Ready or Not: The Experiences of Novice Academic Heads in School Leadership
Abstract
The decision to accept a leadership role will always require reflection and discernment. The power, authority, privileges, and benefits attached to it are enticing, but the duties and responsibilities make a person step back and think about it. When no one else is qualified to lead, tenure and performance become the bases of appointment. Despite lacking the required credentials, particularly educational qualifications, one receives the promotion as academic head because he/she is the most senior among the teachers. This study aims to explore and find out the experiences of novice academic heads in leading and managing their teachers. It identified the challenges and struggles, including their learning experiences and realizations as new academic heads. Using the phenomenological method, seven new learning area heads (less than two years of experience) from a private sectarian school in the National Capital Region, Philippines were observed for six months and interviewed separately. The study found out that the novice academic heads considered paperwork, culture, processes and procedures, expectations of superiors, and supervision of teacher as primary challenges. To handle these challenges, they regularly consulted their supervisors and their former academic leaders mentored some of them. They also engaged themselves in professional and personal development to enhance their leadership competence. Having a succession plan will integrate the induction, leadership, and mentoring programs for future academic heads.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.19.5.5
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Amakyi, M. (2017). Profiles of High School Heads and Readiness to Address Problems of Practice. Journal of Education and Practice, 8, 114-119.
Arrieta, G. S. (2020). A Succession Planning Model for Academic Heads (Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation). Philippine Normal University-Manila.
Bassett, M. (2016). The role of middle leaders in New Zealand secondary schools: Expectations and challenges. Waikato Journal of Education, 21(1), 97-108. https://doi.org/10.15663/wje.v21i1.194
Beam, A., Claxton, R. L., & Smith, S. J. (2016). Challenges for Novice School Leaders: Facing Today’s Issues in School Administration. Educational Leadership and Administration, 27, 145-162.
Best Practices in Succession Planning. (2014). Best Practices in Succession Planning. Hanover Research. Retrieved from: http://www.hanoverresearch.com/media/Best-Practices-in-Succession-Planning.pdf
Board, S. R. E. (2009). Good principals aren’t born—they’re mentored: Are we investing enough to get the school leaders we need? The Wallace Foundation. Retrieved from: https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Documents/Good-Principals-Arent-Born-Theyre-Mentored.pdf
Carter, M. E. (2017). Seniority and Transparency in the Perceived Fairness of Seniority-Based Police Promotion. Minneapolis, US: Walden University.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design 4th edition. Los Angeles: Sage Publications Inc.
Croteau, J., & Wolk, H. (2010). Defining advancement career paths and succession plans: Critical human capital retention strategies for high-performing advancement divisions. International Journal of Educational Advancement, 10, 59–70. https://doi.org/10.1057/ijea.2010.6
De Guzman, A. B., & Guillermo, S. M. L. T. L. (2007). The serendipity of principalship: meaning-making of a Filipino secondary school principal. Asia Pacific Education Review, 8(2), 216–223. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf03029257
Delgado, M. L. (2015). The Appointment of School Heads in Mexican Primary Schools: An Exploratory Study of the System of Promotion. International Journal of Educational Leadership and Management, 3(1), 55-79.
Dorczak, R. (2014). Putting education into educational leadership–the main challenge of contemporary educational leadership. Contemporary Educational Leadership, 1(2), 7-13.
Edwards, P. (2016). The Preparation, Experiences, and Challenges of Novice Principals in Ontario's Small Rural Schools. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from: https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/bitstream/1807/76400/3/Edwards_Peter_201611_EdD_thesis.pdf
Groves, K. S. (2007). Integrating leadership development and succession planning best practices. Journal of Management Development, 26(3). http://doi.org/10.1108/02621710710732146
Gumus, E. (2019). Investigation of Mentorship Process and Programs for Professional Development of School Principals in the U.S.A.: The Case of Georgia. International Journal of Educational Leadership and Management, 7(1), 2-41. http://doi.org/10.17583/ijelm.2019.3718
Hall, B. (2008). Keep the Leadership Pipeline Flowing. Journal of Staff Development, 29(3), 33-34.
Hallinger, P. (2003). Leading Educational Change: Reflections on the Practice of Instructional and Transformational Leadership. Cambridge Journal of ducation, 33(3), 329–352. http://doi.org/10.1080/0305764032000122005
Haroski, S. (2012). The Importance of Succession Planning and Best Practices. Retrieved from: https://www.masc.sc/SiteCollectionDocuments/Human%20Resources/Succession%20Planning.pdf
Hernando-Malipot, M. (2018, June 16). Teacher migration from private to public schools is a problem. Manila Bulletin. Retrieved from: https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/06/16/teacher-migration-from-private-to-public-schools-is-a-problem/
Holloway, J. H. (2004). Mentoring New Leaders. Educational Leadership. Education Leadership, 61(7), 87-88.
