scholarly journals Becoming skillful leaders: American school principals’ transformative learning

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 353-378
Author(s):  
Taeyeon Kim
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Transformative Learning ◽  
Principal Leadership ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
The United States ◽  
Multiple Dimensions ◽  
Dimensions Of Learning ◽  
Actual Change

In this study, I explore how school principals experience transformative learning in relation to leadership development and how these experiences influence their leadership practices and perceptions. Transformative learning is critical for school leaders because it can lead to meaningful learning that qualitatively changes their leadership practices. Assuming that personally significant incidents are important for transformative learning, I analyzed qualitative data collected from 12 school principals in the United States. Analysis revealed that with these transformative learning experiences, school principals established strong foundations of leadership assumptions and strategies by changing and expanding their views of themselves and others. My findings suggest that education for principal leadership development should provide opportunities to explore multiple dimensions of learning, how relationships and school contexts influence leadership decision making, and how principals perceive themselves as leaders. This study contributes to a more dynamic understanding of how school leaders make actual change in their leadership practices.

Learning to Transform Through Interplay Between the Confucian and Western Cultural Heritages: A Case Study of School Leadership Development in Beijing, China

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haijun Kang ◽  
Qi Sun ◽  
Lei Lyu
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Development Program ◽  
Local School ◽  
School Leadership Development ◽  
School Leadership Practices ◽  
Beijing China

Taking a case study approach and utilizing Hoggan’s transformative learning (TL) typology and criteria as a framework, we examined the self-reported TL experiences of 12 local school leaders in Beijing, China. These local school leaders gained cross-cultural learning from a school leadership development program that was designed to prepare school leaders for education internationalization. Our data analysis indicated that these 12 local school leaders had experienced significant changes in their educational epistemology, self-identity, and school leadership practices. Further examining these changes at the intersection of the Confucian and Western cultural heritages, we discovered that these school leaders had developed an integrated approach to education, started to consciously reflect on what their social- and self-identities entail, and began the process of transitioning from conservative to appreciative school leadership practices.

scholarly journals Developing Leadership Capacity in Others: An Examination of High School Principals' Personal Capacities for Fostering Leadership

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Shawn Huggins
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Leadership Development ◽  
High School Principals ◽  
School Principals ◽  
Educational Leaders ◽  
The United States ◽  
Leadership Capacity ◽  
Professional Networks ◽  
Informal Leaders

In this multisite case study, we examine the personal capacities of six high school principals who have developed the leadership capacities of other leaders in their respective schools. Participants were purposefully selected by two teams of researchers in two states of the United States, one on the east coast and one on the west coast, who engaged their professional networks of current and former educational leaders to obtain recommendations of high school principals known to develop the leadership capacities of formal and informal leaders in their schools. The findings indicate that the principals possessed a strong commitment to developing leadership capacity, understood leadership development as a process and tolerated risk. This study adds to the rapidly growing corpus of literature focused on distributed leaders by illustrating the complexities of developing leadership capacity in an attempt to increase organizational leadership capacity, and by highlighting the relevant characteristics of principals who have intentionally sought to do so.

The Dark Side

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 376-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Armitage
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Human Resource Development ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
Dark Side ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Business Managers ◽  
Toxic Leadership ◽  
Leadership Development Programs ◽  
Reflexive Practice ◽  
Actual Change

The Problem Morgan explored in her book What Poetry Brings to Business the deep but unexpected connections between business and poetry. She demonstrated how the creative energy, emotional power, and communicative complexity of poetry relate directly to the practical needs for innovation and problem solving that face business managers, and how poetry can unpack complexity, together with the ability to empathize with, and better understand the thoughts and feelings of others. This, it can be argued, not only aids the creative process of individuals, but it can also help facilitate the entrepreneurial culture of an organization, develop imaginative solutions, and help better understand chaotic environments. However, despite Morgan’s welcomed addition, it still remains that there is still a dearth of literature of the use of poetry concerning toxic leadership practices. The Solution According to Roebuck, reflexive practice can be described as a process of inquiry that facilities appreciation and understanding of contextualized views, deeper learning experiences, the development of ideas, and the conditions for actual change. Therefore, if organizations are not to objectify the creativity of those who aspire to be organizational leaders, then leadership development programs have to give voice to those who own organizational problems and their solution. Examples of organizational poetry will be presented to show how it can be used to unlock personal experiences and relationships within the context of working life. It will be argued that if stories are to represent reality as lived by those who report them, then poetry provides an alternative method of enquiry to inform contemporary leadership practices. The Stakeholders Poetry empowers individuals to internalize stories that carefully attend to context and settings to offer fresh perspectives on established truths, thus providing a way to explore hidden worlds that might often go unsaid in the milieu of normal conversation. As such, this article is aimed at those who need to develop an alternative paradigm for leadership and Human Resource Development (HRD) educational programs and want to adopt a more open dialogical approach to human relations within classroom settings and practice.

scholarly journals “Constant Communication”: Rural Principals' Leadership Practices During a Global Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonya D. Hayes ◽  
Jamon Flowers ◽  
Sheneka M. Williams
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
School Principals ◽  
The United States ◽  
Rural School ◽  
School Buildings ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Leadership Frame ◽  
Rural Principals

Rural school leaders are met with serious challenges and opportunities to lead rural schools in times of normalcy, but these challenges are amplified during a crisis. Rural school principals in the United States faced an unprecedented crisis when school buildings closed in spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The measure of rural school principals and their response to this crisis is exemplified through their leadership practices. Through qualitative methods, we examined the leadership practices of rural principals through the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine, and we found that rural principals exhibit the practices of caretaker leadership. From the findings, we used a meta-leadership frame to discuss the caretaker leadership practices of rural school principals.

