School leadership aspirations of black and minority ethnic teachers
Publication Date
July 13, 2015
Creator
Abstract
Studies investigating the career progression of BME teachers identify institutionalised discrimination, social inequality and unfavourable school practices as forces militating against the realisation of their school leadership aspirations. This study adds to this discourse by exploring some mediating forces, shaped by life history, beliefs, values, and workplace reactions, in the realisation of school leadership aspirations. In this regard, this research explores issues relating to the leadership roles a group of BME teachers conceive for themselves and their perceptions of success; the balance of personal, professional and situational factors, and the dynamics between personal agency and workplace structure, all in relation to leadership success. Since this study concerns aspect of life histories, values, beliefs, and workplace reactions, recognition of the utility of qualitative approach was given, and as such the semi-structured interviewing as the method to gain an authentic understanding to these research issues was employed.
What emerged from the study is that conception of leadership roles underpin personal judgements about what leadership or career success means. Real or perceived success is shaped by mediating dimensions of a personal, professional and situated nature, such that when in balance, agency exercised directly at a conceived leadership role reinforces the self-perception of school leadership success, whereas when dimensions are negatively imbalanced, the ability to pursue conceived leadership roles is inhibited, thus creating a sense of career stagnation. The sense of progression or stagnation is reinforced further with the mediating extent to which agency is exercised in concert with or against prevailing structures. These findings result in implications for both research and practice.
Item Type
ethesis
Thesis Type
EdD
Supervisors
Subjects (LC)
Associated Schools / Departments
School of Education (UK)
eprints ID
29354
UoN Repository URI
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School Leadership Aspirations of Black and Minority Ethnic Teachers.pdf
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Full-text
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