E. (2018). Transformational leadership and job satisfaction: The moderating effect of contingent reward. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 39(4), 522–537. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-11-2017-0358
Prieto, J. C., Huang, F., Migueláñez, S., Peñalvo, F., & Teo, T. (2019). Exploring the unknown: The effect of resistance to change and attachment on mobile adoption among secondary pre- service teachers. British Journal of Educational Technology, 50(5), 2433–2449. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12822
Qaralleh, T. J. (2021). The role of school leaders in promoting community partnership (Thesis). Department of Educational Sciences, College of Education in Al-Delam, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University.
Quick, J. C., & Nelson, D. L. (2013). Principles of organizational behavior: Realities & challenges. Cengage Press.
Wang, Q., Hou, H., & Li, Z. (2022). Participative leadership: A literature review and prospects for future research. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.924357
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
