School Principals' Sensemaking of and for Their Leadership Role Within a National Reform

• In Event: 42.084 - Poster Session 8
  In Poster Session: 42.084-2 - Division L Section 9 Posters

Abstract

Embracing the tension between internal goals and external expectations, school principals make sense of their leadership role while implementing reform demands. This study explored principals' sense-making of their leadership role within a national education reform. Data were collected through a heterogenic sampling via 60 in-depth interviews with high school principals. Findings indicate four major considerations by which principals make sense of national reform demands: pedagogical vision and autonomy, adapting to school culture, adjusting to school reality, and caring for teachers' needs. These findings expand the existing knowledge about the internal processes by which school principals interpret and enact reform demands within local contexts. Sense-making can be a beneficial framework for principals who balance between large-scale reform guidelines and school interests.

Authors

• Sherry Ganon Shilon, Achva Academic College

• Chen Schechter, Bar-Ilan University