Abstract

The study investigated the link between principals’ awareness of their effect on teachers’ emotional reframing (i.e., a form of interpersonal emotion regulation aiding in cognitive reappraisal) and variables pertinent to school leadership, positive emotions, and organizational commitment. Data were collected from 69 primary schools, with 69 principals self-reporting on their influence on teachers’ emotional reframing and 639 teachers reporting on their principals’ influence (using an adaptation of Gross and John’s (2003) ERQ measure). The self-other rating agreement perspective enabled us to categorize principals into four groups based on the variance between their own assessment of teachers’ emotional reframing and the teachers’ ratings: over-estimators, under-estimators, in-agreement/good leaders, and in-agreement/poor leaders. The teachers also assessed the principals’ transformational leadership, collective positive emotions, and collective affective organizational commitment. Analyses revealed that primarily under-estimators and in-agreement/good leaders were associated with higher levels of principals’ transformational leadership, teachers’ collective positive emotions, and teachers’ collective organizational commitment to the school. Almost no differences emerged between over-estimators and in-agreement/poor leaders, which were associated with lower levels of school leadership, positive emotions, and commitment. The findings suggest that principals’ awareness of their influence on teachers’ emotional reframing fosters a conducive environment for positive leadership behaviors, emotional climate, and organizational commitment within schools. The theoretical implications attest to the significance of interpersonal emotion regulation in shaping organizational dynamics, and the practical implications point to the importance of interventions aimed at enhancing principals’ understanding of their influence on teachers’ emotional processes for nurturing a positive school culture.

Abstract

This qualitative study investigated teachers’ motivation to perform emotion management (i.e., emotional labor and emotion work) in coping with students’ discipline problems. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 Israeli teachers. Findings indicate that teachers experienced emotional distress when confronted with discipline problems. The study also found that teachers mentioned motivation to perform emotional management related to emotional labor and emotion work to manage their negative emotions. Role modeling, professional standards, preservation of status and authority, and effectiveness were the main introjected and external motivations associated with emotional labor; moral compass and authentic emotional discourse were the main integrated and identified motivations associated with emotion work. Reference to emotional labor aspects was more frequently made by secondary school teachers than among primary school teachers. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Abstract

This study explored the evolution of professional perceptions guiding teacher training in Israel, examining two alternative explanations for their dynamic development: the first one focuses on the modernization of professional perceptions, drawing on Hargreaves’ theory of the four stages of teacher professionalism; the second delves into the cyclical nature of liberal and conservative trends in education, based on Cuban’s theory of cyclical changes in education. To gain a deeper understanding of the driving dynamics behind historical changes in professional perceptions of teacher training in Israel, we conducted a survey involving 312 teachers. Using a newly developed quantitative tool for assessing professional perceptions, we examined teachers’ views on the professional principles underlying their training from 1960 to 2020. The research findings offer empirical support for the cyclical dynamics of change in professional perceptions. The uniqueness of the research lies in its combination of theoretical frameworks, providing alternatives for understanding historical dynamics in professional perceptions. These innovations may serve as a foundation for future research efforts and illuminate the complex dynamics of changes in teacher education worldwide.

Abstract

Purpose

Examine the authority and power of kindergarten superintendents in public education to elucidate their leadership dynamics.

Design

Semi-structured interviews with 24 Israeli kindergarten teachers about the authority and power of their superintendents. Thematic analysis was used to construct a description of two overarching authority categories: formal and informal.

Findings

Within the realm of formal authority, two prevalent leadership types were discerned: bureaucratic management and management by exception. Each type incorporated distinct strategies for influencing teachers and coping with organizational challenges. Three predominant informal leadership types emerged— authoritarian, empowering, and pedagogical—reflecting different approaches to influencing kindergarten teachers. The study elucidates the power base that underpins each leadership type, describing the resources superintendents use for influence and leverage.

Originality

The importance of the study lies in providing valuable insights into the authority and power of kindergarten superintendent leadership in a centralized public early childhood system.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper explores the gender stereotypes associated with feminine and masculine management and leadership styles in schools.

Design

The study adopted a survey-based approach, utilizing an inventory tool, to examine the traits and behaviours perceived by teachers as characterizing feminine and masculine management and leadership styles. The study involved a gender-diverse sample of 398 Israeli teachers from various educational backgrounds and experiences. Participants were presented with a list of traits and behaviours typically associated with management and leadership styles and were asked to rank them based on their perception of the extent to which they reinforce gender stereotypes.

Findings

Mixed-design ANOVA analyses revealed the traits and behaviours that were perceived as the most gender-stereotypical in both feminine and masculine management and leadership styles.

Originality

The findings contribute to our understanding of the gender biases and expectations that may influence perceptions of effective school management and leadership. The research may inform efforts to promote gender equality and unbiased leadership in educational institutions.

