Educational Salvation: Integrating Critical Spirituality in Educational Leadership

Abstract

Improving education for students in K-12 urban settings remains a slow-paced and difficult task, with many successes in student learning being episodic at best. The disconnect between government mandates to improve schools and persistent societal issues of poverty and inequity act to increase stress on teachers and educational leaders working in urban schools. Drawing upon the strengths of the African-American community and its collective historical experiences, this study explores creative ways to integrate spirituality in the education of students in urban schools. The authors begin by addressing the contextual and structural issues facing urban schools. They then explain the benefits of integrating the four elements of critical spirituality-critical self-reflection; deconstructive interpretation; performative creativity; and, transformative action-in educational leadership to enhance their work in urban communities.

Principals as socio-religious curators: progressive and conservative approaches in Islamic schools

“…In Indonesia, Islam is a core aspect of individual and national identity, but there is great variation within Islam – this means that the ways a principal engages with the socio-religious aspects of their practice can shape the way education is practiced in their school (Jackson and Parker, 2008; Raihani, 2017; Srimulyani, 2012; Tan, 2011). While it is beyond the scope of this study to determine whether or not this might be a direct effect, this study suggested that principals do have an indirect effect on socio-religious dynamics in their schools, much like the relationship between school culture and leadership (Hallinger, 2003; Louis and Wahlstrom, 2011; Lumby and Foskett, 2011; McCray et al ., 2012; Winkel and Ganiel, 2017). Based partly on their own conviction and partly on school and community norms, principals made decisions based on their interpretation of Islam that was manifest in the policies, practices and procedures in their school (Brooks and Brooks, 2018).…”

“…Other principals intentionally selected teachers who were hafiz, whether or not their teaching strategies were engaging, appropriate or effective. As curators, Islamic principals were able to privilege their personal socio-religious beliefs over others, which informed and influenced the decisions they made, the pedagogical practices in the school, and the rules they enforced (Dantley, 2010; Marshall, 2014; McCray et al ., 2012). Those choices, collectively considered, pushed principals to foster school cultures that moved students and teachers along a continuum, either towards a more progressive or more conservative enactment of Islam.…”

“…We see both spirituality and religion as part of our conceptualization of socio-religious dynamics, particularly as Dantley's (2005) distinction calls attention to the way that religion and spirituality can inform creative and controlling behaviors in schools. In relation to principals, it is also important to take into account both how their individual religious beliefs inform their leadership decisions and how these individual beliefs interact with those in the school and community (Marshall, 2014; McCray et al ., 2012). This also points out the possibility that multiple interpretations of the same religion can mean that a principal draws on religion and spirituality either to perpetuate hegemony or challenge the status quo.…”

Call and response: A basic interpretive inquiry of the call to leadership of church-affiliated historically Black college and university presidents

“…Professionals in these occupational areas had an expressed interest in incorporating spirituality within professional practice. Additionally, earlier studies have used critical spirituality in educational settings to understand principals' roles in primary education settings (Dantley, 2010;McCray et al, 2012;Scanlan, 2011). However, this study supported the idea that leaders in any sector can use critical spirituality to advance their leadership capacity.…”

“…Embedded in the four elements of critical spirituality is the idea of tragicomic hope. According to McCray et al (2012), "While engaging in critical self-reflection, deconstructive interpretation, performative creativity, and transformative action, leaders must believe that tomorrow will be a better day than yesterday" (p. 100).…”