ACER eNews


Leadership stress deters potential principals Fundamental cultural change is necessary to reform the institution of school leadership in the 21st century, says education policy researcher Dr Louise Watson. Dr Watson addressed the challenge of attracting and sustaining effective school leaders at the Australian Council for Educational Research annual conference on 13 August. Posing the question ‘Why would anyone want this job?’ Dr Watson argued that while there has been considerable concern about an impending crisis in school leadership due to a shrinking pool of applicants for principals’ positions, the problem is not a lack of qualified leaders, but a lack of interest in leadership roles due to the increasing pressure such positions entail. The total number of schools in Australia has remained roughly the same over the past 30 years, whereas the size of the teaching workforce has increased by over a third, which implies that there should be ample numbers of potential applicants for leadership positions. There is compelling evidence, however, that the role of school principals has also changed over time, with increased expectations of management at the expense of educational leadership. “If the job of school principal has become more demanding and stressful, this knowledge could be deterring potential applicants from applying for the principalship, and may also account for their different levels of interest in applying for positions in particular types of school,” Dr Watson said. Governments have responded to the perceived crisis in school leadership primarily by building capacity within the existing teaching force, through programs to identify and support potential school leaders early in their teaching careers – but, if it is the stress and demands of leadership deterring potential applicants, such government initiatives may not be enough. “Fundamental policy reform may be necessary to make educational leadership sustainable in the future,” she said. Louise Watson is an Associate Professor in the School of Education and Community Studies, University of Canberra. Download Dr Watson's conference paper. « Back to eNews
Copyright © Australian Council for Educational Research 2013 All rights reserved. Except under the conditions described in the Copyright Act 1968 of Australia and subsequent amendments, no part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without written permission. Please address any requests to reproduce information to communications@acer.edu.au Subscribe Unsubscribe Australian Council for Educational Research Private Bag 55, Camberwell, Victoria Australia 3124 Tel: + 61 3 9277 5555 Fax: + 61 3 9277 5500 Web: www.acer.edu.au

Fundamental cultural change is necessary to reform the institution of school leadership in the 21st century, says education policy researcher Dr Louise Watson.

Dr Watson addressed the challenge of attracting and sustaining effective school leaders at the Australian Council for Educational Research annual conference on 13 August.

Posing the question ‘Why would anyone want this job?’ Dr Watson argued that while there has been considerable concern about an impending crisis in school leadership due to a shrinking pool of applicants for principals’ positions, the problem is not a lack of qualified leaders, but a lack of interest in leadership roles due to the increasing pressure such positions entail.

The total number of schools in Australia has remained roughly the same over the past 30 years, whereas the size of the teaching workforce has increased by over a third, which implies that there should be ample numbers of potential applicants for leadership positions.

There is compelling evidence, however, that the role of school principals has also changed over time, with increased expectations of management at the expense of educational leadership.

“If the job of school principal has become more demanding and stressful, this knowledge could be deterring potential applicants from applying for the principalship, and may also account for their different levels of interest in applying for positions in particular types of school,” Dr Watson said.

Governments have responded to the perceived crisis in school leadership primarily by building capacity within the existing teaching force, through programs to identify and support potential school leaders early in their teaching careers – but, if it is the stress and demands of leadership deterring potential applicants, such government initiatives may not be enough.

“Fundamental policy reform may be necessary to make educational leadership sustainable in the future,” she said.

Louise Watson is an Associate Professor in the School of Education and Community Studies, University of Canberra.

Download Dr Watson's conference paper.

Leadership stress deters potential principals