The dance of influence: professional relationships evolve as teachers and administrators engage in whole school renewal

Lewis, Marian and Andrews, Dorothy (2007) The dance of influence: professional relationships evolve as teachers and administrators engage in whole school renewal. Leading and Managing, 13 (1). pp. 91-107. ISSN 1329-4539

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Abstract

This paper explores how involvement in a whole school improvement process can change professional relationships in a school, particularly between the principal and the professional community. Before engaging in this process, the teachers in the study already enjoyed a supportive school environment nurtured by the principal. However, through engagement in the school improvement process they began to experience professional growth – both individually and as a teacher-lead professional community. As a result, they began to challenge the nature of the relationships which had been nurtured by the principal. This placed never before felt tensions between the teaching community and the principal.

Our case study captures the dynamics of the continuing dance of influence as the improvement process unfolded. As a professional community, they were 'growing up' and moving beyond the cultural meaning that the principal has created. However, they could only continue to grow if the principal reconsidered the organizational and relationship system he had developed.

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Item Type:	Article (Commonwealth Reporting Category C)
Refereed:	Yes
Item Status:	Live Archive
Faculty/School / Institute/Centre:	Historic - Faculty of Education (Up to 30 Jun 2013)
Faculty/School / Institute/Centre:	Historic - Faculty of Education (Up to 30 Jun 2013)
Date Deposited:	06 Nov 2007 07:45
Last Modified:	17 Feb 2014 07:43
Uncontrolled Keywords:	professional community; distributed leadership; school renewal; organisational learning; professional development; teacher leadership; school improvement
Fields of Research (2008):	13 Education > 1303 Specialist Studies in Education > 130313 Teacher Education and Professional Development of Educators 13 Education > 1303 Specialist Studies in Education > 130304 Educational Administration, Management and Leadership 20 Language, Communication and Culture > 2001 Communication and Media Studies > 200105 Organisational, Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication
Socio-Economic Objectives (2008):	C Society > 93 Education and Training > 9304 School/Institution > 930401 Management and Leadership of Schools/Institutions
URI:	http://eprints.usq.edu.au/id/eprint/3279

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