Evaluation of Assistant Principal Roles and Jobs at School in the Context of Henry Mintzberg’s Managerial Roles

Organizations aim at achieving their objectives with their personnel. One of the personnel of a school, which is also an organization, is the assistant principal. Assistant principals are the personnel managing the school with the school principal. This study aims at presenting how assistant principals interpret their roles and jobs in managing the school by considering Henry Mintzberg’s opinions on the roles and jobs of managers. This study was carried out with a qualitative research method and phenomenological pattern. The data resource of this study was the interview. Twenty assistant principals participated in this study. There were two themes as a result of this study. These are the roles and jobs of assistant principals. Assistant principals have many roles and jobs in the school that are interrelated and complementary. These are bureaucratic and they affect education. However, this is not something that assistant principals want. In addition to this, it was seen that the data collected from this study and the opinions of Henry Mintzberg generally supported each other. The main reason for not supporting each other is thought to be the scope of the current study. The last section of this study included recommendations.


Introduction
The personnel of the organizations is expected to work effectively and efficiently to maintain their existence. In this regard, personnel should play specific roles. An organization includes the behaviors expected from its personnel associated with the role, authority and status (Bursalıoğlu, 2000, p. 200) According to Mintzberg (1973, p. 59), the managers in an organization have ten roles. These roles are shown in Figure 1.  Mintzberg, 1973, p. 59) According to Figure 1, there are three roles of managers. There are sub-roles under these roles.
These roles emphasize communication, information and decision making. As in any organization, there is personnel who need to play certain roles in educational organizations. One of these is the assistant principal. Regarding the determinant points of assistant principals; Keever-Hager (2012) emphasizes management of financial affairs at school, individual and professional development and strategic leadership; Barnett, Shoho, & Oleszewski (2012) Brown (2001) draws attention to evaluating, coordinating, assisting and controlling roles. Lee, Kwan & Walker (2009) states that personnel affairs have important roles among the roles played. Domel (2001) draws attention to the roles regarding student discipline, attending events and managing the school. However, when fulfilling these roles, the important things are the determination of jobs, healthy communication, and problem-solving skill (May, 2001;Teyfur, 2011).
The role of an assistant principal as a school manager is intertwined with his/her job (Bursalıoğlu, 2000, p. 200) and complements each other (Mintzberg, 1973, p. 127). Role-job interaction is represented in Table 1.

