The study highlights a practical message for school leaders and policymakers: leadership programs and cultural reforms alone are not enough. Without consistent work discipline, their influence on teaching quality remains limited.
Why Teacher Performance Remains a Policy Priority
Teacher performance is widely recognized as one of the strongest predictors of student learning outcomes. In Indonesia, national reforms emphasize professional standards, instructional quality, and accountability, yet uneven classroom practices remain a concern, particularly outside major urban centers.
In Berastagi District, preliminary observations showed recurring issues such as incomplete lesson preparation, limited use of learning media, weak assessment planning, and inconsistent adherence to teaching schedules. These challenges mirror broader national concerns about how leadership and school culture translate into daily professional behavior.
Previous research has shown that principal leadership and organizational culture positively influence teacher performance. However, their effects are often moderate and inconsistent. This raises a key question for education reform: what conditions allow leadership and culture to actually change how teachers work in the classroom?
How the Research Was Conducted
Nia Dewanti Simanjuntak used a quantitative research design to examine relationships among four key variables: principal leadership, organizational culture, work discipline, and teacher performance. The study focused on public senior high schools in the Berastagi District.
Data were collected through structured questionnaires distributed to teachers. The responses measured perceptions of leadership behavior, school culture, discipline practices such as punctuality and compliance with rules, and indicators of teaching performance.
The analysis applied statistical path analysis to examine both direct and indirect relationships among variables. This approach made it possible to assess whether work discipline acts as an intervening factor that strengthens the influence of leadership and organizational culture on teacher performance.
Key Findings Explained Clearly
The results show that leadership and culture matter, but discipline determines their effectiveness. Principal leadership improves teacher performance Principals who demonstrate clear direction, supervision, and support positively influence how teachers plan lessons, manage classrooms, and evaluate learning. Organizational culture supports professional behavior A school culture that values responsibility, cooperation, and shared norms contributes to better teacher performance, though its direct influence remains moderate.
Work
discipline has a strong direct effect Teacher discipline—such as punctuality, adherence
to rules, and commitment to duties—shows a strong and significant impact on
performance. Teachers with higher discipline levels consistently demonstrate
better instructional quality. Discipline strengthens leadership and culture
effects
The most important finding is that work discipline acts as an intervening
variable. When discipline is included, the influence of principal leadership
and organizational culture on teacher performance becomes substantially
stronger. In practical terms, leadership and culture shape expectations, but
discipline ensures those expectations are carried out consistently in daily
teaching practice.
What This Means for Schools and Policymakers
The study offers clear guidance for improving education quality.
For school principals, leadership should focus not only on vision and motivation but also on reinforcing professional discipline through clear standards, consistent supervision, and fair enforcement of rules.
For education policymakers, performance improvement programs should integrate leadership training with discipline-building mechanisms. Teacher evaluations, professional development, and school accreditation systems can all reinforce disciplined professional behavior.
For teachers, the findings emphasize that professional identity is closely tied to daily discipline. Consistent preparation, punctuality, and accountability directly affect classroom effectiveness and student learning.
As Simanjuntak ethically paraphrases in her analysis, leadership and culture provide direction, but work discipline ensures that direction becomes real action in the classroom. Without discipline, even strong leadership loses its practical impact.
Broader Relevance Beyond Indonesia
Although the research focuses on Indonesian senior high schools, its implications extend internationally. Many education systems face similar challenges: strong reform frameworks that fail to translate into classroom consistency. The study reinforces a global lesson in education management—organizational change succeeds only when supported by disciplined professional practice.
The findings are particularly relevant for systems implementing curriculum reforms, teacher certification policies, or performance-based evaluations. Leadership initiatives must be paired with structures that support and reward disciplined teaching behavior.
Author Profile
Nia Dewanti Simanjuntak, M.Pd. is an education researcher specializing in educational management, teacher performance, and school leadership. Her work focuses on how leadership, organizational culture, and professional discipline interact to shape teaching quality in secondary education.
Source
Article title: The Influence of Principal Leadership and Organizational Culture on Teacher Performance Through Work Discipline
Journal: International Journal of Advanced Research
0 Komentar