Interpersonal Communication between Principals and Teachers in Elementary Schools

Principal leadership is very important in improving school quality. One indicator of a principal’s success is his or her ability to communicate interpersonally with the teachers well and intensively in order to know the obstacles faced by the teachers in school. A successful principal is able to influence and give direction to the teachers to be responsible in carrying out their duties, so that the teachers can play a more active role in improving the school’s quality. This research aims to describe the implementation of principals’ interpersonal communication in improving the quality of elementary schools. It used a qualitative approach with a case study method, whereas data were collected through interviews, observation, and documentary study. The participants of the research were elementary school principals and teachers in Garut Regency. The findings of the research show: Principals’ interpersonal communication takes the forms of, among others, providing directions to teachers in improving the quality of teaching and learning through instructional leadership and conveying messages to teachers verbally through professional dialogues. Keywords—interpersonal communication; instructional leadership; professional dialogue