Informational Roles
Monitor Disseminator Spokesman addressing the expectations of school principals, contributing to the school culture and climate, observing, controlling and evaluating the jobs and individuals in the school, being able to create effective strategies with people, being able to cope with problems, and contributing to a safe and effective learning environment at school. Hite, Williams, Hilton & Baugh (2006) state that age, experience, and job-based professional maturity is important when it comes to school management.
On the other hand, Kotnis (2004) draws attention to the bureaucratic structure. In the bureaucratic structure, the balance between managerial affairs and educational affairs should be considered. In another study focusing on structure, Lennon (2009) emphasizes that attention should be paid to the management style since the management style in school affects the atmosphere in the school. This is because the positive atmosphere reflected the teachers will have positive effects on the students and parents. The work of school managers in mutual understanding enables the problems to be solved more effectively. Success in school is affected directly by the atmosphere and bureaucratic structure in school. Nieuwenhuizen (2011) reveals that the effect reflected on the school may be in the form of different emotions such as sadness and joy appearing from time to time. The researcher of this study states that the fulfillment of jobs is directly linked to the success of the school. Rintoul & Bishop (2019) emphasize that assistant principals are not able to focus adequately on the job of leading the school and students expected from them because of their administrational jobs. Nevertheless & Doğan (2005) states that assistant principals are eager to perform their jobs and their motivation is high.
According to the results of that study, the assistant principals stated that they were pleased to participate in the education and training activities and developments that will have a positive effect on the school and that they were not satisfied considering the physical environment and wages. Tahir, Musah, Panatik, Ali & Said (2019) reveal that the assistant principals have a stressful job due to the constant interest in various areas. They emphasize that the missing information given in performing their jobs has a negative effect. In addition to this, the problems caused by some families and failure to agree with the school principal constitute a problem for assistant principals. Lim (2019) reveals the effect of the jobs as limiting the time allocated for private life. However, considering the factors supporting assistant principals in performing their jobs, Coleman (2007) and Mattocks (2016) mention school principals;Postell (2012) mentions relationships with the superiors and subordinates, working conditions, personal values, and beliefs; Sevier (2002) mentions harmony between the parties at school; Khaparde, Srivastava & Meganathan (2004) mention the implementation of participatory management style; Kim & Kim (2005) mention taking the environment into account.
Another remarkable point is which jobs should be handled first by the assistant principals. Burkett (1990) reveals that the activities for education and training program should be handled first while jobs related to the physical structure such as buildings are not a priority. Similarly, Brown (2001) and Sun (2011) reveal that there is a difference between what the assistant principals want to do and what they do. According to the researchers, administrational affairs (such as student Educational Policy Analysis andStrategic Research, V 15, N 3, 2020 © 2020 INASED disciplinary affairs, paperwork, and conference to the parents) require more attention while dealing with education and training programs remain below expectations.
Two legal texts include the roles and jobs of the assistant principals in the Turkish education system. These are the Ministry of National Education (MoNE) Regulation on Secondary Education Institutions and the Ministry of National Education Regulation on Preschool Education and Primary Education Institutions. In the above-mentioned regulations, the job areas that determine the roles of assistant principals can be classified as administrational or office affairs, student affairs, education, and training affairs and personnel affairs (MoNE, 2013;2014).
The main factor for determining the subject of this study was that there was a limited number of researches on the assistant principals in the related literature. For example, it was seen that there were only two researches (Baş, 2016;Gökkaya, 2013) addressing the assistant principal in the National Thesis Center in Turkey. In addition to this, when conducting a literature review on the subject, it was determined that it was handled in the context of school principals rather than assistant principals and, therefore, not only the assistant principals but also the school principals were included in the study. Another remarkable issue is that the studies conducted in the field of school management mostly adopted school principal-centered approaches. When the subjects investigated are analyzed, it is striking that the subjects mostly focused on leadership, success, mentoring and assignment. In the studies conducted abroad, it is seen that assistant principals have jobs such as supervision and evaluation which are not expected from the assistant principals in the Turkish education system. This means that this issue should be handled in terms of the Turkish education system, too. With the research conducted, academic members are expected to address the assistant principals from different perspectives. In the context of those guiding the Turkish education system, it is expected to offer a different perspective in terms of decision making and determining the regulation for assistant principals.
This study aims at presenting how assistant principals interpret their roles and jobs in managing the school by considering Henry Mintzberg's opinions on the roles and jobs of managers. In line with this framework, the following questions were investigated: 1. According to the assistant principals, what are the roles of an assistant principal in school?

Methodology
In this section of this study, information regarding the method is explained by referring to the related literature.

Research Method and Design
This study carried out with a qualitative research method and phenomenological pattern. Creswell (2016, p. 44) expresses that a qualitative research model aims to reveal human life and how it can make sense of this life from the perspective of the participant. While Christensen, Johnson & Turner (2015, p. 408) emphasize that phenomenology is a pattern in which the researcher tries to explain how the participants experienced a situation, Ersoy (2016, p. 55) emphasizes that it is a pattern used by the researcher based on an in-depth study and understanding of the participant's facts concerning his/her experience and as objectively as possible. In addition to this, there is an effort to understand and make sense in this pattern, which is the core of a qualitative research model.
It can be said that three points were effective in determining the method and pattern of this study. First, the opinions of three academicians with different academic statuses who conducted studies in the field of educational management and by using qualitative research methods were consulted. The researchers whose opinions were consulted stated that the expression of the participants' opinions based on their experiences was following the specified method and pattern.
Second, the opinions of two assistant principals likely to participate in the study were consulted. The assistant principals who provided their opinions stated that this study focused on their life at school.
Third, and last, the researcher of this specific study had experience in this field as he worked as an assistant principal for eight years. It is thought that these experiences will contribute to the interpretation of the findings.

