School Leaders’ Contribution to Social Justice: A Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-316
Author(s):  
Haim Shaked
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Equal Opportunities ◽  
Current Review ◽  
Real Change ◽  
Building Level

Purpose: The purpose of this review is to examine what is known as well as what we still seek to know in terms of principals’ potential contribution to social justice in their schools. Design/methodology/approach: This review provides an evaluative report of the current knowledge in the literature related to the influence of principals on social justice at the school building level. Findings: The current review reveals that there is solid evidence of the significant impact of school leaders on student learning. This impact constitutes the conceptual basis for social justice school leadership, where school leaders ascertain that all students are provided equal opportunities for quality education. However, the available knowledge regarding the optimal way to prepare social justice school leaders is still limited. Research implications: In as much as recent literature does not provide satisfactory answers to the question of how to train social justice school leaders, workable approaches to developing leaders who are effective in achieving social justice, equity, and excellence should be explored. Originality/value: In today’s Western school systems, non-White, LGBT, poor, or differently-abled students often lag behind their peers in academic achievement and acquisition of higher education while leading in school dropout rates. The review seeks to understand how school principals can bring about a real change in this undesirable situation, creating a social justice educational system.

scholarly journals Leadership as Sustainability: Context and Primary School Principals in Jamaica

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-149
Author(s):  
Paul Miller ◽  
Veronica Gaynor ◽  
Collington Powell ◽  
Shernette Powell ◽  
Eugenie Simpson
Keyword(s):  
Primary School ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Parental Engagement ◽  
Single Individual ◽  
Primary School Principals ◽  
New Form

School leadership is as challenging as it is rewarding. And, in a fast paced educational policy environment, school leaders sometimes are having to play catchup with the latest government mandate. This challenge is exacerbated in environments where economic and social problems and lack of parental engagement in education are a daily occurrence and a significant risk to the effectiveness of schools. While we recognize the notion of sustainable school leadership is continuing its evolution, we also acknowledge it is not a single act and nor is it enacted by a single individual. Reporting findings from a qualitative study of primary school leaders in Jamaica, we argue that sustainable school leadership is not a new form of leadership, but rather a type of leadership that combines multiple practices to produce long-term impacts on members of a school community that are “now” and “futures” oriented.

Merit selecting school leaders: Australian principals' perspectives

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1303-1315
Author(s):  
Kevin Steed ◽  
John De Nobile ◽  
Manjula Waniganayake
Keyword(s):  
School Leadership ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
The State ◽  
Head Teachers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Playing Field ◽  
South Wales

PurposeThis research paper explores the perspectives of Australian school principals in the state of New South Wales (NSW) regarding what they believe constitutes “merit” when selecting deputy principals, assistant principals (primary) and head teachers (secondary).Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was utilised to collect qualitative and quantitative data from school principals across the state of NSW to investigate their understanding of, and approach to, the merit selection of their respective school leadership cadres.FindingsStudy findings indicated a statewide variance in the perceptions of principals when identifying merit for the purposes of recruiting school leadership teams. These findings question the widely held view that candidates compete for school leadership positions on a level playing field.Practical implicationsIn practical terms, the findings indicate that NSW school principals would benefit from more intensive professional learning opportunities designed to enhance their ability to objectively identify and assess merit when selecting school leaders.Originality/valueThis study contributes to an enhanced understanding in an area where there is a paucity of research-based evidence focusing upon the perspectives of school principals regarding their understanding of meritocratic theory and its influence on their school leadership selection practice.

Black Male School Leaders: Protectors and Defenders of Children, Community, Culture, and Village

2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 29-49
Author(s):  
Phillip A. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Critical Race Theory ◽  
Civil Rights ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Black Male ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Critical Race ◽  
School Activities ◽  
Gendered Identities ◽  
K 12

