Pub Date : 2022-05-27DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2022.2088491
Jonathan Culpin, T. Male
ABSTRACT This paper examines competencies required for leadership of multi-academy trusts (MATs) to identify the learning experiences needed to make the transition to executive leadership (a concept perceived here as having accountability for multi-part organisations). As part of national government(s) drive to reduce the influence and control of local government over state-funded schools in England policies have been enacted, particularly since 2010, to create academies which were directly answerable to the Secretary of State for Education. Formed as a not-for-profit charitable company, each trust is composed of Members who act as guardians of the governance of the organisation, which is then given strategic direction by a Board of Trustees and executive leadership by a CEO. MATs consist of multiple academies, working to a single trust, and are the organisational model preferred by the Department for Education. In this paper MATs are equated to the concept of loosely-coupled organisations, formed of numerous constituent academies and held together much more loosely than a hierarchical structure would tolerate. Leadership competencies encompassed in the centrally National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership (NPQEL) are considered inadequate generally and for the case study MAT explored here, leading the trust to introduce additional expectations of future senior leaders.
{"title":"Examining the competencies required for leadership of multi-academy trusts. Implications for a case study trust","authors":"Jonathan Culpin, T. Male","doi":"10.1080/13632434.2022.2088491","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2022.2088491","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This paper examines competencies required for leadership of multi-academy trusts (MATs) to identify the learning experiences needed to make the transition to executive leadership (a concept perceived here as having accountability for multi-part organisations). As part of national government(s) drive to reduce the influence and control of local government over state-funded schools in England policies have been enacted, particularly since 2010, to create academies which were directly answerable to the Secretary of State for Education. Formed as a not-for-profit charitable company, each trust is composed of Members who act as guardians of the governance of the organisation, which is then given strategic direction by a Board of Trustees and executive leadership by a CEO. MATs consist of multiple academies, working to a single trust, and are the organisational model preferred by the Department for Education. In this paper MATs are equated to the concept of loosely-coupled organisations, formed of numerous constituent academies and held together much more loosely than a hierarchical structure would tolerate. Leadership competencies encompassed in the centrally National Professional Qualification for Executive Leadership (NPQEL) are considered inadequate generally and for the case study MAT explored here, leading the trust to introduce additional expectations of future senior leaders.","PeriodicalId":47255,"journal":{"name":"School Leadership & Management","volume":"55 1","pages":"293 - 308"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2022-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87045700","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-05-27DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2022.2097467
A. Harris, Michelle Jones
In many countries, the idea of an All-Through school is relatively unfamiliar, as schooling tends to follow the traditional division between primary/elementary schools and secondary/high schools. Yet in some education systems, the notion of All-Through schooling is gaining momentum for a wide range of reasons, including greater cost efficiencies and the absence of distinct transition phases which can be disruptive for students (Symonds 2015). Being able to achieve greater cost effectiveness through the sharing of resources in a variety of ways is a perceived strength of an All-Through school. Undoubtedly, there are economies of scale that can be achieved through combining phases and resources i.e. the provision of staff facilities, catering, repair and maintenance, health and safety, etc. Essentially, All-Through or All-Age schools, as they are called in some systems, combine at least primary and secondary stages of education, and can also incorporate nursery and sixth forms within a single, overarching institution. This is one school comprising all or multiple phases of education overseen by one governing body. An AllThrough school often occupies a single site or will have joined its previously separate school campuses into one. Working in an All-Through institution provides the unique opportunity to make significant changes to the continuity, progression, and relevance of the curriculum. An All-Through school can also provide opportunities to enhance all aspects of community development, both within and beyond the boundaries of the school. All-Through schooling is a model reflected most clearly in the international-schools sector where combining phases is the established way of working. The literature on international schools concerns itself largely with describing and analysing the structures, processes and practices