How do female school leaders perceive and navigate their leadership roles and personal self-care practices?

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 3:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Women Redefining Educational Leadership

Abstract

This pilot study explores how female school leaders perceive and navigate the relationship between leadership and self-care. Using a narrative approach grounded in feminist theory, interviews with three New York City female school leaders reveal themes of emotional isolation, trade-offs between wellness and workload, and the healing power of intentional self-care practices. Findings highlight the gendered pressures of educational leadership and call for supportive systems that sustain both professional effectiveness and personal well-being.

Author

• Prattasha Paul, St. John's University