Challenges and Dilemmas for Women in Educational Leadership

7/27/2019 Challenges and Dilemmas for Women in Educational Leadership

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1/10/03 Presentation by Kathryn Brennan

Challenges and dilemmas for women in educational leadership.




NSW secondary principals by

gender 1989-2000

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Female

Male

EEO Goal




NSW primary (PP1) principals by

gender 1998-2000

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1998 1999 2000

Female

Male

EEO Goal




NSW secondary principals by

gender - a half century view

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1949 1979 1989 1999

Female

Male




To reinstate

women’s presencein the past provides

for women’s voicesand actions in the

present.(Blackmore, 1999, p.23)

Women in education and leadership

- a socio-historical perspective




Organisational challenge…

Please Sir, what is effective

leadership?

Androcentrism „aviewing of the world

and shaping realitythrough a mlae lens[one in which] theexperiences of men

and womeneducators areassumed the same‟(Hall, 1997)


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/challenges-and-dilemmas-for-women-in-educational-leadership 7/311/10/03 Presentation by Kathryn Brennan

“To be a women in a masculinist culture is

to be a source of mystery and

unmeasurability for men” (Butler, 1990)

For women, thestudy and practiceof educationalleadership andadministration isconfronting andexclusionary.

… women depictedas an homogeneousgroup.

The literature,populist media andseminars presentedin the „masculine‟.

Tokenistic inclusioneg.chapter in a book

Role modelling rare-keynote presenters



„Listening to the Past‟, a

gendered heritage „a pedagogy of the feminine‟

„...cult of domesticity‟

„teacher as mother‟

„technology of the masculine‟

„paternalistic masculism‟

regulations institutionalised maleadvantage

„pink ghetto‟

The 1932 Married Women’s Act

„petticoat power‟

„the stud book‟



Irrational fear of male bureaucrats …

the feminisation of teaching! “No country should pride itself on it educational system if

the teaching profession has become predominantly a worldof women”

“[teaching]… too important and honourable a calling to driftinto becoming mere women‟s work”.

“…are an ineffectual and unspectacular lot… classroomstyle… lacks the political punch… and „macho‟ deemednecessary for the proper and more rounded development

of young boys”. “[don‟t worry] I‟m not going to send a person in petticoats

to supervise your work!”

Significant threads - discourses of „male anxiety‟ and „male

backlash‟, latter claiming men are victims of feminism



Research reveals a life and career

struggle Personal experiences of encountering the

invisible barrier- the „glass ceiling‟

Sexism remains a major barrier including

issues of: *status *power *control*asymmetrical relationships between thesexes *structural impediments; which actagainst women fulfilling their potential

Victims of role fatigue - insiders(managers) & outsiders (women) … agendered „eduscape‟

Burnout levels higher for women than for men, however women proactive, positive



The mythology - a proliferation of

myths and tales

Stereotypes or „gender

schema‟

Socialisation factors Gender barriers (formal and

informal)

Tension of personal/professional dichotomy



Becoming the first female

head in the school‟s history...

…‟a man‟s territory‟

… scrutiny, rumour andcuriosity

…‟burden of proof‟

… a token woman?

...„Who‟s in charge?‟

… power & authority

… webs of support




Women bosses! Macquarie Dictionary definition of „boss‟-to be master of or over…control...

She stole what wasmine

Who does she thinkshe is?

She slept her way tothe top

There will be tears! Reminds me of my

mother

She isn‟t married you

know (ie. isn‟t a real

woman)

Now she‟ll appoint her

own

She wouldn‟t know a

management strategy

even if she had a recipe




Research studies have consistently found

that women principals: Over-representation of women in

school improvement data

Enact educational leadership as an

androgynous activity

Transform the cultures of the schoolsthey lead...a more humane andinclusive workplace

Have a * strong motivationalorientation *sense of mission*passion for excellence in teachingand leadership.




Reflection…leading a learning community




Pre-conditions constructing leadership -

social and values systems (Limerick & Cranston)

Traditional Framework

Low trust

Do the right thing

Power over others

Individualism - „me‟ focus

Leadership & work;

different systems of action

En/gendered Framework

High trust

Do the good thing

Power with others Equity, social justice -

„us‟ focus

Leadership patternsare part of life stream(balanced lives)




Leadership-In-ProcessChanging times demand different leadership(Limerick & Cranston)

Traditional Framework A game-kill or be killed

Competition

Win at all costs Main objective is to win

Work with few people-followspan of control

High control to produce

desired outcomes Power, decision-making in

the hands of a few

Paper warfare

En/gendered Framework Real life and laughter - live and

help live

Collaboration

Equity, social justice

Main objective is goalachievement

Work with many people-followthe work flow

Sharing encourages bestpractice

Power, decision-makingdevolved

Social sustainability




Developing leadership capability that ‘ combination of

attributes, qualities,

skills and knowledgethat enables a personto perform to a high

standard in a givencontext and role‟ Change Matters: Making a Difference in

Education and Training. (Scott, 1999:200)




