IN THEIR OWN WORDS: USING RETROSPECTIVE NARRATIVES TO EXPLORE THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIO-CULTURAL AND CONTEXTUAL FACTORS ON DISCOURSES ABOUT IDENTITY OF SELF-AS-PRINCIPAL by Julie Meltzer Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Curriculum and Instruction APPROVED: Susan G. Magliaro, Chair Betty Bailey Melanie Biermann Patrick W. Carlton Jim Garrison Jerome A. Niles June 11, 1997 Blacksburg, Virginia Key words: administration, discourse, identity, narrative, principal Abstract This study explored how socio-cultural and contextual factors influence construction of identity of self-as-principal. Bakhtin’s theories of intertextuality, self and other, and utterance and the theories of Mead, Dewey, Bruner, and Cherryholmes regarding the social construction of the self provided a context for examining self-as-principal as described through retrospective narratives. Discourse analysis was used to examine transcripts of 83 oral history interviews with retired Virginia principals1 whose careers spanned the 1920’s to the 1990’s. Focus was on construction of the identity of self–as–principal through examination of structural metaphors (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980), descriptions of others, storying of self as protagonist, storying of conflict situations and how stated opinions and philosophy are reinforced/contradicted by examples provided within the texts (Potter & Wetherill, 1987). Certain socio-cultural factors such as race, gender, and religion, and certain contextual factors, such as level of school (i.e., elementary, middle school, high school), era, school size, open space schools, career track, special education, school district emerged as determiners of cohorts sharing discourse features about self-as-principal. The most profound discourse contrasts about self-as-principal resulted when the cohorts analyzed took into account both race and gender. Very different structural metaphors for each cohort by level and race/gender regarding self-as-principal emerged during the analysis. Age, years of tenure as principal, educational background, rural vs. urban locations, and areas of the state did not seem to generate defined discourse cohorts. The findings of this narrative/discourse analysis provide insight into how self-as-principal is constructed, understood and primarily influenced and confirm that this is a rich approach to better understanding how socio-cultural and contextual factors influence role definition for educators. 1 These interviews were collected as part of the Oral History of the Principalship project, directed by Dr. Patrick Carlton, here at Virginia Tech. ii Dedication To Jonathan, Jacob George and Jasmine Mee-Hyun iii Acknowledgments I have been very fortunate to go through this entire project with a phenomenal amount of support from family, friends, and colleagues. The result is that the process has been long and arduous, but also joyful and very rich. First, I want to thank Dr. Susan Magliaro, whose encouragement, direction and mentorship was outstanding. I would also like to thank my committee members, all of whom were very supportive throughout the process: Dr. Betty Bailey, Dr. Melanie Biermann, Dr. Patrick W. Carlton, Dr. Jim Garrison and Dr. Jerry Niles. Their combination of faith and feedback provided invaluable guidance. I would like to acknowledge the Appalachian College Association who provided me with a full fellowship during the 1996-1997 academic year in order to complete my doctorate. Dr. Jerry Boone and Dr. Joseph Carter at Ferrum College were key to this endeavor. I appreciate their sponsoring me for the fellowship, granting me a year’s leave of absence, providing professional development support early on, and encouraging me to pursue the doctorate. This was a wonderful opportunity for which I am truly grateful. I feel privileged to have been part of a supportive community of learners within the Department of Teaching and Learning at the College of Human Resources and Education here at Virginia Tech. Many faculty and fellow students have given generously of their time to talk about this project, read drafts, provide feedback, solved technical crises, and suggest resources. I have also received excellent support from the staff at Newman Library, the secretaries in the Department of Teaching and Learning, and the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies. I am especially grateful to Dr. Jan Nespor, Dr. Tina Dawson, Dr. Jennifer Sughrue, Liz Roth, Tom Hergert, Sarah Westfall, Jane Falls, Rebecca Scheckler, and the members of the Qualitative Analysis Seminar in the Fall of 1997. I want to thank the students in my adult improvisational dance class for providing a much needed weekly