This study explored the ways in which the race-gendered identities and lived experiences of Black male K-12 public and independent school leaders inform their leadership in support of students, community, and village. The study draws from critical theories and perspectives, including a framework of Black Masculine Caring (BMC), critical race theory, culturally relevant and responsive leadership, leadership for social justice, and their relationship to and with a theory of Black male school leadership. The qualitative study used survey, phenomenological, and visual elicitation methods to examine the personal and professional experiences, philosophies, and praxis of 14 Black male school leaders. Study findings are presented as an intergenerational dialog with participants, based on their years of leadership experience. These leaders exhibit a liberatory care-based approach to leadership as an expression of social justice advocacy, civil rights activism, community and evidenced action-orientated commitment to a dismantling of structured and systemic forms of racism, anti-Black racism entrenched segregation, and other inequities that discriminate and disproportionately marginalize significant numbers of students and their communities. As captured through the narratives shared, this is evidenced through greater, and positively encouraged, levels of parental and other community member involvement in school activities, as a core aspect of the leadership and decision-making processes. The research expands understanding of paradigms of critical race leadership and disrupts the normative educational leadership that ill-serve significant sections of our student populations and communities.

Social Justice Leadership, Equity, and the Digital Divide

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony H. Normore ◽  
Antonia Issa Lahera
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Leadership Development ◽  
Knowledge Base ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Social Progress ◽  
Social Justice Leadership ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Democratic Principles

To commit to Brown v. Board of Education’s legacy of advancing social justice and democracy, it is necessary to look at practices (i.e., the types of discourse, experiences, processes, and structures) that promote the development and support of school leaders committed to social justice, equity, access, and diversity. Leadership preparation programs need to provide the knowledge base for aspiring school leaders to understand how they ought to respond to the changing political, moral, and social landscapes in which they live and work. Of equal importance is the curricular focus on interrelating social justice, democracy, equity, and diversity so that aspiring school leaders can identify practices that explicitly and implicitly deter social progress. Furthermore, these school leaders ought to be able to develop a knowledge base on how to respond to these injustices in their school leadership practices. As leadership development and preparation program personnel prepare new leaders, the discourse of social justice and marginalization is an important objective in the curriculum of preparation programs. Personnel in leadership programs have an opportunity to take part in discourse about how to shape the quality of leaders they produce for the good of society. To this end, researchers offer critical insights into the types of discourse, experiences, processes, and structures that promote the development and support of contemporary principals committed to social justice and democratic principles. Included in the research discussion are the tenets of social justice leadership, democracy, diversity and the digital divide, digital access, and digital equity.

Social justice leadership, instructional leadership, and the goals of schooling

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-95
Author(s):  
Haim Shaked
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Instructional Leadership ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Teaching Quality ◽  
Social Justice Leadership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Research ◽  
School Principalship

Purpose School principals should see themselves as social justice leaders, who have the ability to allow all students to succeed, regardless of their characteristics and backgrounds. At the same time, school principals are also called upon to demonstrate instructional leadership, which emphasizes the teaching and learning aspects of school principalship. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relations between these two roles of today’s school principals. Design/methodology/approach To investigate the relations between social justice leadership and instructional leadership, this paper adds the question of the goal of schooling to the mix. After identifying possible goals of schooling, the paper conceptualizes social justice leadership and instructional leadership, respectively, while also examining their relations with schools’ major goals. Possible commonalities and contradictions between social justice leadership and instructional leadership are discussed. Findings The prevalent expectation that school leaders should give top priority to ongoing improvement of teaching quality and academic outcomes may be seen as reducing school leaders’ involvement in some aspects of social justice leadership, such as nurturing students’ active citizenship. Research limitations/implications This paper opens new research avenues. Based on the findings of this paper, the connection between principals’ perceptions regarding the goals of schooling and their leadership behaviors should be explored. Practical implications It seems advisable to discuss the interplay between social justice leadership and instructional leadership with prospective and current principals, as well as with other school stakeholders. Originality/value Insofar as the relations between social justice leadership and instructional leadership have not been explored so far, this paper narrows a gap in the available knowledge.

scholarly journals The Role of Transformational School Leadership in Promoting Teacher Commitment: An Antecedent for Sustainable Development in South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 22-32
Author(s):  
Shuti Steph Khumalo
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Transformational Leadership ◽  
Primary School ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Teacher Commitment ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Primary School Principals ◽  
National Governments

Abstract Promoting sustainable development is top on the agenda of many national governments. The provision of quality primary education is key in pursuing this agenda and relies heavily of committed teachers. This article explores the potential contribution of transformational leadership practices of primary school principals in promoting teacher commitment. It is argued that primary school principals who exhibit the transformational leadership feature of commitment motivate teachers towards commitment and thus contribute towards sustainable development. This study was quantitative in nature and out of the hundred and fifty teachers sampled, only ninety-five responded to the questionnaires. Drawing from the theory of transformational leadership and the findings from the Limpopo Province education district case study, it can be concluded that primary school principals promote the culture of commitment and therefore a foundation for sustainable development is laid.

