Stepping From Teacher To Primary School Principal : New Skills to Build

Author(s):

Hervé Duchauffour(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2015

Network:

01. Continuing Professional Development: Learning for Individuals, Leaders, and Organisations

Format:

Poster

Session Information

01 SES 05.5 PS, General Poster Session

General Poster Session

Time:

2015-09-09

12:30-14:00

Room:

Poster Area

Chair:

Contribution

Several studies in comparative education show that primary school principals, regardless of their status, are key players in the renewal of education systems (Hopes, 1988; UNESCO, 2006). Their mission offers a wide spectrum of possible on how to embody. These actors base their professional identity from institutional requirements but also in terms of their own interpretation. So, the establishment operator profiles are varied and come around figures like the supervisor, manager, education specialist or leader of the team (Fullan, 2006 ; Barrère, 2006). In France, they are not superiors but first teachers. They work under the supervision of a district inspector. Their role in the proper functioning of schools have been claimed by the Ministry of Education many times IGAENR, 2003 ; MEN, 2013).

This research in science of education shows how in France teachers become principals and how it is difficult to run a school with only five weeks of training.The issue of professional backgrounds and recognition of professional credentials is at the heart of this reflection. The matter consists of drawing up a mecanism of professionalization of head school and recognize the skills wich are necessary to do the job correctly. it is not easy to switch from teacher to principal of school. I argue how personal environment, work environment, motivations to become director play an important role in how to run a school.

Method

This survey shows how private sphere, social sphere, professional choices and institutional requirements influence leadership in everyday decision making and determine identity postures. I will show how regulation changes lead to a reinterpretation of the managerial function, a brand identity negotiation. But preserving self identity in relation to institutions' change requests does not happen naturally. For some of them, manage their school everyday, animate their team, do not scare them, nor that engaging change, and this for three main reasons. The first is the use of the "system D". They are more to have created a network that allows them to use peer when it comes to solving problems related to the knowledge of the system, particularly at the regulatory level. Or more specifically when the need to share difficult situations arises. Families and friends are not slouch when it comes to helping the manager to solve more technical issues, such as control of some computer tools. It is still relying on the skills of a joint steering. One of them used the knowledge and the method of its female director to start his own school project. The second source of success falls within the competence in communication between adults built outside of the academic institution. Skills in relationships, communicative or argumentation so useful in the function have been developed for some political or trade union in elected office, in the direction of outdoor centers or the presidency of association. In this they are not very different from their male counterparts of the second degree. These skills acquired outside the system are those that are most often used to unite the team or manage conflict. Finally, the third reason refers to some personal investment in a recovery study or engagement in training. Thus, the will to succeed actors led to form a personal time and use skills built outside of institutional training.

Expected Outcomes

This survey shows how private sphere, professional choices and institutional requirements influence leadership and determine identity postures. I will show how regulation changes lead to a reinterpretation of the managerial function, a brand identity negotiation. But preserving self identity in relation to institutions' change requests does not happen naturally. For some of them, manage their school everyday, animate their team, do not scare them, nor that engaging change, and this for three main reasons. The first is the use of the "system D". They are more to have created a network that allows them to use peer when it comes to solving problems related to the knowledge of the system, particularly at the regulatory level. and friends are not slouch when it comes to helping the manager to solve more technical issues, such as control of some computer tools. It is still relying on the skills of a joint steering. One of them used the knowledge and the method of its female director to start his own school project. The second source of success falls within the competence in communication between adults built outside of the academic institution. Skills in relationships, communicative or argumentation so useful in the function have been developed for some political or trade union in elected office, in the direction of outdoor centers or the presidency of association. In this they are not very different from their male counterparts of the second degree. These skills acquired outside the system are those that are most often used to unite the team or manage conflict. Finally, the third reason refers to some personal investment in a recovery study or engagement in training. Thus, the will to succeed actors led to form a personal time and use skills built outside of institutional training.

References

Abbott A. (1988). The system of professions : An essay of the division on expert labour, Chicago : Chicago University Press. Alexander, R. Broadfoot P. & Phillips, D. (Eds.) (1999), Learning from Comparing. New Directions in Comparative Educational Research, Wallingford, Symposium Books. Anderson-Levitt, K-M. (2002), Teaching Cultures. Knowledge for Teaching Fisrt Grade in France and the United States, Cresskill NJ : Hampton Press, Inc. Argyris, C. et Schon, D.A. (1989).Theory in practice : increasing professional effectiveness. San Francisco: Jossey Bass Barère A. (2006). Sociologie des chefs d'établissement. Les managers de la République, Paris : PUF. Bellamy G-T., Fulmer C., L, Murphy, M-J., Muth R. (2007), Principal accomplishments. How school leaders succeed, New York, Columbia University, Teachers College Press Bertaux D. (1997). Le récit de vie, Paris : Armand Colin. Champy-Remoussenard, P. (2005). Les théories de l’activité entre travail et formation. Revue Savoirs, 8, 11-50. Delory-Momberger, C. (2004). Les histoires de vie : de l’invention de soi au projet de formation. Paris : Anthropos, Education. Dubar, C. (1991). La socialisation, construction des identités sociales et professionnelles. Paris : Armand Colin. Dubar, C. et Tripier, P. (1998).Sociologie des professions.Paris : Colin Dujarier M-A (2006). L'idéal au tavail, Paris : Editions le Monde, PUF. Fullan M. (2006). Turnaround Leadership, San Francisco : Jossey-Bass A. Wiley Imprint. Glaser B. & Strauss A. (2010). La découverte de la théorie ancrée. Stratégies pour la recherche qualitative, Paris : Armand Colin. Hopes C. [dir.] (1988). Le chef d’établissement et l’amélioration du fonctionnement de l’école. Étude de cas de 10 pays de l’OCDE, Paris : Économica. Inspection générale de l’administration de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche (Igaenr) (2003). Rapport général 2002, Paris : La documentation française. Murphy J. (1998). « Preparation for the school principalship : The United States’ story », School Leadership & Management, 18(3), p. 359-372. Perez-Roux T. (2006). « Identité professionnelle des enseignants : entre singularité des parcours et modes d’ajustement aux changements institutionnels », Savoirs, n°11, p. 107-123. Rich J. (2010). Les nouveaux directeurs d'école. Repenser l'encadrement des établissements scolaires, Bruxelles : Be Boeck. Stegö, E., Gielen, K., Glatter, R. & Hord, S-M. (dir.), OCDE-ISIP (1988), Le rôle des chefs d’établissement dans l’amélioration du fonctionnement de l’école, Paris : Economica. Unesco-Section pour l’enseignement général secondaire (2006). Les nouveaux rôles des chefs d’établissements dans l’enseignement secondaire, Paris : Unesco. Wittorski R. (2007). Professionnalisation et développement professionnel, Paris : L’Harmattan. Wittorski R. (2008). « La professionnalisation : note de synthèse », Savoirs, n°17, p. 11-36.

Author Information

Hervé Duchauffour (presenting / submitting)

Université Paris-Sorbonne-ESPE de Paris

Human and Social Sciences

Paris

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