Abstract:

The aim of the research was to determine school administrators’ management capabilities of teacher differences. The research was conducted with mixed explanatory sequential design which means using a combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. In the quantitative phase of the research, the sample of the study consists of 324 teachers and 43 school principals who work in the state primary, secondary and high school in the province of Uşak in 2017- 2018. In the qualitative stage of the research, the study group was determined on the basis of volunteerism. Accordingly, 11 school administrators and 14 teachers from the sample group in the quantitative phase participated in the study. The quantitative data of the study was gathered through ‘The Scale of Diversity Management’ However, semi- structured interview form was used as a qualitative data collection tool. In the analysis process, test t and One Way ANOVA were performed. Nevertheless, descriptive analysis was employed for the qualitative data. Findings demonstrated that teacher perceptions on school administrators’ management capabilities of differences were high. According to the results of interviews conducted to gather information in- depth, school administrators were stated to be capable of managing the differences. It was found that there was a significant difference between school administrators and teachers in terms of task concerning the level of school administrators’ management capabilities of teacher differences. The perceptions of school administrators on the management of teacher differences were higher compared to the perceptions of teachers. Based on the qualitative findings of the study, virtually all the school administrators pointed out that they were able to manage teacher differences and to use them in favour of the school. On the contrary, teachers rendered that most of the school administrators were able to be notice differences; however, they had problems in using the differences in favour of their schools. Another finding of the study referred that the levels of school administrators’ management capabilities of teacher differences varied depending on the year of service. Senior teachers considered the levels of school administrators’ management capabilities of teacher differences relatively high. Additionally, the perceptions of teachers working at different stages of schools regarding school administrators’ management capabilities of differences were observed to differ. The perceptions of primary school teachers, compared to secondary and high school teachers, with respect to school administrators’ management capabilities of teacher differences were higher. As a result, in light of the findings, school administrators are advised to recognize teacher differences more closely and to achieve the aims of their schools by converting the differences in opportunities.

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