Women Principals and Vice-Principals
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WOMEN PRINCIPALS AND VICE-PRINCIPALS: TIE IMPACT OF ONE MAMTOBA SCHûOL DMSION'S AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICY ON THEIR APPûINTMENTS TO AD-STRATION AND ON SELECTED ASPECTS OF THEIR PRACTICES A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Education in Partial Fuifiliment of the Requirements for the Degree of Department of Educational Administration University of Manitoba Winnipeg' Manitoba O July 1997 National Library Bibliothèque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services senrices bibliographiques 395 WelGngtm Street 395, rue Wellingfm Ortaii#LON K1AW OitnivaON K1AW Canada Cairiida The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive -permettant à la National Lïbfary of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distniiute or sen reproduire, prêter, distn'bner ou copies of this thesis in microforni, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la fome de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur fomiat électronique. 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TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... i ACKNO WLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................ iv LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................... v 1 INTRODUCTION..... ......................................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem .................................................................................... 6 Significance of the Study .................................................................................... 7 2 RE'OF THE LITERATURE ..................................................................... 9 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 9 Expen-ences of Femaie Aspirants to Educationd Leadership Positions ............. 9 Factors Considered by Fernale Aspirants to Leadership Positions ............... 9 Encouragement Received by Fernale Aspirants to Leadership Positions ..... 12 Preparation for and Readiness to Seek Positions of Leadership by Female Aspirants ........................................................................................... 14 Relationship of AffidveAction initiatives to the Initial Experiences of Fernale Adrnirüsîraton ............................................................... 20 Effect of Gender upon Relationships with Staff, Students, and Parents ....... 20 Networks of Support for FdeAdministratocs ......................................... 24 Effects of Gender upon Balancing the Demands of Professional and Home Life ..................................................................................................... 26 The Effect of ABnmiative Action Initiatives upoa Women's Administrative -ce ................................................................................. 28 Re-statement of the Roblem ............................................................................... 3 1 Theories in Educational Adntinistration Research .............................................. 33 The Thmry Movement-................................................................................. 33 nie Subjectivist Theory ................................................................................ 34 The Feminist Theocy ..................................................................................... 34 The Intewiew Method .......................... ,. ....................................................... 36 Data Collection - Cohort Setection ..................................................................... 38 Pilot Interview ............................................................................................... 41 Respondent InteMew Format ....................................................................... 41 Data Collection ................... ,.. ....................................................................... 42 Analysis of the Data ............................................................................................ 43 Limitations .......................................................................................................... 44 Delimitations ................................ ,-...- ...............*........................................... 45 4 FOUR WOMEN ADMINISTRATORS 'IN THE WINNIPEG SCHOOL DMSION NO . 1 .......................................................... 46 Profiles of Four Women Administrators ............................................................. 46 .............................................................................................................. 46 5 THEMES AM)ISSUES OF FOUR WOMEN ADMINISTRATORS IN THE WINNlPEG SCHOOL DIVISION NO . 1 ............................................ 54 Introâuction......................................................................................................... 54 Initiai Appointment Experiences ........................................................................ 54 . Post-Appointment Experiences .....................*..................................................... 79 6 SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND RECOMMENDATiONS .................................................................................... 109 on......................................................................................................... 109 Conclusions ................................................................................................... 111 Experieaces of Female Aspirants to Adm"stration .............................. 111 Experiences of Female Adminküators ................................................... 119 Implications ................................................................................................... 134 Assessrnent of the Affirmative Action Policy ............................................ 137 Recommendations for Further Study ............................................................ 141 BlsLIûGRAPHY ...........................................................................................................143 APPENDIXA: INTERVIEW PROTOCOL.................................................................. 147 APPENOIX B: LETTER OF INTRODUCTION .......................................................... 151 APPENDIX C: LETER OF CONSENT ............... .. .... .. ............................................ 153 Affirmative Action I The purpose of this study was to investigate the experience of women administraton appointed during the @ce of mative policy and pmcedures as adopted by The Winnipeg School Division No. 1 (Jmuary 1986). It was interested in their perspectives as they aspiml to, applied for, were appointed to, and acted as administration as members of a puptargeteâ by affirmative action maisures. The fiterature review first focused upon the experiences of female aspirants to educational leadership positions. It reviewed the factors considend by fénae aspirants, the encouragement bey receiveà, their level of preparation for admiaistration, and how affirmative action initiatives reiated to the appointment process- Secondiy, the literature review examined the eWeen of fernale administrative appointees with the effects theü gender had upon workplace relationships, theu network of support, the effects of their gender in balancing home life and professional responsibiMes, and the effects of . affirmative action initiatives on their adniinistrative practice. The methodology coasisted of selecthg four women administrators who were appointed between 1986 and 1995 wben the atlhative action policy of The Winnipeg School Division No. 1 was in place. Of the women selected, two were vice-principals and two were principals. Two administer at senior high schwls, one at a Nursery to Grade 8 schaol, and one at a Nursery to SR1 school. The four women admlliistrators took part in two interviews of nom 1 to 1 112 hous in length each. The interviews were open ended and fonowed the inte~ew protocol (Appendix A) &ch hod been screened in a pilot interview session. Data hm the interviews were ncorded on tape and ttaascnbed. The analysis of the &ta followed qualitative research methodology. The resuits were anaiyzed and conclusions presented 'Iàe four women administrators dedtheit experiences about factors