ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a preliminary model of instructional leadership in the Chinese educational context and discusses the ways in which Chinese school principals locate their instructional leadership practices in response to traditional expectations and the requirements of recent reforms. It aims to develop an initial indigenous understanding of instructional leadership in China. The chapter contributes to existing research on principals' instructional leadership in non-Western cultural and social contexts. It outlines educational reforms in China and highlights the multiple challenges facing school principals. The chapter explores the ways in which principals locate their instructional leadership theory in relation to both traditional values and imported policies. The concept of instructional leadership recognises and emphasises the role of school principals in supporting school learning activities and developing teacher capacity. The chapter focuses on the following three major dimensions: defining purpose and direction; nurturing positive and collaborative relationships with and between teachers; and fostering professional development to enhance teacher capacity.