Study Group
The study group consisted of twenty assistant principals. The data regarding the participants are shown in Table 2. According to Table 2, it can be said that this study included assistant principals with different properties. The participants were selected from different gender, branch, professional seniority, management seniority, and school type. As the assistant principals with whom the researcher communicated in formal and informal environments were included, an easy access sampling method was used in this study. Yıldırım and Şimşek (2011, p. 113) state that easy access sampling method provides two advantages for the study: It is economic, and it contributes to the fast progressing of the research. In addition to this, the snowball (chain) sampling method was also used as the participants directed the researcher to the other participants who could contribute to the study. According to Miles and Huberman (2015, p. 28), chain sampling aims to reach people who are rich in knowledge through people who know them and enable them to contribute to the study. Finally, as the assistant in school types in different socio-economic environments were included in this study, the maximum diversity sampling method was used. Christensen, Johnson & Turner (2015a, p. 176) state that this sampling method can be used for different situations involving a wide range of data collection and analysis. The literature and data were decisive in the sample size. As the data are analyzed, obtaining similar data suggests that the number of participants reached is enough. It is understood from the literature that there is no specific number for sample size and this number is left to the initiative of the researcher (Merriam, 2015a, p. 79;Patton, 2014, p. 244).

Data Analysis Process
The data resource of this study was the interview. The interview form was formed as follows: A draft interview form was formed by reviewing the related literature. Then, an evaluation was made on the draft form created by the two assistant principals planned to be interviewed and three academicians who conducted research using qualitative research methods in educational management.
In addition to this, help was received from a Turkish teacher for language use and expression. Then, the interviews were made with the two assistant principals by using the form created. After the interviews were documented, evaluations were made again with the two assistant principals and three academicians mentioned before. One main and five probe questions were removed from the interview form. The interview form included 10 main questions and 14 probe questions. Three main questions were about research ethics, research method and the issues added to the research. Based on the experience of the participants, the roles and jobs of an assistant principal were questioned in this interview form. Probe questions were also used in this interview to explain the subject better as well Educational Policy Analysis and Strategic Research, V 15, N 3, 2020 © 2020 INASED as the main questions and to get more intense information about the subject (Merriam, 2015b, p. 98).
The data were recorded using a voice recording device to prevent possible data losses. Attention was paid to obtaining, decoding and analyzing the data in the process. According to Glesne (2015, p. 256), the analysis of the data is a process for systematizing, organizing and revealing the connections between the data. A descriptive analysis technique was used in the analysis of the data. According to Yıldırım and Şimşek (2011, p. 224), in descriptive analysis, the opinions of the participants should be put into the research intensively and meaningfully. The aim here is to present the thoughts put forward as a whole in a cause and effect relationship. The descriptive analysis was reflected in the study as referring to the opinions of the participants that can contribute to the research by quoting and making inferences from these quotes. Content analysis was also conducted in this study. According to Krippendorff (2004, p. 18), the main thing in content analysis is to reach new meanings by making inferences from the texts. The analysis of the texts should be handled systematically to reach new meanings. Thus, different information about the subject can be accessed. The content analysis is reflected in the study as reaching subcategories, categories, and themes from the interview data. In this regard, two themes, three categories, and eleven subcategories were reached in this study (Table 3).
According to the Table 3, assistant principals have many and diverse roles that affect both his/her personel and professional lifes.

Validity-Reliability Strategies Used in the Study
To ensure the validity-reliability of this study, three of the strategies recommended by Christensen, Johnson & Turner (2015b, p. 405), were used. These strategies and their reflections in this study are as follows: 1. External auditing: Evaluations regarding the whole process were obtained from the three researchers with different academic status. All stages of the study were reviewed with these evaluations.

2.
Quoting: After analyzing the interviews, opinions that could contribute to the research were reflected in the research report.

3.
Reviewer evaluation: Two researchers and an assistant principal unrelated to the study were asked to read and criticize the research report. The report was reviewed in line with the results.

Researcher's Role and Research Ethic
It is thought that the researcher has experience of teaching and working as an assistant principal in official schools allows him for the reflective explanation of the obtained data using opinions of the partipicants. Another consideration is related to the ethics of the research. This study was carried out by obtaining both individual and institutional permissions. Code names were

Findings
This section includes the data and interpretations obtained from the interviews. In addition to this, the interview data were compared with Henry Mintzberg's (1973, p. 127) opinions on the roles and jobs of managers (Tables 5 and 6).

