Passionate Principalship : Learning From the Life Histories of School Leaders

This book puts 'real life' back into the literature on school principalship. Through a life history approach, it portrays daily life in schools as a much more messy, contested and precarious existence, where principals struggle with passionate commitment to find continuity amongst frequently changing and often conflicting policy initiatives.The book draws on comprehensively in-depth interview data with new, experienced and veteran principals. Their life stories illustrate the struggles involved in the ongoing negotiation of identities through unprecedented change. The authors lucidly argue that:\* The realities of principals' lives are much more demanding that rational linear approaches to reform suggest;\* A revolving door approach to the appointment of principals is inadequate\* Passion is central to the lives and work of principals, but this passion needs to be rejuvenated and rekindled through opportunities for learning\* There is a need for further research on the relationship between the lifecycles of principals, the leadership legacies of school communities and the cycles of mandated reforms as a means of lending coherence to leadership learning and sustained and renewed leaders.This is essential reading for principals and their professional bodies, academics and researchers, school leaders on leadership courses internationally. Critical introduction / Ivor Goodson Putting "real life" into school leadership : connecting identities Leadership and life history / Ciaran Sugrue Sustained motivation embedded in place : living with accountability and mandated change / Colin Biott and John Spindler Old metaphors, new meanings : being a woman principal / Jorunn Møller Memeberships and relationships in a changing context / Lejf Moos Creating continuity through change : comfort with uncertianty / Ciaran Sugrue Coping with accountability - tensions between reason and emotion / Jorunn Møller Regulation and trust : negotiating relationship / Lejf Moos Immediacy and distance : inter-generational professional learning / John Spindler and Colin Biott Being principal : leadership inside out / Ciaran Sugrue Principalship : beyond pleasure, pain and passion / Ciaran Sugrue Appendix 1. The education system in Denmark Appendix 2. The education system in England Appendix 3. The education system in Ireland Appendix 4. The education system in Norway Appendix 5. Profiles of principal participants in Denmark Appendix 6. Profiles of principal participants in England Appendix 7. Profiles of principal participants in Ireland Appendix 8. Profiles of principal participants in Norway. Education, Politics & IR, Sociology & Social Policy Book Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 8 Notes on contributors 10 Foreword 12 Acknowledgements 15 Critical introduction 17 Part I Passionate principalship 20 Chapter 1 Putting ‘real life’ into school leadership Connecting leadership, identities and life history 22 Part II People in principalship Stories of engaged selves 46 Chapter 2 Sustained motivation embedded in place Living with accountability and mandated change 48 Chapter 3 Old metaphors, new meanings Being a woman principal 61 Chapter 4 Memberships and relationships in a changing context 76 Chapter 5 Creating continuity through change Comfort with uncertainty 87 Part III Passionate principalship Learning from life histories 106 Chapter 6 Coping with accountability Tensions between reason and emotion 108 Chapter 7 Regulation and trust Negotiating relationship 124 Chapter 8 Immediacy and Distance Inter-generational professional learning 142 Chapter 9 Being principal Leadership inside out 154 Part IV Beyond passion in principalship 178 Chapter 10 Principalship Beyond pleasure, pain and passion 180 Appendices 203 Index 224 Critical Introduction / Ivor Goodson -- Putting 'real Life' Into School Leadership : Connecting Leadership, Identities, And Life History / Ciaran Sugrue -- Sustained Motivation Embedded In Place : Living With Accountability And Mandated Change / Colin Biott And John Spindler -- Old Metaphors, New Meanings : Being A Woman Principal / Jorunn Møller -- Memeberships And Relationships In A Changing Context / Lejf Moos -- Creating Continuity Through Change : Comfort With Uncertianty / Ciaran Sugrue -- Coping With Accountability : Tensions Between Reason And Emotion / Jorunn Møller -- Regulation And Trust : Negotiating Relationship / Lejf Moos -- Immediacy And Distance : Inter-generational Professional Learning / John Spindler And Colin Biott -- Being Principal : Leadership Inside Out / Ciaran Sugrue -- Principalship : Beyond Pleasure, Pain And Passion / Ciaran Sugrue -- Appendices. Edited By Ciaran Sugrue. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Mode Of Access: World Wide Web. "This book puts 'real life' back into the literature on school principalship. Through a life-history approach, it portrays daily life in schools as a much more messy, contested and precarious existence, where principals struggle with passionate commitment to find continuity amongst frequently changing and often conflicting policy initiatives." "The book draws on comprehensive in-depth interview data with new, experienced and veteran principals in Denmark, England, Ireland and Norway. Their life stories illustrate the struggles involved in the ongoing negotiation of identities through unprecedented change." "This is essential reading for principals and their professional bodies, academics and researchers, and school leaders on leadership courses internationally."--Jacket This is a no-holds-barred account of school leaders' lives and work as they juggle with competing and often conflicting policy initiatives.