Latcrit Educational Leadership and Advocacy: Struggling Over Whiteness as Property in Texas School Finance

In this article, the author seeks to re-imagine the political and policy roles of educational leaders of color, offering an alternative method for educational leadership, advocacy, and policy analysis. The author uses critical race theory (CRT) and Latina/o critical (LatCrit) theory to problematize the way politically-active Mexican American educational leaders used personal and professional experiences to conceptualize racism and organize politically in the context of the debate over school finance equity in Texas. The findings suggest that a prevalent negation of critical raced leadership, analysis, and advocacy among the participants disadvantages Latina/o communities and de-legitimizes Latina/o political voices. The author envisions an alternative educational leadership framework centered on LatCrit theory's call for contextualized, historical, and critical analysis.     

Smarter,Better, Faster,Cheaper

This article examines and critiques the leadership capacity of department leaders in a high school and attempts to gain a deeper understanding of how department leaders perceive their role as teacher leaders, making a distinction between what an individual department leader does in his or her position and teacher leadership as a form of continuous learning and innovation through collaboration. How do department leaders practice leadership to improve student learning? The author provides an investigation and analysis of the current level of leadership capacity exhibited by department leaders in a high school. A close look at the role and function of department leaders in this high school reveals an absence of the teacher leadership necessary to promote the broad-based leadership capacity that results in improved student achievement.     

Examination of access and equity by gender,race, and ethnicity in a non-traditional leadership development programme in the United States

In developing the next generation of school leadership, school districts across the United States and internationally must consider who is being promoted, the training they are able to access beyond traditional university degree work, the schools in which these emerging leaders enter their first principalships, and how prepared these new leaders are to succeed and remain in the role. This study explores international literature regarding school leader, particularly new leader, development, and placement. The study discusses what is happening internationally in terms of the gender distribution of school leaders and the literature of non-traditional leadership development. To explore gender, race, and ethnicity in hiring and promotion practices, the study employs the methodology of case study analysis. This case study analysis formed from a need to understand the changing dynamics of race, gender, and ethnicity in school leadership in four American school districts participating in a non-traditional regional leadership development programme. These districts, in the Richmond, Virginia (USA) metro area, are experiencing changing student demographics by race, ethnicity, and socio-economic status. Specifically, the study addresses the demographic profile of those seeking leadership, the changing demographics of these communities, and the professional assignment of participating early career leaders.     

Changing roles in sustaining successful charter school leadership in high poverty schools: Voices from the field

Effective educational leadership is essential for the success of schools and ultimately student achievement. The impact of school leadership may be even more pronounced in charter schools. Due to current and unprecedented growth, unique design, and complexities of political, financial, and governance issues they face, there is a need for more highly qualified charter school leaders and perhaps even “differently” prepared leaders. In this qualitative study, the authors documented the characteristics and skills of two successful, sustained charter school leaders who retrospectively described their evolved and evolving roles over twenty five years. Each transformed high-poverty, low-performing schools with at-risk populations and led with vision, passion, and a relentless desire to positively influence their organizations and ultimately improve student success in their communities. Although many of their skills and characteristics fall within existing theories, such as situational leadership, transformational leadership, and distributive leadership, they embodied a level of dedication and commitment to the original communities in which they founded charters lasting over a quarter of a century. The findings suggest that founding a charter school and seeing it through to success over time may more closely resemble missionary work than traditional school leadership.     

The future of educational change: system thinkers in action

In addressing the future agenda of educational change, this paper advances the notion of sustainability as a key factor in developing a new kind of leadership. This new leadership, if enduring, large scale change is desired, needs to go beyond the successes of increasing student achievement and move toward leading organizations to sustainability. Currently, there is a lack of development of leaders toward system thinking. An argument is made for linking systems thinking with sustainability in order to transform an organization or a system. In order to accomplish this goal, it is necessary to change not only individuals but also systems. The way to change systems is to foster the development of practitioners who are “system thinkers in action.” Such leaders widen their sphere of engagement by interacting with other schools in a process we call lateral capacity building. When several leaders act this way they actually change the context in which they work. Eight elements of sustainability, which will enable leaders to become more effective at leading organizations toward sustainability, are presented. Within the explication of the eight elements, prior research is considered, difficulties are surfaced, and challenges are issued to change contextual conditions in order to effect large scale, sustainable educational change.Adapted from an address at American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, 2004.     

