Drawing on five decades of research, this conceptual essay reframes instructional leadership as distributed, relational, contextual and equity-oriented rather than the work of one principal.
Key findings
- The six challenged myths cast the principal as sole instructional leader, make it the principal's only role, assume top-down enactment and direct student effects, focus on teaching rather than learning, and oppose social-justice leadership.
Why this matters globally
The reframing treats conditions for teacher and student learning as collective work rather than placing all responsibility on one leader.
Thai researcher contribution
A Mahidol University scholar connects long-term international research with a critical reappraisal of a central educational-leadership construct.
Limitations to consider
No search protocol, selection criteria or quality appraisal are reported, so source selection may reflect author judgment; leadership models were not field-tested.