ERIC Number: EJ1361117
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023-Jan
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0892-0206
EISSN: EISSN-1741-9883
Learning from the Flight of the Geese: The Life Stories of Two Female Principals Who Lead in Vulnerable Contexts
González, Cristina Cruz; Rodríguez, Carmen Lucena; Segovia, Jesús Domingo
Management in Education, v37 n1 p25-36 Jan 2023
This study describes the life story of two female principals who carry out their work in particularly challenging schools in the Spanish educational context. This work is part of two larger international (ISSPP) and national research projects that aim to study the professional identity of school leaders. In this case, our objective was to analyse the construction of a leadership identity when faced with the challenges of working in a difficult school context, and to identify the main strategies adopted to achieve educational improvement in such adverse situations. The findings reveal that leading with others -- and not over others -- was key to achieving change. Our participating principals developed a style of leadership that is distributed and oriented towards values of social justice in an attempt to eradicate inequality and discrimination in their schools. Being a woman was also a determining factor in this professional performance. Learning from 'the flight of the geese' was the essence of these professional stories, facing challenges with professional values of empathy, active listening, companionship, and commitment. Finally, we discuss the implications of this work for future research and professional practice.
Descriptors: Principals, Women Administrators, Biographies, Instructional Leadership, Professional Identity, Social Justice, Equal Education, Foreign Countries, Educational Improvement, Leadership Styles, Educational Discrimination, Empathy, Listening Skills, Collegiality, Motivation, School Administration
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2993
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Spain
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A