The Man in the Principal’s Office: An Ethnography, Book Review Example

Abstract

This paper is aimed to outline analysis of research conducted Harry F Wolcott and summarized in his book “The Main in the Principal’s Office.” Wolcott established a clear research question and developed a systematic research design of a grass-root case-study based on anthropological fieldwork. He chose a single subject Ed Bell. The criteria applied to the sample were more profession-related instead of traditional anthropological approach.  However, the criteria for the chosen sample were well-justified and corresponded to the purpose of this research. Data collection and analysis was systematic and detailed. The main resources included the author’s observations, tape-recorded interviews, and documents of school meetings, interpersonal notes, correspondence, students’ feedback and staff questionnaires. The findings of the author are trustworthy due to the logical and well-structured arguments. This research can be further repeated. It would also benefit from expansion and further comparative analysis with other ethno-cultural groups and contemporary trends in education. (Word count 151).

Key words: principal, research design, methodology, anthropology, education.

The Evaluation of H. Wolcott’s Research

In the field of academic exploration, the value of research largely depends on the research design and its correspondence to the research question and the purpose of the research. In this regard, it is not enough to give an answer, it is essential to give a well-grounded answer using valid and justified methods. The aim of this paper is to evaluate research design and rationale of the research summarized in Harry F. Wolcott’s book “The Main in the Principal’s Office.”

First of all, it should be outlined that the author is extremely attentive to explaining procedural and research design aspect of the research. The purpose of the research was clearly stated, followed by sub-questions. The purpose of the research was to describe and analyze human behavior in the social context, in this case, the conditionality of principal’s behavior. The research question was to explore how certain personal beliefs, considerations, actions and motivations were reflected in Ed Bell’s performance as a principal. The sub-questions included the exploration of factors that influenced day-to-day educational and academic performance of the subject of the study, and factors influencing subject’s performance in the annual cycle of the principalship.

In terms of research design, this is a grass-root case-study based on anthropological fieldwork conducted at the William Hoard Taft Elementary School, where Edward Bell, the subject, was a principal. In this regard, the primary method chosen was observation with the additional supportive methods of interviewing, documents analysis, and questionnaires. Regarding its appropriateness, the diversity of methods gives an opportunity to answer the research question in full. This combination of methods also contributes to cross-verification of data and achievement of objectivity.

The primary rationale for the research is to explore which factors influence decision-making of a principal and how they can contribute to his performance the field of education. Moreover, the study is beneficial for the improvement of the efficiency of principal’s performance in managerial, administrative and supervisory aspects of the job requirements. In this regard, the study was aimed at showing the most relevant skills and mindset for the successful execution of principal’s duties and potential ways of their development and improvement.

Regarding the sample and applied criteria of selection, they were mainly conditioned by specific considerations of the researcher. In this regard, the right candidate had to work full-time, had the supervising nature of the duties instead of teaching, be responsible only in one school. The subject also had to be male in order to represent the majority of the principals of that time. His career goal was meant to be oriented at the position of principal rather than viewing it as a transitional position. Moreover, the author outlined that the right candidate should not have any relations with Walcott’s university. Thus, he aimed to preserve objectivity of the study and institutional detachment from the results.

On the other hand, from the anthropological perspective, the criteria applied to the sample were more profession-related rather than sociological in their nature. In other words, although the gender of the required candidate and exact criteria were clearly stated, the author did not concentrate on the traditional sample criteria of race, ethnicity and social status. Although this information occurs as the narration unravels, these traditional criteria were not stated as primary in identifying the sample. However, the author managed to justify the rationale for his sample and how it corresponded to the research design.

In terms of data collection, the author paid particular attention to it systematization and cross-verification through various sources. The primary source of data was the author’s observations reflected in his journal entries and tape-recorded interviews. Then, he analyzed various procedural documents of school meetings, interpersonal notes, correspondence, students’ feedback results and some normative documents on school’s performance.

In this context, the author categorized data collection into six procedures. The first was collecting of routinely distributed notices. Then he collected copies of school records, conducted noting activities, solicited pupils’ impression, taper-reordered various conversations, interviews, and finally, designed and distributed staff questionnaires. Overall, it can be argued that data collection from these diverse resources contributed to the reliability of the research conduct.

The data was analyzed by the author and was seldom exposed to the third parties due to the concerns of ethics and anonymity. The gathered data was further categorized by the relevant topics of the research question and sub-questions and further processed both from qualitative and quantitative perspectives depending on the nature of the data. This combination of data analysis contributes to systematic analysis and also cross-validation of certain information and developed conclusions.

The primary findings of the research include the following considerations. Frist of all, Walcott found out that irrespective of the common perception that principals drive the wave of changes, they are mainly on guard of continuity of the traditional ways of school performance. Moreover, principal’s daily performance is largely conditioned by the prevailing legal, policy, administrative and socio-cultural trends in the society and the school he works at. Principal’s performance is also influenced by various interpersonal relations with people he has to work with and their individual characteristics. From the cultural perspective, the principal cannot fulfill his duties in a vacuum but is functioning in the context socially-imposed cultural framework and its individual reflection in education through principalship.

The findings of the author are trustworthy since the arguments are logical and well-structured. They are based on profound data analysis and systematic research. Moreover, the author’s work is an example of classic anthropological research and demonstrated sufficient findings in the target segment of research in the education.  Consequently, this research is significant, because, with the application of anthropological perspective, it demonstrated the trends in decision-making and performance of individuals holding managerial positions in education.

The author paid attention to describing various detailed of research conduct. Consequently, the study can be repeated, and findings can be compared. On the other hand, detailed research design and logical framework of data analysis give an opportunity to adapt this methodological framework to other fields of study. Thus, the validity of the given approach can be verified across various disciplines and research fields.

Taking into consideration everything mentioned above, it can be argued that the research managed to answer research questions in a systematic and adequate manner. In this regard, both individual motivations and aspirations together with factors of the external environment were analyzed in the framework of one’s professional duties and responsibilities. The author managed to demonstrate the often conflicting nature of one’s intentions and the requirements of the decision-making process of principalship.

Regarding the potential improvement of the research, at the time of its conduct it could definitely befit from expansion to the research o more subjects than one principal. Through the comparative analysis, the research could explore how findings for this subject would be compatible with individuals from different backgrounds and age groups.  From the contemporary perspective, the research can be extended to the exploration of the current situation. This would be relevant because the original research dates back to 1973, its extension to the modem environment would show how things changed and would show whether Walcott’s research approach is still functional nowadays.