Relationship between transformational leadership practices of senior high school heads and the motivation levels of teachers the mediating role of gender

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between the transformational leadership practices of senior high school heads as perceived by teachers and the motivation levels of teachers in the Assin South. Additionally, the study explored the mediating role of gender differences in the relationship between transformational leadership practices of the school heads and the motivation levels of the teachers. Correlational Research Design was used for the study. The researcher used the stratified sampling technique to sample one hundred (100) senior high school teachers in the Assin South District. Data were obtained by means of a questionnaire. Pearson Product Moment Coefficient was carried out to determine the relationship between leadership practices of school heads and the self-assessed motivation levels of teachers whiles Baron and Kenny (1986)’s four-step regression method was used to determine the mediating role of teachers’ gender in the relationship between the two variables. The results of the study showed that there is a significant positive relationship between leadership practices of school heads and the self-assessed motivation levels of teachers in the Assin South District and this suggests that leadership practices of school heads influence the motivation levels of teachers. The correlation was shown to be significant at 0.01 showing that the relationship was strong. Again, the results of the study showed that gender does not mediate the relationship between the leadership practices of school heads and teacher motivation levels. Therefore, it was recommended that schools heads should have mutual communication with teachers, help and support them, exhibit behaviours based on justice, equality and honesty, create a strong vision around common objectives, share school-related tasks with employees, and improve their skills and also school leaders/heads need to have adequate knowledge of the principles of transformational leadership and apply them in their daily practices to have the cooperation and support of all school staff.