Differences Between Teachers' and Principals' Expectations of School Leaders in Real Situations

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 3
  In Roundtable Session: The Social Side of Educational Change

Abstract

The aim of the study is to discover how teachers’ expectations of their school leaders influence the principal’s role in practice. The research questions are: 1) How do realistic expectations differ from more idealistic expectations? 2) How do teachers’ and principals’ expectations differ in real situations? and 3) What are principals’ views of the implications of these expectations in shaping their leadership role? The study is framed within social psychological and organization development perspectives. The results show that there are differences in realistic and idealistic expectation of principals. The significance is the focus on relations between teachers and their principals and the evaluation of how norms are constituted in real situations and subsequently shape the role of the school leader.

Authors

• Mats Ekholm, Karlstad University

• Ulf Blossing, University of Gothenburg

• Lars Svedberg, Karlstad University

• Erik Groth, Karlstad University

• Anette Forssten Seiser, Karlstad University