@article{article_1776204, title={The School Principal According to the Perceptions of Primary and Middle School Students: A Metaphorical Analysis}, journal={International Primary Education Research Journal}, volume={9}, pages={377–391}, year={2025}, author={Er, Burak and Güneş, Ahmet Melih}, keywords={School principal, primary school students, metaphorical perception, middle school students}, abstract={This study was conducted to examine how primary and middle school students perceive the image of their school principal through metaphors. The study group consisted of 673 students selected from primary and middle schools using criterion sampling. However, 307 participants were excluded from the analysis as they did not meet the study criteria, resulting in a final sample of 366 students. Data were collected by asking participants to complete the sentence: "The school principal is like … because …". The collected data were analyzed through content analysis, and the metaphors were categorized to systematically examine students’ perceptions. The findings revealed that primary school students generated 69 metaphors, while middle school students produced 112 metaphors. These metaphors were grouped under two main themes and five categories. The results demonstrated developmental differences in the perception of principals across grade levels. Primary school students predominantly viewed the principal as a protective and supportive figure, whereas middle school students emphasized authority and control, showing more pronounced negative attributes. According to the findings, student perceptions were primarily concentrated in the categories of “Leadership” and “Emotional Support,” while fewer metaphors were associated with the categories of “Communication” and “Ethics.” Although primary school students frequently likened the principal to a “teacher” or “president,” middle school students more often used metaphors such as “father” and “president.” Overall, the results indicate that the school principal is perceived primarily as both a leader and a protective figure.}, number={3}, publisher={Özkan ÇELİK}