TITLE:
Characteristics of “Exemplary Teachers” and Possible Factors Affecting Their Realization According to the Perception of Principals from the Arab Sector in Israel
AUTHORS:
Salman Ilaiyan, Rafi’ Safadi
KEYWORDS:
Exemplary Teachers, Principals, Schools’ Physical-Pedagogical Infrastructure, Educational Initiatives, Discipline Problems, Organizational Climate
JOURNAL NAME:
Creative Education,
Vol.7 No.1,
January
27,
2016
ABSTRACT: This study examines the characteristics of exemplary teachers and the factors that are liable to inhibit/encourage their realization according to the perception of principals from the Arab sector in Israel. Ten principals were interviewed. They considered leading educational initiatives, coping with discipline problems, subject matter mastery, and employing a variety of teaching methods to be the exemplary teacher’s outstanding characteristics. Characteristics associated with ongoing professional development and relationships with colleagues, pupils, and parents were deemed less prominent. The principals did not manifest a unified stance vis-à-vis whether their schools’ physical-pedagogical infrastructure encouraged or inhibited the realization of the characteristics of exemplary teaching. It was recommended that in parallel to broadening didactic and disciplinary knowledge, it would be worthwhile fostering the ability of the teachers, in particular pre-service teachers and beginning teachers, to lead educational initiatives and establish interpersonal relationships, and giving them tools for coping with discipline problems.