The investigative study of female teacher leadership at the high school was undertaken to reveal women's leadership roles as they exist and to examine the potential for increasing women's voices in the educational world. The study further desired to identify support systems that could be enhanced to promote and sustain female teacher leadership development. The five ethnographic dialogues showed the prelude for leadership development rested solidly on female pedagogy, on the woman finding her voice and its possibilities in her community.
All of the female leaders interviewed had professional engagements that brought them to arenas outside the classroom and their disciplines. Leadership for these female teachers meant actively taking responsibility for improvement or change that necessitated a step beyond the threshold of the familiar classroom. It meant challenging and helping students and colleagues grow and perhaps change through caring and empowerment activities. It meant knowing the community so that leadership risks were minimized. Leadership presented a composite of positive personal and professional growth opportunities. Opportunities challenged female leaders to engage their voices in professional movement and continue their commitment to their community.
Female teacher leadership was strongly affected by powers above, administrators, and by attitudes from within the school setting. It was the makeup of the community though, that contributed to the timing of her development or leadership possibilities. The five women's experiences described reoccurring themes instrumental in female teacher leadership to be (a) mastery teaching skills (b) powerful teaching values and goals, (c) effective communication abilities, (d) diverse opportunities for participation, and (e) collegiality. Interviews revealed these women were searching for continuing challenges and growth. / Graduation date: 1998
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/34051 |
| Date | 06 May 1998 |
| Creators | Johnson, Donna Lee |
| Contributors | Southers, Chris |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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