reflected within international schools. This research base, however, lacks a critical mass of robust empirical studies which makes navigating the literature difficult. While some writers touch upon the leadership of international schools (Cravens 2018), the existing evidence base on this topic is neither extensive nor conclusive. Outside the international-schools sector, this joined-up model of schooling has been adopted by many countries, to different degrees. In Iceland, all schools operate on an All-Through basis and in Spain more All Through schools are currently being established. An All-Through model of schooling is also reflected in England with All-Through Academies (Hodgson 2011) and increasingly, there are growing numbers of All-Age schools in Wales which has prompted two major, contemporary research projects. Most typically, in All-Through schools-
{"title":"Leading All-Through schools – the same or different?","authors":"A. Harris, Michelle Jones","doi":"10.1080/13632434.2022.2097467","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2022.2097467","url":null,"abstract":"In many countries, the idea of an All-Through school is relatively unfamiliar, as schooling tends to follow the traditional division between primary/elementary schools and secondary/high schools. Yet in some education systems, the notion of All-Through schooling is gaining momentum for a wide range of reasons, including greater cost efficiencies and the absence of distinct transition phases which can be disruptive for students (Symonds 2015). Being able to achieve greater cost effectiveness through the sharing of resources in a variety of ways is a perceived strength of an All-Through school. Undoubtedly, there are economies of scale that can be achieved through combining phases and resources i.e. the provision of staff facilities, catering, repair and maintenance, health and safety, etc. Essentially, All-Through or All-Age schools, as they are called in some systems, combine at least primary and secondary stages of education, and can also incorporate nursery and sixth forms within a single, overarching institution. This is one school comprising all or multiple phases of education overseen by one governing body. An AllThrough school often occupies a single site or will have joined its previously separate school campuses into one. Working in an All-Through institution provides the unique opportunity to make significant changes to the continuity, progression, and relevance of the curriculum. An All-Through school can also provide opportunities to enhance all aspects of community development, both within and beyond the boundaries of the school. All-Through schooling is a model reflected most clearly in the international-schools sector where combining phases is the established way of working. The literature on international schools concerns itself largely with describing and analysing the structures, processes and practices reflected within international schools. This research base, however, lacks a critical mass of robust empirical studies which makes navigating the literature difficult. While some writers touch upon the leadership of international schools (Cravens 2018), the existing evidence base on this topic is neither extensive nor conclusive. Outside the international-schools sector, this joined-up model of schooling has been adopted by many countries, to different degrees. In Iceland, all schools operate on an All-Through basis and in Spain more All Through schools are currently being established. An All-Through model of schooling is also reflected in England with All-Through Academies (Hodgson 2011) and increasingly, there are growing numbers of All-Age schools in Wales which has prompted two major, contemporary research projects. Most typically, in All-Through schools-","PeriodicalId":47255,"journal":{"name":"School Leadership & Management","volume":"16 1","pages":"231 - 234"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2022-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87549819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-05-27DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2022.2088490
Natalie Smith, Edwin Darrell de Klerk
ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new opportunities to tap into teachers’ own reservoirs of experiences and knowledge to develop them as teacher leaders, while minimising the potential for conflict with their colleagues and reducing confusion about their responsibilities. In this article, we describe some key themes identified and lessons learned from teachers and SMTs with respect to their experiences about teacher leadership during the pandemic. Having employed deconstruction as qualitative methodology and transformative learning as theory, this single case study assisted us to take-apart education policy texts as well as teachers’ and SMTs’ narratives to propose innovative teacher leadership initiatives amid COVID-19. The findings revealed that teacher leaders can be regarded as influencers who empower others by being responsive, open to change and build relationships so that they can inspire others. This aligns with policy stipulations that teachers should continually upgrade their knowledge and adapt their skills to new circumstances. This paper recommends that practices of the self and technologies of power can be deemed significant transformative teacher leadership initiatives for teacher leaders during and beyond the pandemic.
