Using reflexive photography to study a principal’s experiences of the impact of professional development on a school: a case study

Steyn, G.M.

doi:10.4102/koers.v74i3.133

Cited by 11 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…A number of studies were conducted previously at this school. These included sustaining an inviting culture in the school (Author, 2006, 2007), professional development of teachers (Steyn, 2009a; 2009b, 2010), and dimensions of school leadership (Steyn, 2012a, 2012b). The principal who participated in the study took office at the beginning of 2010.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Teacher Collaboration and Invitational Leadership in a South African Primary School

Steyn

2014

Education and Urban Society

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The focus on schools as communities of learning for teachers has prompted professionals to investigate the role of professional learning within a school context. This is an attempt to investigate the voice of the principal regarding the implementation of teacher collaboration in his or her school, and to determine how teacher collaboration is aligned with assumptions of invitational education. A qualitative method of inquiry was employed to illuminate the experiences of a particular primary school principal in his endeavours to create and maintain a collaborative learning environment among teachers in an inviting school in South Africa. Data were analysed using the four assumptions of invitational education, namely, respect, trust, optimism and intentionality. From the findings it was clear that the implementation of teacher collaboration in the school was aligned with the four assumptions of invitational education. This study provides an appropriate basis for developing such a collaborative teacher community, thus improving teacher and student learning. However, since school contexts have a powerful effect on teacher collaboration, it is important to contextualise teacher collaboration according to schools' particular needs and challenges.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Teacher Collaboration and Invitational Leadership in a South African Primary School

Steyn

2014

Education and Urban Society

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“…The researcher became acquainted with the primary school in the study via a shadowing exercise of the principal when he was carefully observed for a few months in 1992. The school and principal had also participated in a number of other studies which did not particularly focus on the leadership practice of the principal, but provided valuable insights into his leadership practice (Steyn 1994(Steyn ,2006(Steyn , 2007(Steyn , 2009(Steyn , 2010. During his years of principalship which was revealed in the mentioned studies, this school displayed the following characteristics: purposive and flexible leadership; teachers' and students' commitment to work; a safe and organisationally functioning school context (cf.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The principal placed a great emphasis on staff's PD and acknowledged their 'unique' talents. In various studies, the principal referred to the importance of teachers' growth (Steyn 2007(Steyn , 2009(Steyn , 2010. In the 2010 interview, he strongly confirmed his belief: "I think the other shortcoming in schools is that we don't develop [people]."…”

Section: Developing People: Focus On the 'Strong Points' And Not The mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The principal had not been complacent throughout his years as principal and he had introduced a number of initiatives, such as the B+ initiative to focus on the positive attitudes of people, cultivating winners by introducing various reward systems for learners, teachers, parents and even "friends of the school" and focusing on people by providing an effective client service (Steyn 2009(Steyn , 2010. Over the years he also modelled the importance of building personal and professional relationships and estab-lished collaborative structures in the school in which roles and responsibilities were distributed.…”

Section: Builing Community: "Start Trusting and Using People … It's Amentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Narrative Inquiry into the Leadership Practice in a South African School through a Servant-Leadership Lens

Steyn

2012

Journal of Social Sciences

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Apart from international narrative studies on school principals the use of a narrative has only been applied in a limited manner to studies focusing on school principals in South Africa. The purpose of this article was therefore to explore the way in which the principal in the study exhibited the aspects of the servant-leadership model through a narrative analysis. The narrative of a South African principal was interpreted in the light of the six characteristics of Laub's servant-leadership organisational model. The following categories emerged from the data analysis: Valuing people: "I have been extra blessed with a great love for people"; Developing people: Focus on the 'strong points' and not the 'weak points'; Building community: Start trusting and using people… it's a general principle"; Displaying authenticity: "Compassion … it's a very small thing, perhaps even insignificant"; Providing leadership: "We are missing something about the child"; and Sharing leadership: "The secret of any business … is ownership." This study shows the intricate relationship between the contextual factors in a particular school and the execution of school leadership, in particular servant-leadership.

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“…Various studies were previously done in the school, and many of them were based on the leadership practice of the predecessor (Steyn 1994(Steyn , 2009(Steyn , 2010(Steyn , 2012a(Steyn , 2012b(Steyn , 2012c) and on the invitational education approach in the school (Steyn 2006(Steyn , 2007. As a result, this study used purposive sampling to select the school where the socialisation of a new principal in the school can be investigated.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Principal succession: The socialisation of a primary school principal in South Africa

Steyn

2013

Koers

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Using reflexive photography to study a principal’s experiences of the impact of professional development on a school: a case study

Abstract: Using reflexive photography to study a principal's experiences of the impact of professional development on a school: a case study

Cited by 11 publications

References 34 publications

Teacher Collaboration and Invitational Leadership in a South African Primary School

Teacher Collaboration and Invitational Leadership in a South African Primary School

A Narrative Inquiry into the Leadership Practice in a South African School through a Servant-Leadership Lens

Principal succession: The socialisation of a primary school principal in South Africa

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