Preparation Programs for School Leaders

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce G. Barnett ◽  
Nathern S.A. Okilwa
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Leadership Development ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Leadership Preparation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cultural Norms ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Norms And Values

For over 50 years, school leadership preparation and development has been a priority in the United States; however, since the turn of the century, school systems, universities, and professional associations around the world have become more interested in developing programs to prepare aspiring school leaders and support newly appointed and experienced principals. This increased global attention to leadership development has arisen because public or government school leaders are being held accountable for improving student learning outcomes for an increasingly diverse set of learners. Because school leadership studies have been dominated by American researchers, global program providers tend to rely on Western perspectives, concepts, and theories, which may not accurately reflect local and national cultural norms and values. As such, calls for expanding research studies in non-Western societies are increasing. Despite relying on Western-based leadership concepts, leadership preparation programs outside the United States differ substantially. Cultural norms and values, infrastructure support, and social and economic conditions influence the availability and types of programs afforded to aspiring and practicing school leaders. As a result, there is a continuum of leadership development systems that range from: (a) mandatory, highly regulated, and well-resourced comprehensive programs for preservice qualification, induction for newly appointed principals, and in-service for practicing school leaders to (b) non-mandatory, minimally regulated, and moderately resourced programs to determine eligibility for positions and induction to the role to (c) non-mandatory, poorly regulated, and under-resourced programs, which are offered infrequently, require long distance travel, and participants costs are not covered.

Implementing the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) in a challenging context

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 604-613
Author(s):  
Leentjie Van Jaarsveld ◽  
P.J. (Kobus) Mentz ◽  
Suria Ellis
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Styles ◽  
School Performance ◽  
Leadership Style ◽  
Principal Leadership ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multifactor Leadership ◽  
Principal Leadership Style

Purpose An emphasis on school performance is not just a national issue, but must be examined within the global context. Successful leadership is ensured by school leaders’ compliance to a set of basic practices within particular school contexts. The impact of leadership styles on performance, the work environment and job satisfaction is emphasized, while the appropriate leadership style could make teachers more effective in terms of job productivity. The adoption of different leadership styles by school leaders shows positive results with regard to school effectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to describe school leadership styles and the influence the styles have on school performance. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative approach with a post-positive paradigm was followed. A systematic random sample of 72 secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, was selected. The Cronbach’s α coefficient, statistical significance (p-values) and effect size (d-values) were calculated, and a factor analysis was conducted. Findings The results show a difference between teachers and principals regarding the transformational leadership style. The principals in the high-performing schools were perceived as less passive-avoidant in practice than those in the low-performing schools. A principal manages and leads a school effectively by applying an appropriate leadership style. Research limitations/implications For future research, it will be advisable to make use of a mixed-method design. Although the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire addressed numerous aspects of leadership and leadership styles, the “voice” of the respondents lacked. Furthermore, more leadership styles could be investigated in different contexts. Practical implications A chosen principal leadership style is not necessarily the best style for this purpose. School principals and teachers interpret leadership styles differently. Communication is therefore important. Social implications The principal leadership style is not always necessarily the teachers’ and learners’ choice. It is important that schools keep up with a constantly changing world. Originality/value If school principals and teachers agree upon a specific leadership style, there may be better collaboration which enhances better academic performance as well as effectiveness regarding schools.

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.

Leadership for Effective Inclusive Schools: Considerations for Preparation and Reform

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (01) ◽  
pp. 65-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bonnie Billingsley ◽  
David DeMatthews ◽  
Kaylan Connally ◽  
James McLeskey
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Principal Leadership ◽  
Educational Administration ◽  
National Policy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Guidance Document ◽  
Inclusive Schools ◽  
Inclusive School

School leadership is critical to provide students with disabilities with opportunities to learn in inclusive schools. We summarise research about inclusive leadership, outlining factors that promoted and impeded inclusive schools in the United States. Next, we provide an example of a national collaboration between the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center that linked theProfessional Standards for Educational Leaders(PSEL; National Policy Board for Educational Administration, 2015) to a supplemental guidance document, titledPSEL 2015 and Promoting Principal Leadership for the Success of Students With Disabilities. The latter illustrates what effective inclusive school leadership means for each of the 10 PSEL standards, and provides recommendations for improving leadership preparation and policy, including licensure. We also consider possible implications of this work for those in other countries, emphasising the need for widely understood and shared leadership practices and the need to link such practices to initial and ongoing leadership development.

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