Sharing the Stories of Racism in Doctoral Education: The Anti-Racism Project

Racism Project. Through shared journaling and group discussions, participants explored and interrogated experiences of racism related to doctoral education. A thematic analysis of qualitative data surfaced several themes: experiences with racism as a doctoral student, noticing the presence of White privilege, learning to teach as an anti-racist educator, and anticipating the job market. Through critical reflection, participants identified ways that schools of social work can better support doctoral students and prepare leaders committed to promoting racial justice.     

Seeing What They Want to See: Racism and Leadership Development in Urban Schools

This critical race theory (CRT)-framed qualitative study (n = 9) examined racism within a context of urban teacher leadership development. A series of semi-structured interviews were conducted with three White principals, who each identified one White and one African American teacher as “most promising” leadership potential. These teachers were interviewed, leading to analysis of principal support and teacher perceptions of being supported. The findings clarify principals who adopted a language of equity, while simultaneously arguing that their White teachers were more effective (based erroneously on the belief that the White teachers’ students had higher test scores). The African American teachers, on the other hand, were framed as experts in culturally responsive approaches, given increased teaching responsibilities, and not provided similar leadership opportunities. This difference in opportunities and expectations had lasting impacts on the African American teachers, who internalized the lack of resources and negative messages they received from their principals. The paper concludes with CRT implications for inclusive leadership development processes.     

Towards a theoretical model of middle leadership in schools

While there has been considerable research activity in the area of middle management / middle leadership since the late 1990s, the concept remains under-theorised and ambiguities persist in relation to who middle managers or middle leaders are and what they do. The recent shift in terminology in the literature from ‘middle management’ to ‘middle leadership’ alludes to evolution in the roles these leaders play in schools. However, without a theoretical model to use as a point of reference it is difficult to describe the nature of such evolution and even more difficult to identify implications for teacher productivity, student outcomes and school effectiveness. This article proposes a model of middle leadership in schools based on an extensive review of the literature. The Middle Leadership in Schools (MLiS) model describes factors that influence middle leadership, possible influences of middle leadership on schools, a typology of roles middle leaders perform and how they might perform them. The article concludes with implications for research and theory building in a still-emergent area within the broader field of educational leadership.     

The Search for Reform: An Interview with Seymour B. Sarason

Leadership demands in American public schools have changed dramatically in the past 20 years. Whether–or how–the practice of leadership will change to meet those demands is an open question. The change in demands is largely a consequence of the introduction of performance-based accountability—policies that evaluate, reward, and sanction schools on the basis of measured student performance. While the merits of these policies are debatable, the fact that they have changed—probably fundamentally—the demands placed on school leaders is not.     

Challenging the Politics of the “Model Minority” Stereotype: A Case for Educational Equality

This article examines the political rationale of the “model minority” stereotype about Asian Americans and its ramifications on education. Created by white elites in the 1960s as a device of political control, the model minority stereotype continues to serve the larger conservative restoration in American society today. By over-emphasizing Asian American success and misrepresenting it as proof of the perceived equal opportunity in American society, proponents of the stereotype downplay racism and other structural problems Asians and other minority groups continue to suffer. The theory that Asians succeed by merit (strong family, hard work, and high regard for education) is used by power elites to silence the protesting voices of racial minorities and even disadvantaged Whites and to maintain the status quo in race and power relations. In education, the model minority thesis has always supported conservative agendas in school reform. Now it goes hand in hand with the meritocracy myth and promotes educational policy that emphasizes accountability, standards, competition, and individual choice, while trivializing social conditions of schooling and unequal educational opportunities facing different student groups. It is the responsibility of educators to deconstruct the “model minority” stereotype and any other stereotypes or myths prevailing in education discourse, and seriously challenge racism, class division, and other structural problems. Social justice and equality must become a guiding principle for school reform and educational policy.     

