Browsing by Author "Emanuel, Sherian."

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A case study of school principals' leadership styles and the sustainability of professional learning communities.
(2014) Emanuel, Sherian.; Bhengu, Thamsanqa Thulani.
The Principal leadership styles play a significant role in professional learning communities (PLCs). Historically most principals have led schools autocratically and this has stifled teachers and the progress of schools. In response scholars have proposed new approaches to leading PLCs. This dissertation reports on the findings of a small scale qualitative case study that was undertaken to explore the leadership styles of three primary school principals in sustaining professional learning communities in their schools. This research study sought to gain insight into how the principals’ leadership styles promote or hinder PLCs. It also sought to explore reasons why principals support PLCs in their unique ways. The study was based on the understanding that these principals who attended and completed an Advanced Certificate in Education: School Leadership (ACE: SL) would have been exposed to new leadership styles within PLCs. The expectation was that these graduates would have adapted their style of leadership in order to promote the sustainability of PLCs. The research paradigm which was adopted was an interpretive paradigm. This study generated data through two data generation methods namely semi-structured interviews and documents analysis and the data was analysed using content analysis. Purposive sampling technique was adopted in this study. The results of the study revealed that Principals demonstrated a leadership style that was inclusive and supportive in exercising leadership. One can conclude that principals who lead PLCs in a strict hierarchical manner may inhibit the sustainability of PLCs as compared to principals who come alongside and support their teachers. In addition, principals whose leadership style nurtures the empowerment of teachers are more likely to create sustainable PLCs. One of the recommendations therefore is that Principals’ leadership approach must change in order to create the conditions necessary for a commitment to the school which can inevitably build sustainable PLCs. In addition, it is recommended that principals who attend future ACE: SL courses should be exposed to and be developed in leadership styles that are conducive to building sustainable PLCs. In concluding the findings for critical question two, the leadership style of the principal which involves teachers in the leadership of the school can promote PLCs. The opposite may also hold true. If principals do not share leadership with staff by distributing leadership, this may impede PLCs. Leadership styles that promote the growth and development of their teachers and assumes a more shepherding and supporting leadership approach are better able to promote PLCs. Principals whose leadership style values people are more likely to promote PLCs than those who are only task focused. Principals’ abilities to promote teamwork and provide support was also seen as vital to promote the long term objectives of schools. This requires principals to lead schools differently from the authoritarian approaches of the past. To determine why principals lead the school in their unique ways, four characteristics emerged and these are, pursuit of excellence, experience, passion and character. These four characteristics influenced the principals’ leadership approaches.
Exploring school principals’ understandings and practices of Servant Leadership : a case study of five public school principals in Umlazi District.
(2018) Emanuel, Sherian.; Bhengu, Thamsanqa Thulani.
The era we live in is characterised by self-serving leaders who have inflated egos and are mainly driven by selfish desires, which results in fragmented organisations. Wherever we turn, we see a lack of confidence in leadership within schools. Servant leadership is considered to be a remarkable approach which stresses unselfish service to others. Given this rationale, this study aims to explore the principals’ understandings of the value of their roles as servant leaders in public schools as well as how school principals’ leadership practices reflect servant leadership and to understand how the principals’ practice of servant leadership influences the school as an organisation. The research design which was adopted by this study, within the interpretive paradigm, was qualitative in nature. The current study adopted a multi-site case study methodology which allowed for an in-depth examination of a real life, present day phenomenon within its natural environment. The case in my study is the case of five public school principals. It is a case of the principals’ understandings of the value of their roles as servant leaders as well as how principals’ leadership practice reflects servant leadership and finally how principals’ servant leadership practices influence the school as an organisation. Schools which were described as having principals who were involved in serving the needs of their staff, learners and community were purposively selected as research sites. The volunteer sampling strategy was used for the selection of teachers and HODs. The researcher selected two post level one teachers as well as one HOD from each of the five schools to form the full complement of participants. The data generation methods used were semi-structured interviews, photovoice interviews and observations with principals. The semi structured interviews were used with teachers and HODs. Data analysis methods included thematic analysis and content analysis. The findings suggest that Principals have understandings of the value of their roles. However, these understandings at the case schools revealed diverse, differing, limited, varied and complex understanding of their role, with schools and Department of Education being their primary motivation factors. Findings in the second question indicate that principals’ servant leadership practices at the case schools exists on a continuum from servant leaders to non-servant leaders. In addition, findings reveal that leadership practices on this continuum also are based on values and identity as a servant leader. Findings in the third question reveal that positive leadership (non-servant) practice influence on teaching and learning is mediated through infrastructural development and curriculum focus. Further, findings reveal that positive servant leadership practice has an influence on the school and the community.