creative, inspirational outlet and opportunity to teach during this past year. I also want to thank the other members of the Board of The Learning Circle for the opportunity to work on such an exciting project which provided a counterbalance to this one. I want to thank all of my family, friends, and colleagues in Ferrum, Blacksburg, Cape Cod, Plymouth, Boston, Mt. Kisco and Floyd who never doubted that I could succeed and who cheered me on throughout the past five years. I especially want to thank my parents, Fay and Barry Meltzer, and my in-laws, Martin and Ellen Bender, for all of their various forms of support, and Jonathan Greenberg, Leah Zigmond, Nichole Danraj, Stacey Danraj, and Megan LaRue for all of their help during this past year. Perhaps most of all, I want to thank my wonderful husband, Jonathan Bender for his unswerving patience with me during this process and his willingness to support me to achieve this goal. And I want to thank my son, Jacob George, for putting up with a mother who has been too often busy working on “deadlines” for 5 of his 6 years. iv Meltzer TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 Introduction: Locating The Study 1 Introduction 1 Statement of the Problem 3 Context for this Study 3 Narrative Research Regarding the Construction of Identity as a Teacher 3 Research into the Construction of Identity as a Principal 4 Research into the role of the principal. 4 Research into relationships between socio-cultural factors and contextual factors and the role of the principal. 5 Extant qualitative research into the role of the principal. 5 A Call for a Different Kind of Research 8 A focus on language. 9 Narrative research. 9 Rationale for this study. 10 Entering This Study 11 Documentary Notes and Organization of Text 11 Discourse Analysis and Researcher as Instrument: Confluence of Product as Process 13 CHAPTER 2 Theoretical Frameworks: The Relationship Between Discourse Analysis and Retrospective Narratives About Self-as-Principal 16 Introduction 16 Relationship of Theory to Study Design 16 Context and Theory: Narrative as a Way of Constructing Self 17 Premise 17 The Dialogic Self: Self Construction Within the Context of Cultural Psychology 18 Professional Knowledge and Political Landscapes: Essential Aspects of Cultural Psychology 19 Metaphor in Educational Discourse: How Possibilities for Action are Structured 20 Moral Agency and Ethical Dilemmas as Framing Identity of Self-as-Principal: The Role of Moral Imagination 22 Narrative Construction of Self: Socio-Cultural Contexts 24 Micro and Macro Contexts: Interviewer and Interviewee 25 The micro context: Interview as speech event. 26 The macro context: Connections to other narratives. 26 Looking for Contrasting Discourses 28 Research as a Dialogical Process: Putting Theory into Practice 28 Conclusion 31 CHAPTER 3 Traditional Conceptions of the Role of the Principal: Common and Contrasting Discourses in White Male Elementary, Middle School, and Secondary Principals’ Narratives About Role and Identity of Self-as-Principal 33 Introduction 33 Methods for Cohort Selection and Analysis 34 Meltzer The Mainstream Discourse of Educational Administration IS the Discourse of White Males 36 Common Discourses About Self-As-Principal of Retired White Male Principals 38 Summary 48 Differences In Discourses About Self-As-Principal By Level Cohort 49 PRINCIPAL as FATHER: Retired Elementary Principals’ Descriptions of Self-as-Principal 51 Introduction 51 Trained By Teachers 52 Being Visible 53 Relationships With Teachers 54 Relationships With Parents 56 Building Manager or Instructional Leader 57 Other Features of the Discourse 59 PRINCIPAL as MANAGER: Retired Middle School Principals’ Descriptions of Self-as-Principal 60 Introduction 60 Mission 64 Instructional Leadership 67 Management of Personnel and Programs 68 PRINCIPAL as THE ONE IN CHARGE: Retired High School Principals’ Descriptions of Self-as-Principal 70 Introduction 70 What a Good High School Principal Is and Does 72 Attendance at School Events 73 Parents 74 The Need To Be In Charge vs. Being In The Middle 75 In Charge to Maintain the Status Quo 76 Working With Teachers 77 Visibility and Technical Aspects of the Role 78 Impact of Era on Role/Identity 78 Concluding Comments 80 CHAPTER 4 How Who We Are and Where We Are Located Influences How We Describe Roles and Identities of Self-as-Principal: A Socio-Cultural Discourse Analysis of Three Cohorts of Elementary Principals 81 Introduction 81 PRINCIPAL as FACILITATOR: Retired White Female Elementary Principals’ Descriptions About Self-as-Principal 83 Introduction: The Relational Quality of Female Leadership 83 Power to Lead as a Team Concept 84 Comparisons With Shakeshaft’s Findings 86 Taking Care Of Business By Taking Care