Entrepreneurial leadership competencies among Malaysian university student entrepreneurial leaders

Developments in entrepreneurial leadership as a distinct area of both research and practice raised many questions about the personal competencies of entrepreneurial leaders that enable them to successfully lead entrepreneurial endeavours. Although identifying entrepreneurs' specific capabilities has been one of the main focuses of entrepreneurship researchers, our knowledge is limited about personal leadership competencies required in entrepreneurial contexts. This qualitative study aimed to explore the personal competencies of undergraduate student entrepreneurial leaders in four Malaysian universities. Fourteen student entrepreneurial leaders were purposefully selected to participate in this study. Analysis of the semi-structured and in-depth interviews revealed different dimensions of proactiveness and innovativeness as previously identified competencies of entrepreneurial leaders for the student entrepreneurial leaders. Furthermore, love of challenges and versatility emerged as the personal competencies of the students. Implication of the findings and suggestions for developing entrepreneurial leadership competencies in university students through purposeful interventions are proposed.     

How does leadership affect student achievement? Results from a national US survey

Using survey responses from a national sample of US teachers, this paper provides insight into 2 questions: (1) Do 3 specific attributes of leadership behavior – the sharing of leadership with teachers, the development of trust relationships among professionals, and the provision of support for instructional improvement – affect teachers' work with each other and their classroom practices? and (2) Do the behaviors of school leaders contribute to student achievement? We tie this investigation of school leader behaviors to 2 additional factors that have also received increasing attention in research because they have been shown to be related to student achievement: professional community and the quality of classroom instruction. Our analysis provides an empirical test of the notion that leadership variables are positively related to student learning. It also suggests that both shared and instructionally focused leadership are complementary approaches for improving schools.     

BOOK REVIEW

This study examined institutional priorities among Florida's public community colleges as viewed by the presidents and local governing boards. The analysis sought to determine whether local priorities were in concordance with those of other community college leaders and whether there was agreement among the local leadership. The study also examined whether institutional setting was related to institutional priorities. Local leaders were asked to rank‐order 20 priorities presented in a study by the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges (AACJC). Median rankings and rank correlation coefficients revealed a significant positive relationship between the Florida presidents and the leaders in the AACJC study. Both groups indicated a strong commitment to the role of teaching and the retention of top quality faculty. However, no significant correlation was found between the trustees and the AACJC group. Paired rankings from 1. colleges indicated that all but one pair of local leaders failed to rank the priorities in a significantly related way. Finally, the rank‐order analysis of institutional setting produced only one significant correlation; as the institutional setting changed from rural to urban, the trustee priority ranking of student proficiency in the written and oral use of English increased.     

Changing leadership: Teachers lead the way for schools that learn

This paper presents findings from a three-year, qualitative study of teachers enrolled in a Masters of Teacher Leadership program. Researchers sought to understand the ways teachers’ beliefs about and understandings of teacher leadership were affected by their participation in a formal teacher leadership program, as well as the kinds of actions they took up as a result of this participation. Data indicate three significant ways participants’ work as teacher leaders was developed and enhanced, including: (a) identifying and amplifying their professional voice, (b) deepening and extending their voice as they plan, and (c) reframing their work/shift responsibility through constructing widening circles of influence and impact. Authors identify implications of their research for growing teacher leaders, school improvement and change, changing school culture, enhancing student engagement, and building new structures.     

