Principal as Servant-Leader - An Embedded-Descriptive Single-Case Study of One Prekindergarten School’s Efforts to Build Teacher Capacity in Foundational Skills

Oct 15, 2026

The purpose of this embedded-descriptive single-case study was to examine one prekindergarten school’s efforts to build teacher capacity in foundational skills. Servant Leadership Theory provided the theoretical lens for understanding how the school’s human capital resources and the principal’s actions translate into instructional methods. Montessori instruction formed the instructional platform for teaching foundational skills, including executive function and fine motor skills. The study addresses the early performance gap and the need for well-trained leaders to support vulnerable children by strengthening teacher capacity in an urban southeast Texas Head Start context.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Statement of the Problem and Purpose

Theoretical Framework

Servant–Leader Attributes and Descriptions

Principal as Servant-Leader: An EmbeddedDescriptive Single-Case Study of One Prekindergarten School’s Efforts to Build Teacher Capacity in Foundational Skills Molly J. Fuller Texas A&M University-Commerce Nathan R. Templeton Texas A&M University-Commerce The purpose of this embedded-descriptive single-case study was to provide insight into one prekindergarten school’s efforts to build teacher capacity in foundational skills. An embeddeddescriptive single-case study was a suitable design for the study because the researcher could not manipulate the school’s efforts; the setting was contemporary and involved real-world events. Servant Leadership Theory (SLT) was the theoretical underpinning of the study and the lens used to view the transition from the school’s human capital resources to the implementation of methods, strategies, and activities to build teacher capacity. Montessori instruction served as the platform for teaching foundational skills. ICPEL Education Leadership Review, Vol. 20, No. 1– November, 2019 ISSN: 1532-0723 © 2019 International Council of Professors of Educational Leader Prekindergarten principals are instructional leaders charged with the responsibility of building teacher capacity (Principal Certificate, 2018) to ensure students leave prekindergarten ready for the rigor of kindergarten. Building teacher capacity in foundational skills is critical (Raver & Blair, 2014, 2016), and these skills lay the foundation for the acquisition of standards-based cognitive skills (Becker, Miao, Duncan, & McClelland, 2014; Cameron, Cottone, Murrah, & Grissmer, 2016; Nesbitt, Farran, & Fuhs, 2015) . Foundational skills include executive function and fine motor skills. Executive function skills include inhibitory control, working memory, and attention to task (Becker et al., 2014; Prager, Sera, & Carlson, 2016) . If children do not have well-developed inhibitory control, they often disrupt the classroom environment (Becker et al., 2014; Cameron, Brock, Hatfield, Cottone, Rubinstein, LoCasale-Crouch, & Grismmer, 2015) . Children lacking cognitive working memory have difficulty following classroom instructions (Becker et al., 2014; Toll & Van Luit, 2014) . Additionally, children having difficulty attending to task often display disruptive behavior and cannot complete assignments (Kim, Byers, Cameron, Brock, Cottone, & Grissmer, 2016) . Prerequisite fine motor integration skills are necessary for writing, coloring, and cutting with scissors (Bhatia, Davis, & Shamas-Brandt, 2015; Kim, Murrah, Cameron, Brock, Cottone, & Grissmer, 2015) . Statement of the Problem and Purpose Caught in limbo between building teacher capacity in foundational skills as well as standardsbased achievement goals, the prekindergarten instructional leader contends with the verisimilitude of serving a vulnerable population. Current research indicated that the performance gap begins early, more evident among high-risk, disadvantaged children, and if below grade level in third grade, the children are unlikely to catch up with his or her peers (Coffman & Kauerz, 2012; Fiester, 2013) . Melding a developmental approach to learning to foster foundational skills with the standards-based curriculum is a challenge for prekindergarten principals. There is an urgent call for well-trained leaders to build teacher capacity to address foundational skills of our nation’s most high-risk and vulnerable population (National Association of Elementary School Principals [NAESP], 2014; Phillips et al., 2017; Stipek, Clements, Coburn, Franke, & Farran, 2017) . Therefore, the purpose of this embedded-descriptive single-case study was to provide insight into one school’s efforts to build teacher capacity in foundational skills in an urban southeast Texas school district’s Montessori prekindergarten Head Start program. Theoretical Framework The framework of Servant Leadership Theory (SLT; Greenleaf, 2002) was the theoretical underpinning of this study, an

FAQs

What is the study’s main purpose?

To provide insight into one prekindergarten school’s efforts to build teacher capacity in foundational skills.

What theory guides the study’s perspective?

Servant Leadership Theory (SLT) guides how the transition from human capital resources to teacher-capacity building strategies is viewed.

Why are foundational skills emphasized in prekindergarten?

Because executive function and fine motor skills support children’s ability to follow instruction, regulate behavior, and prepare for later kindergarten and standards-based learning demands.

Oct 15, 2026

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