Data Obtained from the Interviews
This section includes the findings obtained from the interviews and interpretations.
Themes and categories are represented in Table 3. As can be seen from Table 3, the roles of an assistant principal are more than his/her jobs and these roles are more diverse. Remarkably, there are different points in roles and jobs.

Theme 1: Roles Of An Assistant Principal
This theme consists of one category and five subcategories.

Roles Played By An Assistant Principal İn The School
The responses of the participants to the questions about which roles they think they should play or which ones or to what extent they play these roles are represented in Table 4.
Educational Policy Analysis and Strategic Research, V 15, N 3, 2020 © 2020 INASED  2,3,5,8,13,14,15,18,20 Bureaucracy centered role 1,4,5,6,9,10,11,13,14,15,16,17,20 The role focused on individual and professional development 3, 7, 15 According to Table 4 The participants emphasized that the environment was with the school and the school was with the environment. They created various opportunities to come together. The specified role can also contribute to the solution of the problems that may occur at school from time to time. Opinions of some of the participants are as follows: AP 13: "We constantly exchange ideas with the parents of our students". AP 18: "We have a role that considers the stakeholders. The assistant principal should have an active role that ensures the liaison between the teachers, students, and parents. I think it is Educational Policy Analysis and Strategic Research, V 15, N 3, 2020 © 2020 INASED our role to plan activities for ensuring the coordination for this and to implement these activities". The views show that there is a mutual interaction between the school and the environment.
The participants thought that they played their academic role less than other roles. The time allocated for bureaucratic roles and not interacting directly with the students suggest that this role is played less than other roles. Opinions of some of the participants are as follows: AP 3: ..."Because concerning the academic success, activities and doing the bureaucratic works are compulsory jobs for us, we have to do these". AP 20: ..."In addition to this, an assistant principal has a role in academic success". Participants consider the academic role valuable for school development.
The participants thought that they didn't play individual roles and professional roles as well as the academic role. However, failure to fulfill this role can also lead to serious problems. Bureaucracy and conditions are thought to be effective in limiting this role. Opinions of some of the participants are as follows: AP 3: "I think the role I mostly focus on is the one that takes the individual and professional works into account. This is because the others are the roles that we should take care of.
The main area that determines whether we care or not is the individual and professional works. ...If we want to improve ourselves and want to perform this profession successfully, we need to perform some works for ourselves. These works will necessarily reflect on the others". Participants do not reveal that this role has reflections on both themselves and the school. However, it is understood that there are problems at this point.

Theme 2: Jobs Of An Assistant Principal
This theme consists of two categories and six subcategories.

Making Sense Of The Jobs
The participants generally perform the jobs assigned depending on the assignment of the school principal based on the related regulation. However, an assistant principal can also do the jobs that are not in his/her field of job informally or when his/her colleague is not there. The expression "an assistant principal performs the jobs given by the school principal" mentioned in the two regulations explains this aspect of the sense of the job. Two points draw attention in the sense of the job. The first one is that the distribution of the jobs by the school principal is considered. The second one is recording the works done, in other words, bureaucracy. Thus, it is aimed to do school works within a plan. However, even though the assignment is essential, the fact that the participants can do all the jobs and they are ready for these jobs is reflected in their opinions. The fact that the participants stated their opinions in the specified direction is also significant in terms of showing that the study group included enough participants. Opinions of some of the participants are as follows: AP 4: ..."We have 3 managers at our school, of course, we shared the jobs. I'm doing these jobs". AP 6: "I'm doing all the works and procedures about the personnel, that is, the salaries, additional course fees and course Educational Policy Analysis and Strategic Research, V 15, N 3, 2020 © 2020 INASED programs of teachers. In addition to these, I'm carrying out the necessary works for the disciplinary board, parent-teacher association, and Education Financing Information Management System". AP 20: "The school principal allocates the workload at the school equally. We exchange ideas when doing this. The appropriate jobs are determined. Then, the allocation process is completed by issuing an official document. This is because, with an official document, it is easier to find who is responsible for a specific job when we encounter a problem". From the opinions of the participants, it is understood that they are uncomfortable with the situation, but there is a sense of jobs that they have to live and do. The participants stated that it was necessary to pay attention to certain things while performing their jobs. These are communication skills, assimilating human values, compliance with the regulation and taking the rules into account. The first two of these can be considered as a reflection of what the participants believe and do more by taking initiative. In addition to this, these are the works carried out and cared more by the participants without any kind of pressure and suggestion. The other two can be evaluated as the implementation of common and non-self-determined practices of all participants.
Opinions of some of the participants are as follows: AP 10: "Most importantly, we comply with the working hours. We strive to have at least one administrative at school". AP 11: "First of all, we try to be an manager. We try to get the best efficiency by solving the problems without offending or displeasing anyone and without creating an atmosphere of conflict with anyone". AP 15: ..."We are obliged to do the official works in the required standard, we pay attention to it first. Apart from this, we try to do various projects for our students in the remaining times". It is revealed from the opinions that the participants should take into account many factors simultaneously in fulfilling their jobs.
Educational Policy Analysis andStrategic Research, V 15, N 3, 2020 © 2020 INASED According to the participants, jobs have individual and professional effects and these effects are interacting with each other. Individual and professional effects can be seen as a whole. It can be said that the job of assistant principal gives the ability to look at events and situations from a broad perspective. In addition to this, it is emphasized that managing and being managed involves different situations. It can be interpreted that their experiences have positive reflections on their organizational socialization. In addition to this, the intensive working tempo of the school administration negatively affects communication, especially individually. However, a positive effect can be observed in the form of providing an experience. Opinions of some of the participants are as follows: AP 3: "Professionally, I think we do a lot of work compared to a teacher... We learn something different every day. One has to learn something every day to continue living. I think I have achieved this". AP 4: "I can say that it gives you the ability to cope with difficulties. Before I started working as an assistant principal, I used to come to a dead-end when I think what I can do if something happens.
However, it is starting to get easier now". AP 5: …"Professionally, I'm learning about the regulation…". Opinions show that although the job of assistant principals has different effects, it has didactic and experience-providing dimensions.