Abstract

Purpose- This study investigated the relationships between leadership styles (transformational, transactional, and passive) and teachers’ autonomous motivation (intrinsic and identified) in teachers with high and low levels of organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB).

Design- In a sample of 651 teachers from Israeli schools, several groups were identified: 107 teachers with the highest OCB scores (saints), 104 teachers with the lowest OCB scores (sinners), and 440 teachers with OCB scores in the middle range. Findings- Regression analysis indicated that the intrinsic motivation of OCB saints was significantly predicted by passive leadership style, whereas that of the OCB norm by transformational leadership style. The analysis further indicated that the identified motivation of OCB sinners was significantly predicted by transactional leadership style, whereas that of the OCB norm by transformational leadership style.

Originality- The results challenge the assumption of a one-size-fits-all approach to “effective” principals’ leadership styles and suggest that to cultivate teachers’ autonomous motivation they should be treated differently in leadership efforts. The implications of the study may be useful in improving school effectiveness and designing training programs for school leaders to enhance their leadership skills.

Abstract

Research on the effect of COVID-19 and its aftermath on education is gaining momentum. Nevertheless, this expanding contemporary literature only scarcely addresses principals’ digital instructional leadership and has not investigated how principals’ regular instructional leadership aligns with it. Moreover, the emerging writing on the aftermath of COVID-19 notes the phenomenon of teacher shortages in schools as a result of a growing tendency of teachers to leave the profession, but the possible connection with various forms of principals’ instructional leadership remains unexplored. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of combinations of different levels of principals’ regular instructional leadership and digital instructional leadership on teachers’ intention to leave. Cluster analysis of data of 267 school teachers in Israel was conducted. The results indicate an association between differences in teachers’ intention to leave the profession and mixtures of regular and digital instructional leadership. The results and their implications are discussed.

Abstract

This study highlights the growing significance of integrating digital technology into instructional leadership in schools. Educational administration research cannot ignore the fact that digital technology has become an integral part of human interactions and organisational processes in 21st-century workplaces. This paper aims to explore digital instructional leadership behaviours of principals during the COVID-19 pandemic and explain behavioural differences in leadership related to different levels of socio-economic school settings. Data were collected through an online study from 380 teachers in Bahrain. We used a series of two-sample t-tests between percentages to compare differences in digital instructional leadership behaviours. The study revealed that means of principals’ digital instructional leadership behaviours were generally higher in schools serving student populations with a high rather than low socio-economic background. Principals in schools serving student populations with low socio-economic background were higher than their peers only in one digital instructional leadership behaviours, and this was related to socio-economic gaps. The study contributes to better understanding of digital instructional leadership, an approach that is becoming highly prevalent because of the pandemic, and sheds light on how levels of principals’ behaviours vary in different circumstances. Overall, the findings attest to the presence of a digital instructional leadership divide.

Abstract

This paper presents a qualitative study of the interactions between public kindergarten teachers and their superintendents, using the symbolic interaction theoretical framework. The purpose of the study was to gain insight into the meaning-making processes and social dynamics that occur in these interactions, specifically monitoring ones. The study is based on interviews with 24 kindergarten teachers in Israel. The data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach that focused on identifying the key themes and patterns in the participants’ experiences and perspectives. The findings reveal two key themes that emerged from the interactions between kindergarten teachers and superintendents: the centrality of visibility, with teachers expressing a desire to be seen by superintendents, and the significant effect that the superintendents’ visits to kindergartens had on the teachers’ experiences and practices. Teachers regarded the visits as opportunities to showcase their skills and achievements, but the visits also generated anxiety and pressure to perform well. The study offers insights into the nature of the teacher-superintendent relationship in kindergartens and provides a foundation for future research in this area.

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the gendered constructions of good management by men school leaders. The research participants were 30 men school leaders in Israel, selected through purposive sampling. The study aimed to identify the dominant discourses of masculinity and how they shaped ideal school leadership practices. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with the participants and used thematic analysis to explore the data. The findings suggest that the participants constructed good management using two prototypes of masculinity: hegemonic and caring. Hegemonic masculinity was associated with traditional managerial styles, such as being focused on the task and achieving excellence, using charismatic-visionary behaviours and a focus on resources and organizational structure. By contrast, caring masculinity involves more empowering behaviour styles, concern for others, and the distribution of power. To be regarded as good managers, some participants adopted an androgynous management style, indicating the ongoing struggles associated with the gender experiences of current men leaders.

Abstract

The knowledge about principals’ digital transformational leadership in schools is scarce. This lacuna is problematic because recently many countries switched to remote schooling and online learning models during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new situation changed the principal’s role to one of distant digital leadership, working with teachers and students remotely. The present study aims to investigate principals’ digital transformational leadership and its outcomes. The research is based on data from 380 teachers in Bahrain. The findings and their implications for effective remote schooling are discussed.