{"title":"Teachers’ perceptions and policy directives for transformative teacher leadership initiatives during and beyond covid-19","authors":"Natalie Smith, Edwin Darrell de Klerk","doi":"10.1080/13632434.2022.2088490","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2022.2088490","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has brought new opportunities to tap into teachers’ own reservoirs of experiences and knowledge to develop them as teacher leaders, while minimising the potential for conflict with their colleagues and reducing confusion about their responsibilities. In this article, we describe some key themes identified and lessons learned from teachers and SMTs with respect to their experiences about teacher leadership during the pandemic. Having employed deconstruction as qualitative methodology and transformative learning as theory, this single case study assisted us to take-apart education policy texts as well as teachers’ and SMTs’ narratives to propose innovative teacher leadership initiatives amid COVID-19. The findings revealed that teacher leaders can be regarded as influencers who empower others by being responsive, open to change and build relationships so that they can inspire others. This aligns with policy stipulations that teachers should continually upgrade their knowledge and adapt their skills to new circumstances. This paper recommends that practices of the self and technologies of power can be deemed significant transformative teacher leadership initiatives for teacher leaders during and beyond the pandemic.","PeriodicalId":47255,"journal":{"name":"School Leadership & Management","volume":"124 1","pages":"275 - 292"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2022-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75686830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-05-19DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2022.2071862
Rebecca Spooner-Lane, Nerida Spina, S. Carrington, M. Kimber, Kate E. Williams
ABSTRACT In Australia, policy makers demand school leaders focus on raising student achievement levels when planning and implementing a school improvement (SI) plan. This paper explores the SI process for two Australian primary schools deemed to be underperforming and underwent a priority school support review (PSSR). In this study, 2 principals and members of their leadership team and 10 teachers across 2 schools were interviewed to explore how they experienced the PSSR process at different stages of the review process. Two assistant regional directors assigned to supporting the two schools during the PSSR process were also interviewed. The findings suggested that initially, school principals wondered how a PSSR would impact the morale of teaching staff already working hard to support student outcomes. However, as the schools progressed through the process, the principals’ perspectives shifted to see the PSSR as a valuable process for building leadership and teacher capacity and improving student outcomes.
{"title":"How school leaders navigate the priority school support review process: an Australian case study","authors":"Rebecca Spooner-Lane, Nerida Spina, S. Carrington, M. Kimber, Kate E. Williams","doi":"10.1080/13632434.2022.2071862","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2022.2071862","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT In Australia, policy makers demand school leaders focus on raising student achievement levels when planning and implementing a school improvement (SI) plan. This paper explores the SI process for two Australian primary schools deemed to be underperforming and underwent a priority school support review (PSSR). In this study, 2 principals and members of their leadership team and 10 teachers across 2 schools were interviewed to explore how they experienced the PSSR process at different stages of the review process. Two assistant regional directors assigned to supporting the two schools during the PSSR process were also interviewed. The findings suggested that initially, school principals wondered how a PSSR would impact the morale of teaching staff already working hard to support student outcomes. However, as the schools progressed through the process, the principals’ perspectives shifted to see the PSSR as a valuable process for building leadership and teacher capacity and improving student outcomes.","PeriodicalId":47255,"journal":{"name":"School Leadership & Management","volume":"44 1","pages":"235 - 255"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2022-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"87752531","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-05-14DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2022.2071863
Vicki Park, Amanda Datnow
ABSTRACT The work of principals has become increasingly challenging and complex, as they are expected to lead school improvement, manage -a host of competing demands, and attend to the needs of diverse stakeholders. However, the emotions related to principals’ work, particularly in relation to educational reform, has been understudied in recent years. This paper investigates the emotional dimensions of principals’ work with respect to school improvement and change, and how the people, practices, policies, and patterns in their school contexts intersect with their emotions and actions. Analyzing 42 interviews with 19 U.S. principals engaged in reform, we explain how managing change and teacher staffing and collaboration were particularly emotional processes for principals. Principals acted as mediators and managers of the emotional climate of their schools while also processing their own emotions. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