Factors Affecting The Job
Participants emphasized that various factors were decisive in performing their jobs. When these factors are examined, they can be classified as facilitating and complicating factors. As the facilitating aspect of their task, the participants expressed the following respectively; the harmony of school managers among themselves, their harmony among the school personnel and the happiness and energy obtained from the work done. The fact that the school managers understand harmony and teamwork among themselves and teachers is the first highlighted point in terms of being a facilitating factor by the participants. In addition to this, both this situation and receiving positive feedback positively affects the morale and motivation of the participants. This can contribute to healthy communication-based school culture. Opinions of some of the participants are as follows: AP 2: ..."The energy provided by the students is a facilitating factor"... AP 5: "The help provided by my colleagues both psychologically and in terms of workload is quite useful for me"... AP 6: "The person who persuaded me to accept this job was our school principal".
Participants emphasized the structure of the school, bureaucracy, parents from time to time and their colleagues as situations or people that make it difficult to perform their jobs. The fact that both the facilitating and complicating factors are almost the same shows how important the mentioned factors are for school life. It is thought that the experienced situations are the developments that reveal the importance of the school managers. This is because, despite the difficulties they faced, the participants think that they are in a position they need to find solutions. Opinions of some of the participants are as follows: AP 2: ..."Parents are one of the complicating factors, bureaucracy also Educational Policy Analysis and Strategic Research, V 15, N 3, 2020 © 2020 INASED makes it difficult". AP 10: ..."The fact that parents request meeting the teacher at the classroom door only because of their sincerity with the teacher and the absence of formality puts us in trouble…".
From the views, it shows that the factors that make the job easier and difficult to do are similar.
According to the researcher, the difference may be due to the interaction of the employees in the school within themselves and with the environment (stakeholders).
Comparison of data obtained from opinions and Henry Mintzberg's opinions The research data in Table 5 was made by taking theme 1 into account. According to Table 5, it is seen that the research data and Henry Mintzberg's (1973, p. 127) opinions on the roles of managers in an organization are partly in parallel. It is thought that there are two reasons for this. First, the study conducted by Henry Mintzberg (1973) included all school managers while the current study only included assistant principals. Second, it is thought that the socio-economic conditions of the period of the study conducted by Henry Mintzberg (1973) and the socio-economic conditions of the period of the current study are different.  Educational Policy Analysis andStrategic Research, V 15, N 3, 2020 © 2020 INASED 386 The research data in Table 6 was created by taking theme 2 into account. According to Table   6, it is seen that the research data and Henry Mintzberg's (1973, p. 127) opinions on the job types of managers are generally in parallel with each other. It is thought that the reason why it is not partly in parallel originates from the job descriptions given to the assistant principals who participated in this study. In the two regulations mentioned before, the jobs of an assistant principal are not based on taking initiative, as an entrepreneur, but limited with the jobs assigned by the school principal. Thus, it is thought that Henry Mintzberg's opinions including all school managers are not partly in parallel with the sense of job of the assistant principals working in the Turkish Education System.

