Abstract

In this article the relation between school leadership, spirituality, and ultimate life goals is considered. The objective of the study is to explore how leadership and spirituality are related and informed by ultimate life goals in schools. Spirituality is defined as a way of life of growing into human fullness that is grounded in a moral universe. Ultimate life goals represent ultimate values in the life of leaders and their deepest motivation for decisions and actions. Ultimate life goals originate from our contingent nature – as we move or change, we are constantly in need of a grounding/foundation. It gives direction and meaning in change and form through spiritual transformation. The life narrative research methodology was applied to explore the ultimate life goals and spiritual transformation in the life narratives of seven school principals in Roman Catholic private schools in Gauteng and two public schools in the Western Cape.

Highlights

  • INTRODUCTIONChris Hermans of Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, facilitated the research training workshop (Hermans 2012)

  • Life narrative research is an emerging research methodology at Radboud University in the Netherlands under the leadership of Prof Chris Hermans and Dr Theo SM van der Zee

  • Dreyer and Hermans (2014:2) explored appropriate types of leadership to deal with the systemic educational crisis of school leadership in South Africa and how these leadership types could respond to these challenges and complexities – with the objective to examine the relation between spirituality and school leadership

Read more

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Chris Hermans of Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands, facilitated the research training workshop (Hermans 2012) This workshop was followed by a second training workshop (held in 2013) in the methodology of coding and the analysis of research data. The main objective of the project was to examine the relation between school leadership, spirituality, and ultimate life goals within South African schools. The objective was to explore how leadership and spirituality are informed by ultimate life goals in addressing challenges in schools. Dreyer and Hermans (2014:2) explored appropriate types of leadership to deal with the systemic educational crisis of school leadership in South Africa and how these leadership types could respond to these challenges and complexities – with the objective to examine the relation between spirituality and school leadership. “Even school principals do not turn up for work: 41 000 teachers are ‘school sick’ daily” (Küsel 2019:1) (own translation)

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT
PRINCIPLES OF LIFE NARRATIVE RESEARCH
EMPIRICAL RESEARCH DESIGN
GROUNDED THEORY ANALYSIS
CONCEPTS THAT EMERGED FROM THE ANALYSED DATA
A GROUNDED THEORY FOR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
CONCLUSION
Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call