{"title":"Principals’ emotions in school improvement: the role of people, practices, policies, and patterns","authors":"Vicki Park, Amanda Datnow","doi":"10.1080/13632434.2022.2071863","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2022.2071863","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The work of principals has become increasingly challenging and complex, as they are expected to lead school improvement, manage -a host of competing demands, and attend to the needs of diverse stakeholders. However, the emotions related to principals’ work, particularly in relation to educational reform, has been understudied in recent years. This paper investigates the emotional dimensions of principals’ work with respect to school improvement and change, and how the people, practices, policies, and patterns in their school contexts intersect with their emotions and actions. Analyzing 42 interviews with 19 U.S. principals engaged in reform, we explain how managing change and teacher staffing and collaboration were particularly emotional processes for principals. Principals acted as mediators and managers of the emotional climate of their schools while also processing their own emotions. Implications for research and practice are discussed.","PeriodicalId":47255,"journal":{"name":"School Leadership & Management","volume":"122 1","pages":"256 - 274"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2022-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88256565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-15DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2022.2064626
A. Harris, Michelle Jones
More than two years on from the start of the pandemic, most education systems are still coping with the substantial effects of COVID 19. In some countries, schools remain closed and in others, schools are open but barely managing as the virus continues to take its toll on staff and students. Whichever way you look at it, COVID 19 is not leaving any time soon which means ongoing disruption to education and the learning of young people. One thing is certain, the world has shifted on its axis in a way that has fundamentally and radically changed education. Hybrid learning is now prevalent, and technology has become essential for continuous learning to take place. In many ways, education has been re-defined in this pandemic as an experience where the personal connection between teachers and students has been interrupted. Despite the dominant discourse around ‘learning loss’ which is unquestionably real and important, it is also essential to recognise that new learning happened during the height of the pandemic. Educators and students learned to be flexible, resilient, and adaptable. Those in leadership roles learned to connect with their colleagues and stakeholders remotely, to lead differently in the crisis and above all, to ensure learning and teaching continued. Parents and carers learned to support learning in the home, while juggling their many other responsibilities. Yet, despite a return to a certain degree of normality, the pressures on school leaders and their staff remain relentless and acute. All those working in schools are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic day by day, week by week, month by month. The continuous pressure on school leaders has resulted in high numbers choosing to leave the profession and a raft of unfilled vacancies for headship.
{"title":"Leading during a pandemic – what the evidence tells us","authors":"A. Harris, Michelle Jones","doi":"10.1080/13632434.2022.2064626","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2022.2064626","url":null,"abstract":"More than two years on from the start of the pandemic, most education systems are still coping with the substantial effects of COVID 19. In some countries, schools remain closed and in others, schools are open but barely managing as the virus continues to take its toll on staff and students. Whichever way you look at it, COVID 19 is not leaving any time soon which means ongoing disruption to education and the learning of young people. One thing is certain, the world has shifted on its axis in a way that has fundamentally and radically changed education. Hybrid learning is now prevalent, and technology has become essential for continuous learning to take place. In many ways, education has been re-defined in this pandemic as an experience where the personal connection between teachers and students has been interrupted. Despite the dominant discourse around ‘learning loss’ which is unquestionably real and important, it is also essential to recognise that new learning happened during the height of the pandemic. Educators and students learned to be flexible, resilient, and adaptable. Those in leadership roles learned to connect with their colleagues and stakeholders remotely, to lead differently in the crisis and above all, to ensure learning and teaching continued. Parents and carers learned to support learning in the home, while juggling their many other responsibilities. Yet, despite a return to a certain degree of normality, the pressures on school leaders and their staff remain relentless and acute. All those working in schools are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic day by day, week by week, month by month. The continuous pressure on school leaders has resulted in high numbers choosing to leave the profession and a raft of unfilled vacancies for headship.","PeriodicalId":47255,"journal":{"name":"School Leadership & Management","volume":"2015 1","pages":"105 - 109"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2022-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86945581","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-15DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2021.2016684
J. Heystek
ABSTRACT The article explored the characteristics of principals as leaders in schools in deprived socio-economic contexts in South Africa. The qualitative research was conducted in four provinces; four schools per province were purposefully sampled, and in each school, individual interviews were conducted with the principal, one member of the school management team, one senior teacher and a focus group with grade 12 learners. The research concluded that leadership characteristics such as motivation and creating a vision are important. Many principals were described as strict but they were taking care of specifically the learners in very difficult situations and that makes the difference that the schools in difficult socio-economic contexts are also able to perform. Principals are able to lead schools to improve the academic results by focusing on a people-orientated leadership approach with strong relationships between leaders and followers and intrinsic motivation as the key factors.
