School Heads’ Practices Defined

Abstract

This study is part of a project investigating school heads’ practices and factors influencing them. The dearth of empirical research on school heads’ practices, their perceived stressfulness and how enjoyable practices performed are necessitated this study. School heads’ practices were examined using a convenient sample of senior high school heads and assistants in Ghana with appropriate statistical tools (exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and multinomial logistics regression). The findings revealed 22 activities that defined school heads’ practices. Regarding those activities, ‘organising information sessions with parents’ and ‘cooperating with organisations’ were least performed while activities related to counselling and administration, which were perceived as stressful, were performed equally. In total, practices perceived as stressful and enjoyable were performed more, while practices enjoyed significantly influenced the performance of practices in general. In practice, the knowledge of stressful and enjoyable practices guarantees the initiation of a suitable coping strategy than being ignorant, thereby improving school leadership and the health of school heads.