Caring School Leadership: A MultiDisciplinary, Cross-Occupational Model (original) (raw)
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Exploring Caring Leadership in Schools
Purpose: This article (1) analyzes and synthesizes literatures from philosophy and education to propose a conceptual framework for caring in schools and caring school leadership and (2) reports the results of an exploratory analysis of the relationship of caring principal leadership to school-level supports for student academic learning. Conceptual Framework: This conceptual framework defines caring as a quality of social relationships with several core elements: attentiveness and authentic knowledge of others, motivational displacement, situationality, mutuality, and authenticity. Characteristics of relationships and organizational conditions that enable caring and caring leadership are proposed. Research Design: The empirical analysis employs a survey of teachers in 134 schools. Measures of principal caring and student academic support were developed and related to the conceptual framework and student achievement using regression and path analyses. Findings: We found significant positive relationships among caring principal leadership, student academic support, and teachers' sense of collective responsibility. In addition, small but significant relationships of caring principal leadership with student academic support and teachers' collective responsibility to student achievement were apparent. Caring leadership has an indirect relationship
Caring Leadership in Schools: Findings From Exploratory Analyses
Educational Administration Quarterly , 2016
Purpose: This article (1) analyzes and synthesizes literatures from philosophy and education to propose a conceptual framework for caring in schools and caring school leadership and (2) reports the results of an exploratory analysis of the relationship of caring principal leadership to school-level supports for student academic learning. Conceptual Framework: This conceptual framework defines caring as a quality of social relationships with several core elements: attentiveness and authentic knowledge of others, motivational displacement, situationality, mutuality, and authenticity. Characteristics of relationships and organizational conditions that enable caring and caring leadership are proposed. Research Design: The empirical analysis employs a survey of teachers in 134 schools. Measures of principal caring and student academic support were developed and related to the conceptual framework and student achievement using regression and path analyses. Findings: We found significant positive relationships among caring principal leadership, student academic support, and teachers' sense of collective responsibility. In addition, small but significant relationships of caring principal leadership with student academic support and teachers' collective responsibility to student achievement were apparent. Caring leadership has an indirect relationship
Caring Leadership: The Role of Principals in Producing Caring School Cultures
Leadership and Policy in Schools, 2020
Despite increasing attention to the importance of caring in education, most research on caring in schools focuses on narrow dyadic relationships between individuals. The present study explores the processes used by school leaders as they strive to generate a culture of caring in schools. We find that leaders influence caring through the way in which they exemplify/enact their educational vision and personal values, but also through the adjustments they make to organizational priorities and structures. This analysis of leadership highlights the way that caring in schools transcends individual relationships and becomes an aspect of the organizational culture. The research and practice implications of the enablers and constraints on leaders' efforts to create a caring culture are discussed.
Aspects of caring prevalent in school leadership: Implications for FCS professionals
2011
The caring nature of FCS curriculum fosters a special connection between educators and their students. These special connections require substantial work and dedication to an ethic of care. Words, behaviors, and actions of the educator will reflect his/her true frame of mind. Educators who truly care will “find ways to treat them justly, fairly, and equitably” (Lin, 2001, p. 109). Lin cautions, however, that “people can value justice, fairness, and equity…without effectively caring about others” (p. 109). A caring school environment will support the creation of trusting relationships that foster high achievement and motivation (Lin, 2001). This brief report describes a qualitative research study that investigated school principals’ perspectives of the demonstration of caring in the leadership of their schools.
New Trends and Issues Proceedings on Humanities and Social Sciences, 2018
Caring lies at the heart of effective enhancement of healthy school environments and good school leadership. This is evidenced by health policies wherein principals are indirectly obliged to act ethically and morally. By doing so, they assume their caring role that will enable the development of human capital. This study was conducted in schools in two provinces in South Africa with principals, school management team members and leaders of health committees as participants. This is a qualitative research study which included two rural and two township schools. As this was an exploratory, phenomenological study, data were collected using multiple data collection tools: narratives, interviews and shadowing. The findings of this research indicate signs of caring leadership in the actions and interactions of the principals and teachers; principals and community members; and principals and other external stakeholders. More caring leadership was, however, experienced for the programmes than for the leaders of committees per se.