试论新时期高校学生干部队伍建设

当前我国正处于社会转型时期,高校学生工作面临新的挑战和任务;因此,培养具有时代精神和创新精神的学生干部队伍,是当前高校学生工作的关键和保障。本文分析了新时期高校学生工作面临的社会背景和学生干部队伍存在的问题,有针对性地提出了高校学生干部队伍建设的策略。     

Preparing principals on the U.S.-Mexico border and beyond: A call to confront fear,uncertainty, and the marginalization of Mexican American Students

The recent presidential election and an increase in anti-immigrant rhetoric and deportations foster greater uncertainty and fear in Mexican American immigrant communities. In the border city of El Paso, Texas, teachers and principals report how fear and uncertainty negatively impact their campuses, students, and school-family relationships. The purpose of this article is to prompt a regional and national discussion about the preparation of principals who work in Mexican American and immigrant communities, because current professional standards and so-called “best-practices” in school leadership do not sufficiently address the critical social justice issues central to supporting students and families in the present and immediate future. To catalyze this dialogue, I offer five school leadership recommendations developed in collaboration with El Paso teachers and school leaders working in Mexican American immigrant communities. I hope scholars, educators, policymakers, parents, and activists will collectively consider these recommendations as well offer other viable solutions, strategies, practices, and approaches to preparing school leaders in these uncertain and unjust times.     

Engaging Students with Art-Based S-R-C (Sense of Belonging,Resistance, and Coalition Building) Strategies for Anti-Racism

In this article, we discuss our struggles and efforts to respond to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) hate crimes and anti-Asian racism, as well as explore ways to address the issues of anti-Asian racism, violence, myths, and stereotypes in the art classroom. We researched and learned from contemporary Asian American artists, attended anti-racism virtual talks, and examined various anti-racism pedagogical approaches. As an outcome of our research to confront anti-racism, we developed S-R-C strategies to engage students with art-based anti-racism, which include facilitating a sense of belonging (S), resisting anti-Asian racism (R), and coalescing with other minority groups and allies (C). These strategies were developed to fully embrace the equity, diversity, and inclusivity of AAPI sequentially and holistically. This article also reports how we use the S-R-C strategies to guide our pre-service art teachers to confront anti-Asian racism and advocate for anti-racism teaching practices.     

Understanding Asian American women's pathways to school leadership

Little is known about Asian American women administrators in the public schools. The study sought to understand the pathways of Asian American women to school leadership. In-depth interviews and researcher reflective memos were the primary data sources. The participants included 15 Asian American female school administrators in two states. We found that the women's career trajectories were similar yet unique; they were manifestation of the women's intersected experiences of gender, race–ethnicity, and age, situated in particular time and place. Often than not, the women had to negotiate their leadership aspiration and advancement through raced and gendered expectations. Others' encouragement and mentoring were instrumental for the women's development of self-knowledge and demystification of the leadership process. Most women taught at least 10–15 years before entering leadership. The women of earlier generations had far less career mobility and slim, if not absent, mentoring opportunities.     

Making the hard decisions: Student teachers moving towards ethical judgment

Abstract

In Australia in recent years, as in other countries, there has been media attention to, and public interest in, the ethical and proper behavior of people considered to be leaders in society. Some have been “caught out” for acting unethically—harming children, engaging in corruption, disregarding human rights and dignity. The time is right for educators, researchers and authors to demonstrate leadership in ethics by focusing on morals and ethics more strongly and overtly.

The teaching profession has not escaped scrutiny and criticism of their ethical practice. Members of the early childhood sector of the profession however, have demonstrated proactive leadership in ethics. In Australia, for example, a code of ethics and supporting materials were developed and leaders continue to develop supporting resources. This paper focuses on the professional preparation of the next generation of early childhood teachers. It has two primary purposes. Firstly, I raise questions about current notions of student teacher preparation for ethical practice in complex, changing contexts. Secondly, I propose some ideas aimed at better preparing student teachers for ethical judgment.     

University‐school collaboration and needs assessment in the training of student leadership and peer support in Hong Kong

One hundred seventy secondary schools in Hong Kong responded to a questionnaire designed to assess their needs for leadership training of students in different domains of school activities and their endorsement of university‐school collaboration in these activities. The questionnaire also assessed the extent and degree of support and involvement that schools intended to provide in training programs and in organized school activities for students to assume leadership roles in schools. Findings indicated that schools were in need of student leaders in different student activities, especially in those less related to academic concerns. It was stressed that in providing opportunities for student leaders to continue practicing their skills in school activities, other students might eventually benefit through participation in school activities and peer support programs organized by student leaders.