The relationship between school effectiveness and teacher creativity

The purpose of this study is to examine whether there is a relationship between school effectiveness and teacher creativity. It is generally believed that educational administrators have both direct and indirect effects on the success of schools. It is emphasized that school administrators should be effective not only in managerial aspects but also from an educational perspective. Effective school administrators are expected to successfully manage change processes and possess innovative leadership qualities. It is suggested that school administrators' receiving quality education, adapting to changes, and having strategic thinking skills may positively influence school success. School effectiveness is argued to depend on various factors such as teachers, students, school climate, and physical infrastructure. Effective schools are described as those that set high expectations, monitor student progress, provide positive reinforcement, and create a safe school environment. It is commonly asserted that teacher creativity may be directly related to school effectiveness. For creative teachers to develop, it is thought beneficial for school administrators to provide opportunities and foster an innovative school culture. This study aims to contribute to the literature by examining the relationship between school effectiveness and teacher creativity. The research titled "The Relationship Between School Effectiveness and Teacher Creativity" employs a quantitative research method. The population of the study consists of official secondary school teachers working in the Mamak district of Ankara during the 2024-2025 academic year. The School Effectiveness Scale was originally developed by Mott (1972) and its Turkish adaptation and validity-reliability studies were conducted by Yıldırım and Ada (2018). The Teacher Creativity Nurturing Behavior Scale was developed by Sharma and Sharma and has also been adapted into Turkish. Quantitative data analysis methods were utilized, with SPSS 25 software employed for statistical analysis. Due to the non-normal distribution of the data, nonparametric tests were preferred. Relationships between variables were examined using Pearson Correlation Analysis, while the predictive effect of school effectiveness perceptions on teacher creativity was analyzed via regression analysis. VII Findings indicate that teachers generally have a high perception of school effectiveness, particularly demonstrating strong beliefs in effectively utilizing existing resources and coping with emergencies. Teachers also exhibit high perceptions of creativity, scoring especially high in the areas of abstraction and motivation. No significant differences were found in school effectiveness and creativity perceptions based on demographic factors such as gender, marital status, or education level. However, factors such as income level and length of service affect teachers' creativity perceptions. A positive but low-level relationship was identified between school effectiveness and teacher creativity, with school effectiveness potentially explaining approximately 10.6% of the variance in teachers' creative potential. In conclusion, a positive but weak relationship was found between school effectiveness and teacher creativity. To strengthen this relationship, it may be beneficial for school administrators to provide environments that foster creativity. Differences in teachers' perceptions based on demographic factors such as age groups, length of service, income level, and subject area were observed. It is suggested that especially teachers aged 31-35 be offered more professional development opportunities and training in creative teaching techniques. Moreover, equitable opportunities should be ensured regardless of income level, and resources should be increased by subject area to support teachers' creative thinking. Although no significant differences were found related to education level, continuous professional development is emphasized. While demographic variables may not have a direct effect, providing personalized support to teachers could enhance the overall quality of education.