Lashway, L. (2003). Inducting school leaders. Eugene, OR: CEPM Clearinghouse on Educational Management. (ERIC Digest 170). Retrieved from: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED479074.pdf
Liang, J., & Augustine-Shaw, D. (2016). Mentoring and induction for new assistant principals: the Kansas Educational Leadership Institute. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 5(3), 221–238. http://doi.org/10.1108/ijmce-05-2016-0044
Llagas, A. T., Corpuz, B. B., & Bilbao, P. P. (2016). Becoming a 21st Century Educational Leader. Lorimar Publishing, Inc.
Pont, B., Nusche, D., & Moorman, H. (2011). Improving School Leadership, Volume 1: Policy and Practice (Lithuanian version). Education Supply Center, Vilnius. http://doi.org/10.1787/9789264167995-lt
Rooney, J. (2008). What new (young) principals need to know. Educational Leadership, 66(1), 84-85.
Schleicher, A. (ed.) (2012). Preparing Teachers and Developing School Leaders for the 21st Century: Lessons from around the World. OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264174559-en
Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Center for Educational Innovation and Technology (SEAMEO INNOTECH). (2014). Success Competencies of Southeast Asian School Heads.
Retrieved from: http://www.seameo-innotech.org/news/success-competencies-of-southeast-asian-school-heads-a-learning-guide/
Spillane, J. P., & Lee, L. C. (2013). Novice School Principals’ Sense of Ultimate Responsibility. Educational Administration Quarterly, 50(3), 431–465. http://doi.org/10.1177/0013161x13505290
Sutherland, I., & Brooks, J. (2013). School leadership in the Philippines: Historical, cultural, and policy dynamics. Collective Efficacy: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on International Leadership (Advances in Educational Administration), 20, 199-213. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-3660(2013)0000020011
Tahir, L., Thakib, M. T. M., Hamzah, M. H., Said, M. N. H. M., & Musah, M. B. (2016). Novice headteachers’ isolation and loneliness experiences. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 45(1), 164–189. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143215587302
Tahir, L., Haruzuan Mohd Said, M. N., Daud, K., Vazhathodi, S. H., & Khan, A. (2015). The benefits of headship mentoring: An analysis of Malaysian novice headteachers perceptions. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 44(3), 420–450. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143214549973
Taylor, T., & McGraw, P. (2004). Succession management practices in Australian organizations. International Journal of Manpower, 25(8), 741–758. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437720410570045
Thody, A., Papanaoum, Z., Johansson, O., & Pashiardis, P. (2007). School principal preparation in Europe. International Journal of Educational Management, 21(1), 37–53. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540710716812
Van Jaarsveld, M., Mentz, P., & Challens, B. (2015). Mentorship for novice principals. Tydskrif Vir Geesteswetenskappe, 55(1), 92–110. https://doi.org/10.17159/2224-7912/2015/v55n1a7
Wang, L. H., Gurr, D., & Drysdale, L. (2016). Successful school leadership: case studies of four Singapore primary schools. Journal of Educational Administration, 54(3), 270–287. https://doi.org/10.1108/jea-03-2015-0022
Watkins, M. D. (2013). What Is Organizational Culture? And Why Should We Care? Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from: https://hbr.org/2013/05/what-is-organizational-culture
West-Burnham, J. (2004). Building leadership capacity: Helping leaders learn. Nottingham: National College of School Leadership.
Winston, J. M. (2017). How To Identify And Prepare Leaders Who Are Reluctant. Forbes Media LLC. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/06/22/how-to-identify-and-prepare-leaders-who-are-reluctant/#12742aae4864
Yaw, W. K. (2017). Investigation on Promotional Criteria Based on Human Resource Practices for Better Organizational Effectiveness. Journal of Contemporary Issues and Thought, 7, 68–78. https://doi.org/10.37134/jcit.vol7.7.2017
Zepeda, S. J., Bengtson, E., & Parylo, O. (2012). Examining the planning and management of principal succession. Journal of Educational Administration, 50(2), 136–158. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578231211210512
Zulieta, N. B., Sudarsana, I. K., Arrieta, G. S., & Ancho, I. (2020). Trends In School Enrollment And Graduation: The Experience Of Educational Management Students In The Graduate School. Jurnal Penjaminan Mutu, 6(1), 88. https://doi.org/10.25078/jpm.v6i1.1302
Refbacks
e-ISSN: 1694-2116
p-ISSN: 1694-2493