Becoming a Principal: Role Conception, Initial Socialization, Role-Identity Transformation, Purposeful Engagement
Author:
- 1 October 2003
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Educational Administration Quarterly
- Vol. 39 (4) , 468-503
Abstract
This article presents findings from an exploratory study that described and analyzed the professional growth of 18 educational practitioners while participating in a principal preparation cohort program. The goal of the study was to add understanding to the nature of transformations that occur as teachers prepare to become school principals, and thus, researcher propositions guided the design and focus of this yearlong investigation. Analysis of the exploratory case study data suggests four major themes influencing practitioners' growth toward becoming principals: (a) role conceptualization of the principalship, (b) initial socialization into a new community of practice, (c) role-identity transformation, and (d) purposeful engagement based on career aspirations.Keywords
This publication has 20 references indexed in Scilit:
- Program Self-Evaluation for Continuous ImprovementEducational Administration Quarterly, 2002
- Defining Preparation and Professional Development for the FutureEducational Administration Quarterly, 2002
- The Professional Development of Principals: Innovations and OpportunitiesEducational Administration Quarterly, 2002
- Exceptional and Innovative Programs in Educational LeadershipEducational Administration Quarterly, 2002
- The New Look in Principal Preparation ProgramsNASSP Bulletin, 2000
- Collegial Leaders: Teachers Who Want More Than Just a JobThe Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 1997
- Current Tensions in the Principalship: Finding an Appropriate BalanceNASSP Bulletin, 1997
- Improving educational administration preparation programs: What we have learned over the past decadePeabody Journal of Education, 1997
- Socialization to a new conception of the principalshipJournal of Educational Administration, 1995
- Characteristics of adult learners and foundations of experiential learningNew Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 1994