New Trends and Issues Proceedings on Humanities and Social Sciences
Caring lies at the heart of effective enhancement of healthy school environments and good school leadership. This is evidenced by health policies wherein principals are indirectly obliged to act ethically and morally. By doing so, they assume their caring role that will enable the development of human capital. This study was conducted in schools in two provinces in South Africa with principals, school management team members and leaders of health committees as participants. This is a qualitative research study which included two rural and two township schools. As this was an exploratory, phenomenological study, data were collected using multiple data collection tools: narratives, interviews and shadowing. The findings of this research indicate signs of caring leadership in the actions and interactions of the principals and teachers; principals and community members; and principals and other external stakeholders. More caring leadership was, however, experienced for the programmes th...
Creating a whole school ethos of care
Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties
This paper raises questions about schools as positive models of caring societies. Against a background of growing concern for the mental health of children it addresses the centrality of 'nurture' and its close cousin 'care' as a whole school value, theorised as both a means and an end of schooling. How might school leaders communicate a principle of mutual care and inspire whole school commitment from staff, pupils and parents? Discussion is informed by qualitative data (interviews, focus groups and observations) from a comparative study of seven schools in the NW of England which use the principles and practices of Nurture Groups (NGs). Three demonstrated strong leadership based on 'deep care' and an emphasis on ongoing relationships with children. The paper concludes that leadership as evidenced in the good practice reported here can go some way towards bringing about the ideal of a whole school ethos of care.
The Caring Responsibility within the Pedagogical Environment
Universal Journal of Educational Research, 2022
In modern-day times, there is a continuing debate concerning how much responsibility school leaders and educators have in terms of caring for students’ necessities whilst they grow up. While some individuals believe that the responsibility of parentage lies in parents nurturing their children and the sole duty of educational establishments is to provide education, others feel that educators serve as subordinate parents to students. The fundamental legal criteria are outlined in education laws, along with the numerous caring obligations and leadership duties that school administrators must recognize in order to adequately meet students’ needs. Being aware of children’s demands for care and the viewpoints that many different roles are imposed on them presents school administrators with a variety of difficulties. These difficulties include not having enough time owing to administrative obligations, not having enough money or resources for education and not having the support of students’ parents. The theoretical framework includes the ethics of caring theory, which explains how educators and school administrators can carry out their caring mission. The objective of this article was to investigate and report on the correlation between the responsibilities school leaders and educators carry, next to the accountability of parents when it comes to raising their children as students through acts of caring. It is seen that cooperation between parents and educators is ideal for serving students’ best interests instead of shifting responsibilities between the two groups. This research was done in the interpretivist paradigm within the qualitative approach. A phenomenological strategy was followed. The research subjects were eight principals and 16 teachers, and data were collected by means of interviews. The data were transcribed, and thematic analysis was done. The investigation revealed that the school leaders had a lot of caring obligations resting on their shoulders, especially when it comes to contributing to the formation of establishing a school climate and culture with an emphasis on caring. Furthermore, the researchers show that both school leaders and educators viewed the role of caring for themselves as a vocation embedded in their teaching careers and preferred it for a living.
1 Building Caring Schools: Implications for Professional School Counselors
2016
Professional school counselors (PSCs) can support school personnel in promoting educational climates conducive to optimal student academic and social development. Critical elements in fostering caring schools include encouraging positive relationships; providing leadership for teachers and school personnel; facilitating collaboration between stakeholders; and providing psychoeducation. This article introduces the qualities and benefits of a caring school climate, outlines the role of PSCs in supporting caring schools, and offers practical implications and a case illustration of a PSC supporting a positive educational climate. Building Caring Schools 3 Building Caring Schools: Implications for Professional School Counselors School climate incorporates the physical and emotional safety of students and teachers; this sense of safety is a necessary element for building caring schools (Manning & Bucher, 2003; Peterson & Skiba, 2001). While school climate is a general concept that capture...