Integrated Madrasah Principal Leadership in Building an Internalized Discipline Culture among Teachers and Students

Abstract

This study examines how madrasah principal leadership contributes to the development of teacher and student discipline through the integration of six leadership roles: educator, manager, administrator, supervisor, leader, and innovator (EMASLI). Using a descriptive qualitative approach, the research was conducted at MAN Dalwa and involved three informants consisting of one madrasah principal, one teacher, and one student. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observation, and documentation, and credibility was strengthened through source triangulation. The findings indicate that disciplinary development is not sustained solely through formal rules, monitoring, or sanctions. Instead, discipline is built through the interaction of exemplary leadership, structured regulation, administrative accountability, developmental supervision, dialogue, shared commitment, innovation, and the internalization of Islamic values. The principal’s exemplary conduct provides moral legitimacy, while managerial and administrative functions establish consistency and accountability. Supervision and communication support professional and behavioral development, whereas leadership and innovation strengthen collective responsibility and value-based disciplinary practices. Based on these findings, the study proposes an integrated EMASLI model of disciplinary leadership, conceptualizing the development of discipline as a process that moves from externally enforced compliance toward a more internalized culture of responsibility and self-regulation. The study contributes to Islamic educational leadership literature by showing how multiple principal roles can operate synergistically in shaping discipline among both teachers and students within a madrasah context.