{"title":"Leadership in the eye of the beholder: stakeholder’s perspectives on principals as leaders improving schools in challenging contexts in South Africa","authors":"J. Heystek","doi":"10.1080/13632434.2021.2016684","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2021.2016684","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The article explored the characteristics of principals as leaders in schools in deprived socio-economic contexts in South Africa. The qualitative research was conducted in four provinces; four schools per province were purposefully sampled, and in each school, individual interviews were conducted with the principal, one member of the school management team, one senior teacher and a focus group with grade 12 learners. The research concluded that leadership characteristics such as motivation and creating a vision are important. Many principals were described as strict but they were taking care of specifically the learners in very difficult situations and that makes the difference that the schools in difficult socio-economic contexts are also able to perform. Principals are able to lead schools to improve the academic results by focusing on a people-orientated leadership approach with strong relationships between leaders and followers and intrinsic motivation as the key factors.","PeriodicalId":47255,"journal":{"name":"School Leadership & Management","volume":"3 1","pages":"126 - 150"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2022-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81910541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-15DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2022.2047638
Freddy James, Alicia Massiah, Lee-ann Pierre, Charmaine Richardson, Janine Williams
ABSTRACT The current study investigated how Caribbean teachers are leading remote teaching as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic and their preparedness to return to face-to-face teaching. A qualitative interpretive approach was used. Data were collected using an online survey. The findings show that in transitioning from face-to-face to remote teaching, most participants needed access to free resources and tools and professional learning to deliver the curriculum remotely. Additionally, their workload increased while working remotely, since some had to supervise their children’s remote learning while they grappled with remote teaching. Teachers felt they had minimal direction and support from the Ministries of Education and their schools’ administration. Some teachers had difficulty accessing and communicating with students who had connectivity issues. Nevertheless, the majority of teachers had internet access and a space to work remotely at home. In terms of preparedness to return to the face-to-face school setting, the primary concern of participants was about their health and safety and the fear of being exposed to the COVID-19 virus at their schools. The researchers conclude that to facilitate a successful return to the physical classrooms, schools will require proper implementation of safety measures, regular communication among all stakeholders and social emotional support.
{"title":"Leading classroom instruction during the COVID-19 Pandemic and preparation for face-to-face reopening: Caribbean teachers’ experiences","authors":"Freddy James, Alicia Massiah, Lee-ann Pierre, Charmaine Richardson, Janine Williams","doi":"10.1080/13632434.2022.2047638","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2022.2047638","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The current study investigated how Caribbean teachers are leading remote teaching as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic and their preparedness to return to face-to-face teaching. A qualitative interpretive approach was used. Data were collected using an online survey. The findings show that in transitioning from face-to-face to remote teaching, most participants needed access to free resources and tools and professional learning to deliver the curriculum remotely. Additionally, their workload increased while working remotely, since some had to supervise their children’s remote learning while they grappled with remote teaching. Teachers felt they had minimal direction and support from the Ministries of Education and their schools’ administration. Some teachers had difficulty accessing and communicating with students who had connectivity issues. Nevertheless, the majority of teachers had internet access and a space to work remotely at home. In terms of preparedness to return to the face-to-face school setting, the primary concern of participants was about their health and safety and the fear of being exposed to the COVID-19 virus at their schools. The researchers conclude that to facilitate a successful return to the physical classrooms, schools will require proper implementation of safety measures, regular communication among all stakeholders and social emotional support.","PeriodicalId":47255,"journal":{"name":"School Leadership & Management","volume":"6 1","pages":"208 - 229"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2022-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83156978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-03-02DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2022.2045268
N. Sum
ABSTRACT As COVID-19 unfurled around the world in early 2020, it triggered volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) for school leaders. This study explores the experiences of four school leaders, working in inner Melbourne, Australia, through a VUCA lens, and identifies their perceptions of such contextual disruption. Data were collected through focus group meetings over the initial phase of the pandemic in 2020. Findings illustrate the ways in which the school leaders perceived changes to their role and relationships, alongside their experiences of reprioritising approaches to their work and wellbeing. From the findings, implications are discussed for leadership preparation programmes, the rebalancing of ongoing professional learning for leaders and the need to resource and support school leaders’ wellbeing through and beyond this challenge as they negotiate the ‘new normal’. This case study is an empirical contribution to the collective effort of scholars immersed in the discourse of school leadership generated in this critical time and context.
