The Ideological Perspective of School Principals' Perceptions-Educational Leaders Defining their Roles

Keren Dery,Roni Reingold*

doi:10.12973/eujem.4.1.13

Abstract

<p style="text-align:justify">This research describes the perceptions of school principals in the context of their role in leading the professional development of the teaching staff. Their perceptions were examined in reference to three educational ideologies: socialization, acculturation and individuation. Data analysis of semi structured interviews conducted with 20 school principals, revealed a contradiction between the educational ideology that emerged in the context of the overall educational practice and the ideology referred to in the context of their role in teachers professional development. In the context of the educational practice, the majority of principals described an individuation ideology. In the context the principals' role regarding the professional development of the teaching staff, the majority of school principals presented the socialization ideology as their guiding ethos. In addition, the minority of principals demonstrated a combination of these two ideologies. None of the principals presented the acculturation ideology.</p>

Highlights

As part of a new educational reform titled New Horizon, the Israeli Ministry of Education announced in 2010 a new policy regarding teachers' professional development (Avidov Ungar & Reingold, 2018)
Data analysis of semi structured interviews conducted with 20 school principals, revealed a contradiction between the educational ideology that emerged in the context of the overall educational practice and the ideology referred to in the context of their role in teachers professional development
Findings from the textual analysis of the interview transcripts were categorized according to two main themes: 1. Educational ideology related to the educational endeavor and the image of the school graduate; 2

Summary

Introduction

As part of a new educational reform titled New Horizon, the Israeli Ministry of Education announced in 2010 a new policy regarding teachers' professional development (Avidov Ungar & Reingold, 2018). The program is anchored in the concept of lifelong learning, which relates to the multiple facets of a teacher’s personal, social, civic, and professional identity (Kennedy, 2015) Good teachers are those who engage in lifelong learning, in relation to their role as teachers, and as intellectually curious people and as active members of their communities and societies (Berliner, 2001; Guskey & Yoon, 2009). One main anchor of the new policy was assigning the school principals as local leaders who design and approve their teachers' professional development programs They were defined as the penultimate link (before the teachers) in the hierarchical chain of command in the education system. They were subjected to the district managers and superintendents of the Israeli Ministry of Education, who were placed in charge of introducing and implementing this new policy

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