Abstract
The study used the Clarke and Hollingsworth (2002) model on teacher professional growth to investigate the changes and the transition of professional identity when a deputy head teacher was appointed as an acting head teacher in a small rural primary school in Cyprus. The head teacher had no previous experience in headship, and did not receive any training or followed an induction course to the job. The goal of the study was to identify ways to support novice acting head teachers for effective leadership in the complexities of small primary schools. Data was collected through diary notes and semi-structured interviews using thematic analysis of qualitative data. The analysis revealed the importance of the interaction between the external stimuli and information through informal professional learning in the role set and the personal knowledge and previous experience. Feelings of isolation as the main outcome of this experience enabled changes in leadership practice through enactment and reflection. The teacher’s suggestions for a professional learning program could be the contribution of her personal experience on the educational context.
Highlights
1.1 Teacher Learning and Teacher Identity Learning is a process of social participation referring to action and belonging, to being active in the www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/jecsJournal of Education and Culture StudiesVol 4, No 2, 2020 practices of social communities and to constructing identities in relation to these communities (Wenger, 1998)
Apart from the deputy head teacher, the staff consisted of two permanent teachers, who had already been working in the school for some years, and three visiting teachers who came twice a week
The timetable of each school type and the teaching approaches adopted offer pupils equal opportunities in acquiring new knowledge, forming attitudes and skills and achieving the Curriculum indicators. 3.2 Findings As regards the first research question on how the acting head teacher dealt with different aspects of the new experience and her professional life, in order to promote her vision for the school, findings on the four domains of her professional life and role are presented. 3.3 The Personal Domain: Knowledge, Beliefs, Attitudes The newly appointed acting head teacher was a high-qualified, Ph.D. holder female in her forties
Summary
1.1 Teacher Learning and Teacher Identity Learning is a process of social participation referring to action and belonging, to being active in the www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/jecsJournal of Education and Culture StudiesVol 4, No 2, 2020 practices of social communities and to constructing identities in relation to these communities (Wenger, 1998). Through different leadership styles school leaders develop their palette of educational leadership from which they can choose in enacting leadership (Hardwick-Franco, 2018) They use their own expertise and influence the motivations, capacities and working conditions of teachers who in turn shape classroom practice and student learning (Deligiannidou et al, 2019; Newton & Wallin, 2013; Preston & Barnes, 2017; Stewart & Matthews, 2015). Research has shown (Weindling & Dimmock, 2006) that teachers’ concerns about the various issues in the school can be sources of stress and challenge their resilience As a result, they may feel increasingly isolated and ineffective and this can lead to loss of resilience with negative consequences for the working and learning environment.
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