What a leader looks like when he or she is improving his or her school: a longitudinal study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5212/PraxEduc.v.20.24761.043Abstract
This study analyses the impact of leadership on school improvement in vulnerable contexts, using a qualitative and longitudinal approach. Two cases of Chilean schools with similar characteristics of vulnerability and low performance are examined. The findings highlight that leadership focused on Readiness for Change (RFC) and attention to nuance - the ability to understand change, read the context and adapt decisions to it - coupled with the creation of a collaborative culture was key to school improvement in the school that experienced sustainable transformations. In contrast, the school where leadership focused on organisational management predominated, progress was limited. It is concluded that adaptive and situated leadership that promotes collaboration is essential to generate sustainable change in vulnerable schools, while a managerial approach has limitations in achieving deep transformations in educational quality.
Keywords: School leadership. Readiness for change (RFC). Nuance.
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