Building schools as enabling spaces through relational leadership and an ethic of care

Abstract

In this chapter, the argument is put forwards that the power of the working environment facilitated by relational leadership is more potent in developing educational communities of care than national education policies. This point is substantiated by claiming that schools as communities of care can be enabled by relational leadership, which extends beyond the acts of the individual and manifests as a complex interplay of interrelating and shared forces in educational leadership. To this end, I propose that effective educational leadership and management for the successful operation of schools is critical for valuable teaching and learning. I recommend further how relational leadership for effective leadership in managing relationships, preserving harmony in schools and teacher empowerment can be optimized, given that leadership is socially constructed. An ethics of care underpins relational leadership, which guides the moral compass for school leaders as they deal with educational challenges relationally in pursuit of an educational community of care and schools as enabling spaces and places.