{"title":"School leaders' perceptions of their roles during the pandemic: an Australian case study exploring volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA leadership)","authors":"N. Sum","doi":"10.1080/13632434.2022.2045268","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2022.2045268","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT As COVID-19 unfurled around the world in early 2020, it triggered volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA) for school leaders. This study explores the experiences of four school leaders, working in inner Melbourne, Australia, through a VUCA lens, and identifies their perceptions of such contextual disruption. Data were collected through focus group meetings over the initial phase of the pandemic in 2020. Findings illustrate the ways in which the school leaders perceived changes to their role and relationships, alongside their experiences of reprioritising approaches to their work and wellbeing. From the findings, implications are discussed for leadership preparation programmes, the rebalancing of ongoing professional learning for leaders and the need to resource and support school leaders’ wellbeing through and beyond this challenge as they negotiate the ‘new normal’. This case study is an empirical contribution to the collective effort of scholars immersed in the discourse of school leadership generated in this critical time and context.","PeriodicalId":47255,"journal":{"name":"School Leadership & Management","volume":"2011 1","pages":"188 - 207"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2022-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86344047","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2022-02-06DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2021.2016683
J. Burke, Paula Kinnarney, Maija Salokangas
ABSTRACT Stress is an inevitable part of school leadership. However, little is known about the main causes of school leaders’ stress in Ireland, and their association with workplace wellbeing and leaders’ daily responsibilities. The current paper aimed to address this gap. A cross-sectional, mixed-methods design survey was conducted with 267 school leaders in the Republic of Ireland, the majority of whom were at least 5 years in their role. The qualitative results demonstrated that three main issues causing leaders stress were (1) relational issues, (2) systemic issues relating to the external pressures, and (3) systemic issues relating to their daily responsibilities. A further, multiple regression identified that 29% of the variance in leaders’ stress was explained by daily responsibilities with two, in particular, predicting their higher stress levels (1) employee relations (beta = .24), and (2) new teacher or substitute teacher appointments (beta = .22). Finally, 25% of the variance in leaders’ stress was explained by work-related wellbeing, in particular, four factors predicted leaders’ stress levels (1) perceiving their work as meaningful, (2) high levels of physical health, (3) high levels of positive affect, and (4) low levels of negative affect. The implications of the study are discussed along with the recommendations for future research.
{"title":"‘Split in all directions’: an exploration of the impact of wellbeing and daily responsibilities on post-primary school leaders’ perceived stress","authors":"J. Burke, Paula Kinnarney, Maija Salokangas","doi":"10.1080/13632434.2021.2016683","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2021.2016683","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Stress is an inevitable part of school leadership. However, little is known about the main causes of school leaders’ stress in Ireland, and their association with workplace wellbeing and leaders’ daily responsibilities. The current paper aimed to address this gap. A cross-sectional, mixed-methods design survey was conducted with 267 school leaders in the Republic of Ireland, the majority of whom were at least 5 years in their role. The qualitative results demonstrated that three main issues causing leaders stress were (1) relational issues, (2) systemic issues relating to the external pressures, and (3) systemic issues relating to their daily responsibilities. A further, multiple regression identified that 29% of the variance in leaders’ stress was explained by daily responsibilities with two, in particular, predicting their higher stress levels (1) employee relations (beta = .24), and (2) new teacher or substitute teacher appointments (beta = .22). Finally, 25% of the variance in leaders’ stress was explained by work-related wellbeing, in particular, four factors predicted leaders’ stress levels (1) perceiving their work as meaningful, (2) high levels of physical health, (3) high levels of positive affect, and (4) low levels of negative affect. The implications of the study are discussed along with the recommendations for future research.","PeriodicalId":47255,"journal":{"name":"School Leadership & Management","volume":"18 1","pages":"110 - 125"},"PeriodicalIF":5.2,"publicationDate":"2022-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86026119","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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