The Experience of Female Heads of School › event_info › 295 › Tekakwitha...Women, unlike men,...

Pioneers and Trailblazers The Experience of Female Heads of School

Dr. Tekakwitha M. Pernambuco-Wise

Saturday, 25th January, 2014

PROBLEM

• Traditional path 72%

• Majority teachers

– 66%, 81%, 36%

• Majority administrators

• HOS

– 69%

– 31%

Pernambuco-Wise, CAIS 250114

WHY IMPORTANT?

• Diversity

• Social Justice

• Perceptions of Leadership

• NAIS Prediction

• Informative Results

• Trailblazers


RESEARCH QUESTION • What factors are related to attaining the Head of

School position for women in private-independent, NAIS-member, K-12 schools and for sustaining them in headship? – In a historically male dominated position, what attitudes,

beliefs, practices and behaviours affect the attainment of and sustainment in the Head of School position for females?

– Are factors that affect the attainment of the Head of School position different from or the same as those that affect the sustainment in the position for females?

– From the perspective of the female Head of School, does the headship position appear to be a male constructed one that disadvantages women?


PARTICIPANTS • 19 [27] HOS

– East, New England, Southeast, Southwest, West

• 12 SC (8 firms)

– 8

– 4

– East, Middle Atlantic, Midwest, New England, Southeast, West (15 States)

• Grounded Theory


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DEMOGRAPHICS HOS

16% (3)

42% (8) 26% (5)

16% (3)

Age First Appointment

51-60

41-50

36-40

25-35

5% (1)

16% (3)

79% (15)

Ethnicity

Asian American

African American

European American


DEMOGRAPHICS SCHOOLS

26% (5)

53% (10)

21% (4)

Age Range

Elem

Elem-Sec

Sec


68% (13)

32% (6)

Gender

Co-Ed

All-Girls

5% (1) 11% (2)

11% (2)

73% (14)

Type

Bd

Day-Bd

Bd-Day

Day

NAVIGATING A LABYRINTH


CORE CATEGORIES


Key of Foundation Core Values Leadership from a Young Age Having Presence (S)

Key of Skills Preparation Programmes–Being Trained, Needing Financial Acumen, Having a Variety of Experiences Managing the Board (H)–Partnering with the Board, Governing the Board Being Political (H)–Engaging Constituents Being Visionary–Being Inspirational Being Emotionally Intelligent–Being Relational, Being Collaborative Having Emotional Resilience–A Balancing Act, Competing in a Man’s World, Having Emotional Fortitude

Key of Voice New Girls’ Club (in vivo)–Advocating for and Mentoring Others, Networking Being Influential–Being Presidential (in vivo), Touching Everything (in vivo), Calling It Ego (in vivo) Social Justice (in vivo)–Social Action and Change (in vivo), The Disappearing Woman, Navigating Diversity Meriting the Position (H)–Earned Not Gifted, Being Head-Hunted Living a Life of Integrity (in vivo)–Feeding the Soul (in vivo), Being True to Self, Enjoying Variety (H)

Key of Opportunity Being in the Right Place at the Right Time Paving Your Own Path

Key of Support Having Mentors and Advocates–Pushed Onto the Path, Succession Planning (S) Having Companions–Being Supported at Home, Being Supported at School

NA

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A L

AB

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INTH

(IN

VIV

O)

OF

HEA

DSH

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Doors of: Unspoken Biases (n vivo) Socio-Political Influences (in vivo) Search Committee Composition Needing to Be Over-Prepared Always Being Watched Screening (S) Risky Candidate Insider-hood and Outsider-hood (in vivo) Time is Not on Women’s Side Hired for Struggling Schools Lifestyle versus Job Hyper-Demanding Job (in vivo) Self-Selecting Out Managing Obligations Needing System of Self-Care Continual Learning (H) Being Lonely Power is an Illusion (in vivo)

Changing Times, Changing Position Change is Inevitable, Adaptation is a Choice

NAVIGATING AN EVOLVING LABYRINTH

DOORS


Unspoken Biases Risky Candidate Lifestyle Vs Job Being Lonely

KEYS


Foundation

Skills

Support

Opportunity

Voice

Changing Times, Changing Position

UNSPOKEN BIASES

• Socio-Political Influences

• Search Committee Composition

• Needing to Be Over-Prepared

• Always Being Watched

• Screening (S)


Unspoken Biases Risky Candidate Lifestyle versus Job Being Lonely

RISKY CANDIDATE

• Insider-hood and Outsider-hood

• Time is Not on Women’s Side

• Hired for Struggling Schools



LIFESTYLE VERSUS JOB

• Hyper-Demanding Job

• Self-Selecting Out

• Managing Obligations

• Needing System of Self-Care

• Continual Learning (H)



BEING LONELY

• Power is an Illusion



FOUNDATION

• Core Values

• Leadership from a Young Age

• Having Presence (S)


Foundation Opportunity Skills Voice Support Changing Times

SKILLS • Preparation Programmes – Financial

Acumen, Variety of Experiences

• Managing the Board (H) – Partnering with the Board, Governing the Board

• Being Political (H) – Engaging Constituents

• Being Visionary –Inspirational

• Being Emotionally Intelligent –Relational, Collaborative

• Having Emotional Resilience – Balancing Act, Competing in a Man’s World, Emotional Fortitude



SUPPORT

• Having Mentors and Advocates – Pushed Onto the Path, Succession Planning (S)

• Having Companions –Supported at Home, Supported at School



OPPORTUNITY

• Being in the Right Place at the Right Time

• Paving Your Own Path



VOICE • New Girls’ Club – Advocating for and

Mentoring Others, Networking • Being Influential –Presidential,

Touching Everything • Social Justice – Social Action and

Change, The Disappearing Woman, Navigating Diversity

• Meriting the Position (H) – Earned Not Gifted, Head-Hunted

• Living a Life of Integrity – Feeding the Soul, Being True to Self, Enjoying Variety (H) Pernambuco-Wise, CAIS 250114


CHANGING TIMES, CHANGING POSITION

• Change is inevitable, Adaptation is a choice



THE THEORY...

Women, unlike men, who aspire to private-independent school headship must prove beyond a doubt that they are highly competent in all aspects of headship. Furthermore, to ascend to the position, they must have the following perfectly aligned: preparation, opportunity, advocacy and support.


GATE-KEEPERS

• Diversify Boards

• Ascription-blind

• Succession Plan

• Advocate

• Mentor

• New Girls’ Club

• Share Stories


FURTHER STUDY

• Compare experience

• Examine leadership styles of HOS

• Non-traditional

• Examine support systems for sustainment

• Examine Foundation


THANK YOU

• Soroptimists

• Mr. Harry V. McKay, Jr. and SAES

• Dr. Doreen Oleson

• Dr. Kathleen Taylor

• 31 Subjects

• Dr. Lucinda Lee Katz


QUESTIONS


The Experience of Female Heads of School › event_info › 295 › Tekakwitha...Women, unlike men,...

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