Thesis (Ph. D.)--Miami University, Dept. of Educational Leadership, 2007. / Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 116-124).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2009. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006. / Title from title page screen, viewed on May 14, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Linda Lyman (chair), Beth Hatt-Echeverria, Joe Pacha, Nancy Sherman. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 148-154) and abstract. Also available in print.

M.Ed. (Educational Management) / This study is part of the SANPAD (Southern African Netherlands Partnership for Alternatives in Development) research project. It seeks to answer the research question, how do women principals experience curriculum leadership at schools in disadvantaged communities in the Gauteng East District? The dawn of South African democracy gave rise to many changes and awoke many dormant issues, one of which was the issue of equity in the workplace. This extended into the sphere of education. There are many women who have managed to penetrate this equity barrier and reach positions of leadership in schools. I conducted this research at three schools, which are located in disadvantaged communities in the Gauteng East District in Gauteng Province in South Africa. For this qualitative research I used observations and semi-structured interviews to elicit data from the participants. During the analysis of this data the following themes emerged: (1) exercising a successful leadership style; (2) the principal as a curriculum leader; (3) socio-economic profile of community and its impact on curriculum; (4) striking a balance between family and school and (5) stakeholder participation and support. This study reveals that women principals continue to experience challenges within school; from the community outside school and in their personal lives. Stereotyping still exists, especially in communities where men are still privileged over women. Women principals need a support structure to persevere as curriculum leaders. This research project concludes with suggestions and recommendations for future research.

A recent study conducted by the National Association of Secondary School Principals found that 45% of principals report that pandemic working conditions are accelerating their plans to leave the profession (2021). The current principal attrition crisis has only been exacerbated by the chaos and uncertainty of the global health pandemic. These conditions combined with the stressors that already exist in public education have created a crisis that cannot be ignored. On average, 1 in 5 principals turn over each year (Levin, et al., 2020). In order to create strong schools, it will be important to prioritize the needs of current principals and recruit and train future aspiring leaders to take the helm (NASSP, 2020). The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore with a group of female high school principals how they manage stressors in their professional and personal lives--specifically, what health and wellness strategies are used to remain in their roles over time, feel satisfied in their role, and experience a sense of efficacy. Four overarching research questions will guide this study to focus on how female principals identify challenges and stressors experienced by school leaders and examine how strategies are utilized to manage and overcome the inevitable occupational stressors associated with the role of the school leader. This dissertation study examines (a) how female principals in urban high schools describe the challenges they face in carrying out their dual role as leaders at work and at home, (b) how female principals in urban high schools learn to overcome the challenges they face, (c) the factors that female principals in urban high schools say facilitate and/or impede their ability to manage the personal and professional demands they face, and (d) the strategies that female principals in urban high schools use to improve job satisfaction, professional efficacy, and longevity in the role. A select sample of six female principals shared their experiences in in-depth interviews. This research makes an important contribution to the field of educational leadership by facilitating a more sustainable female workforce, strengthening school leadership, and increasing support not only for women in the role but for all school leaders who experience occupational stressors and role conflict.

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This study reports on a qualitative study that sought to explore the experiences of female Heads of Department in Primary Schools. The study was carried out in KwaNdengezi, Pinetown South. It made use of qualitative methodology to obtain data using semi-structured interviews and observations as its methods of data collection. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants of the study, and the study sample consisted of four female heads of department in four primary schools, with whom the interviews and observations were conducted. The main findings of the study revealed that female heads of department experience and internalize negative stereotypes and believe males do not listen to them and they also experience gender stereotypes and their impact when performing their management duties in schools. Other findings include the experiences related to dynamics of being mothers and teachers at the same time. Further the communication with teachers, teacher discipline and the role that gender stereotyped held by members of the society. There is the issue of unequal power relations between men and women within the schools, which is an underlying factor behind all the gender-based experiences of female heads of department in the schools. Despite the fact that female heads of department encounter gender-based experiences in their management roles and responsibilities, they are engaged in empowering style of management by means of involving all the colleagues in the decision making processes. The study concludes by recommending that female heads of departments require support from all the stakeholders of the school, and that the government should hold workshops and seminars to support them. At the school level, they should resist all attempts at being treated in a condescending manner, and become role models to other aspiring females to assume school management positions for effective management and delivery of quality education. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2012.

There are few female teachers who hold principal positions in schools, especially in secondary schools. This study investigates teachers' perceptions of secondary school female principals' leadership abilities and styles.It also investigates whether teachers' perceptions are influenced either by their sexes or experience or lack of experience of working with female principals. The reseacher hopes that this research findings will help to either: develop and improve female leadership (where it is found to be wanting); and or influence authorieties to appoint more female teachers to head secondary schools. The literature surveyed revealed that the appointment of principals in seconday schools is discriminatory against female teachers. It further revealed that principals (mainly male) do not prepare female teachers for management and leadership positions. As a result female potential leaders become demotivated. This is unfortunate as research has found that female principals are as effective as leaders as male principals are. One disadvantage of having a small number of female leaders in education is that this results in an education that only reflects the male perspectives and values. This in turn alienates girls' perspectives from education. In order to establish teachers' perceptions of female secondary school principals a survey of the percptions of teachers in the Maphumolo circuit of female principals in this area was first carried out by means of a questionnaire. This was followed by a case study of one female principal. In depth, semi-stuctured interviews were undertaken with the principal and three teachers working with her in order to establish this principal's leadership style and the teachers' feelings towards her. A statistical analysis of the survey and a conten~ ~alysis of the case study were carried out. These revealed that the majority of teachers perceive female principals as effective and transformational leaders. These perceptions were found to be minimally influenced by either the teachers' sexes or experience of working with female principals. The..majority of those teachers who perceived female principals negatively tended to be males and to be from a group of teachers who had never worked with female principals. Recommendations for the increase of the number of female principals in secondary schools and for the improvement ofleadership in these schools are made.

M. Ed. (Educational Management) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

While women constitute more than 51% of the population and far outnumber men in teaching positions in Namibia, very few occupy positions of leadership. Male candidates are still favoured for top positions, thereby denying women the chance to gain entrance to these positions. One of the reasons for this imbalance seems to be that, in spite of conscious political effort and legislation, women may still be perceived as less effective leaders than men. This research focused on leadership in education, in particular school principals, and explored the perceptions of female principalship held by school inspectors. Three school inspectors from the Rundu Education Region were purposefully selected and interviewed. Inspectors were selected on the grounds of their considerable influence in the selection and appointment of school principals. The study found that these inspectors favour school principals who show commitment to their work, have good interpersonal working relationships, are caring, good listeners, visionary and produce good results. The inspectors attribute female principals’ success to their traditionally perceived characteristics, such as caring leadership and ability to develop good human relations. Instead of perceiving these qualities as professionally negative (as is sometimes argued in the literature) the inspectors see them as indisputable assets to leadership. The respondents acknowledge the cultural stereotyping that may have influenced male attitudes to women in the past, but argue that good leadership is not specific to gender, but part of the qualities a person possesses, regardless of sex. This study concludes that, contrary to what has been reported in many studies, these inspectors perceive women principals as effective – equal to their male counterparts or sometimes even more effective - because they are caring, well organized and good at communicating and establishing relations with others. Though these qualities are different from the traditional masculine qualities which include independence and emotional strength, the respondents recognize and legitimize them as preferred qualities in current effective leadership practice.