Exploring the Influences of Contextual Variables on Beginning Principals

1995 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ira E. Bogotch ◽  
Ric Keaster ◽  
Beatrice Baldwin ◽  
Angel Wonycott
Keyword(s):  
School District ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Beginning Principals ◽  
Contextual Variables ◽  
Context Variable

Beginning school principals work within distinct school district contexts, influencing how they think and act as school leaders. This discussion describes how their perceptions compare across three geo-political contexts: urban, suburban and rural. The results are presented as storylines, emphasizing how contextual variables interact to influence differences in school leadership. As storylines, the implications concern social issues beyond any one school district or any one isolated context variable such as race or gender.

Looking for Social Justice: Competing Perspectives as Methodological Instrument in a Study of School Leaders for Social Justice

2008 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 268-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon I. Radd
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
International Research ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Theoretical Orientation ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Dissertation Research ◽  
Interpretive Frame ◽  
Methodological Reflection

This article describes research dilemmas recorded and analyzed while I studied school leaders for social justice. Data consist of (1) my observations, reflections, and memos from interviews with school leaders and social justice experts (as dissertation research), (2) my observations from national and international research conferences, and (3) observations from my practice of school leadership. These data challenged and disrupted my Marxist perspective because they revealed evolving and conflicting definitions and understandings of social justice in the scholarly lexicon and in practitioner discourse and action. As a result, Deweyan thought provided an analytical and interpretive frame with which to consider alternative interpretations of the data. As a methodological reflection, this article describes the limits of a monolithic theoretical orientation in research and practice; it then advocates for examining centers of familiarity with competing notions to improve the ethical and pragmatic outcomes of school eadership for social justice.

scholarly journals The centrality of ethical leadership

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa C. Ehrich ◽  
Jessica Harris ◽  
Val Klenowski ◽  
Judy Smeed ◽  
Nerida Spina
Keyword(s):  
School Leadership ◽  
Ethical Leadership ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Small Body ◽  
Ethical Framework ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Use Of Data

Purpose – The central argument in this paper is that ethical school leadership is imperative in a context of increasing performance-driven accountability. The purpose of this paper is to focus on school principals’ perceptions of how they understand ethical leadership and how they lead the ethical use of data. Design/methodology/approach – This study utilises semi-structured interviews with six state school principals (one primary and six secondary) to explore their perceptions of ethical leadership practices; and how they balance current competing accountabilities in a context of performance-driven accountability. Findings – There were four key findings. First, principals used data to inform and direct their practices and their conversations with teachers. Second, while ethics was a central consideration in how principals’ led, practising in an ethical manner was identified as complex and challenging in the current context. Third, Starratt’s (1996) ethical framework proved to be relevant for interpreting principals’ practices. Finally, all of the principals referred to dilemmas they faced as a result of competing priorities and all used a variety of strategies to deal with these dilemmas. Originality/value – While there is a small body of research that explores school leaders’ understandings of ethical tensions and dilemmas, there is little research that has focused on school leaders’ understandings of the ethical use of data. This study, then, contributes to this area as it provides a discussion on school principals’ leadership practices in the current climate driven by data use.

Principals’ views on continuing professional development programmes: Evidence from Malaysia

2021 ◽  
pp. 174114322198895
Author(s):  
Lokman Mohd Tahir ◽  
Mohammed Berhandden Musah ◽  
Mohd Fadzli Ali ◽  
Abdul Halim Abdullah ◽  
Mohd Hilmi Hamzah
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Leadership Development ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Development Programme ◽  
Effective School ◽  
Knowledge And Skills

This study reports on the professional development and school leadership programmes requested by principals in Malaysian schools. A total of 557 principals provided feedback on their preferred school leadership and professional development programmes which they believed as essential to be effective school leaders. Based on their feedback, mentoring was named the most needed leadership development programme as it allowed access to the guidance, knowledge and skills of senior principals. As for school leadership courses mentioned by school principals, financial management was considered as most useful. The study concludes by recommending suggestions to improve principals’ professional development programmes in Malaysia.

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