Capability items rated highest on

importance by females 42: Having a clear, justified vision of where the

school must head (4.89) (T&D focus 3.34) *7

4: Being able to remain calm under pressure(4.88) (T&D focus 2.69)*1

7: Wanting to achieve the best outcomepossible (4.87) (T&D focus 3.45)*10

12: Being able to bounce back from adversity

(4.85) (T&D focus 2.59) 11: Having a sense of humour and being able to

keep work in perspective (4.84) (T&D focus 2.77)*3




Capability items rated highest on

importance by females (continued)

9: An ability to make a hard decision (4.83) (T&Dfocus 2.56)*10

19: Being able to motivate others to achievegreat things (4.81) (T&D focus 2.88)

22: Being able to deal effectively with conflictsituations (4.79) (T&D focus 2.98)*4

30: Being able to set and justify priorities (4.79)

(T&D focus 3.37)*9

44: Knowing how to effectively identify anddisseminate good practise across the school(4.77) (T&D focus 2.89)




Keeping principal development programs

relevant (female rankings on importance)

54: Ensure that teaching staff running these programs have currentworkplace experience (4.81) (T&D focus 2.39)*1

53: Ensure that all principal development programs model the key

attributes identified as being important in this research (4.76) (T&Dfocus 1.90)*4

46: Focus more directly on the capabilities identified as beingimportant as a result of this survey (4.65) (T&D focus 2.09)*7

49: Use effective principals more consistently as a learningresource in these programs (4.64) (T&D focus 2.61)*2

47: Use real life work problems identified by effective principals as akey resource for learning (4.62) (T&D focus 2.16)*3

55: Make assessment more real-world and problem based and lessfocused on memorising factual material (4.55) (T&D focus 2.12)*5




If only I had a brain… Intellectual capabilities

for leadership

Way of thinking

Diagnostic mapping




If only I had a heart… Emotional capabilities for

leadership

• Self-awareness• Social-awareness

• Self-management

•

Relationship-management




EI Capability items rated in TOP 10

on importance (ALL) Being able to remain calm under pressure

Having a sense of humour and being able to keep workin perspective

Being able to deal effectively with conflict situations

Wanting to achieve the best outcome possible

Being able to bounce back from adversity

The ability to empathise & work with people from a widevariety of backgrounds

An ability to make a hard decision A willingness to listen to different points of view before

coming to a decision… (8 of the10!)




If only I had courage… Courage in leadership…

School leaders need to thrive not just survive!

A gender inclusive process of self-directed learning for schoolleaders, remembering that:

People who successfully

change in sustainable wayscycle through five stages of discovery (Boyatzis)




1. My ideal self:

Who do I want to be?

2. My real self: Who am I?

My strengths: Where my ideal

and real self overlap

My gaps:Where my ideal

And real self differ 3. My learning agenda:

Building on my strengths

While reducing my gaps

5.Developing trusting

Relationships that help,Support, and encourage

each step in the process

4. Experimenting with new

Behaviour, thoughts

and feelings

Practicing the new

behaviour,building new

neural pathways




Somewhere over the rainbow… „Inclusiveness, equity, social justice, ethical

practice and excellence‟ embedded in practice

EEO policy penetrates practice

Potential recognised; early opportunities provided

Educational leadership is as an androgynousactivity; women are empowered to transform thecultures of the schools they lead

Recognition of how female experiences and needsdiffer from male colleagues; a focus for targeted

leadership development programs Women are collectively inspired by a principal

collegiate that is valued, supported, sustained anddeveloped by the system they serve

Proactive generational leadership is evident,

inclusive of mentoring and peer coaching




10 Leadership Principles: a gender inclusive

framework for developing school leaders (Brennan 2003)

C apability: a combination of attributes, qualities, skillsand knowledge.

A mbiguous: the uncertain and constantly changing

must be negotiated effectively. P assionate: purpose,energy,courage, inspire others,

creative, build teams, self-aware.

A djust leadership style: depending on the situation,

effecting climate and performance. B alance: the professional and personal, building

resilience and wellbeing.




10 Leadership Principles: a gender inclusive

framework for developing school leaders (Brennan 2003)

I ntegrated: centred, drawing on a full range of competencies-emotional (EQ), intellectual (IQ),behavioural and social (whole person).

L earners: recognising all capabilities are learnable.I CT savvy: optimises this convenient tool for

professional learning and interactive networking.

T rust: loyalty, respect and commitment developed

through openness and honesty; integrity in action;Y esterday, today and tomorrow: reflect on the past,

lead in the present, project into the future.




Dare to dream… Building on the momentum of the

past decade, we need to moveforward together, with courageand purpose, valuing our unique life and professionalexperience, personal qualities,feminist stance and female

perspectives.Remembering that we can and do

make a difference

an yo



1/10/03 P t ti b K th B

an yo

u

[email protected]

Principal, Bowral High School

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Challenges and Dilemmas for Women in Educational Leadership

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