Results, Discussion, and Suggestions
The following conclusions were made in this study carried out with a qualitative research method: The roles and jobs of assistant principals are not independent of each other. Roles affects the jobs, jobs affect the roles. Roles and jobs focus mainly on two points. These are bureaucracy-based administrational affairs and educational activities tried to be implemented student-centered.
Bureaucratic works also affect the role of education and training. It is seen that there are five different roles of assistant principals. The assistant principals are willing to do four of these roles (academic, stakeholder-oriented, social activities, individual and professional development). They see these roles as their goals and reasons for being in school. Therefore, it can be interpreted that these roles make the assistant principals happy. However, it is seen that the assistant principals don't reveal the same feelings and opinions for the bureaucratic roles. A similar situation is observed in jobs. It can be said that administrational jobs in terms of intensity and educational activities in terms of importance come into prominence. It is essential to pay attention to the bureaucratic practices in the execution of jobs.
These jobs are inseparable and tightly affected by the assistant principals both individually and professionally. Considering the execution of the jobs, the educational personnel and environment can be both a facilitating and complicating factor. The assistant principals stand out as an equilibrium element expected to work in a solution-oriented manner based on the description of their jobs. The ability of assistant principals to achieve balance in the school positively affects teachers' motivation.
In short, assistant principals must work based on the bureaucracy in their roles and jobs at school. This situation is not desired basically by the assistant principals. They think the reasons for their presence in school are education and training centered. However, bureaucracy is not an obstacle to carrying out other roles and jobs. The factors inside and outside the school, especially the school principal, are decisive for an assistant principal.
It is possible to find various, but a limited number of studies in the literature regarding the roles and jobs of assistant principals. Mintzberg (1973) states that the roles and jobs of managers in an organization complete and interact with each other. Considering the jobs of assistant principals, Madden (2008)  Studies on the jobs of school managers are also found in the literature. Batenhorst (2002) collected the job areas of assistant principals under six categories: Instructional leadership, leading the personnel, school management, intern personnel, community relations, and student activities.
Considering the jobs expected from the assistant principals, Karasoy (2010)  system are expected from the school principals. In addition to this, it is thought that the opinion that administrational (bureaucratic) jobs take more time than education and training jobs is in parallel with the results of this study.
It is thought that the results of this study are generally in parallel with the opinions of Mintzberg (1973, p. 127) on the roles and jobs of managers in an organization but are not in parallel with his opinions on direct supervision and political aspect. In addition to this, there are also some points partly in parallel with opinions. The reason for this is that the study conducted by H. Mintzberg includes all school managers while the current study only includes assistant principals. Second, the findings of H. Mintzberg's study and the findings of the current study were obtained from the managers in societies with different cultures and conditions.
In the context of practitioners, the following recommendations can be made: School assistant principals are expected to perform their jobs effectively and efficiently. The job area of assistant principals needs a defined and restricted assignment plan to realize these expectations. In this regard, a plan including the roles and jobs at school can be presented to the assistant principals by simplifying and limiting it as much as possible. As a requirement of the education they received, arrangements can be made in the legal texts in a way that assistant principals can focus on their education and training roles. The results of this study can be communicated to those who direct, discuss and care about educational policies. The results can be discussed with the specified audience on various platforms.
Thus, the results of this study can be benefited when planning in the context of the jobs and roles of the assistant principals in legal texts. In the context of researchers, the following recommendations can be made: Regarding the school managers, the opinions of school principals and assistant principals can be evaluated within the scope of different studies and comparative analyses can be made. The current study can be carried out by using different research methods. In addition to this, future research results can be compared with the results of the current study. As there is not much research on the current subject, the importance of assistant principals at school can be highlighted more and better by researching this subject.