Leading and managing in education is challenging as it is geared towards the development of human potential. Hence creating an environment that accommodates for changes is very important. Moreover, leading and managing change in the area of gender in education is complex and fraught with tension especially in a Country where Violence against Women is a big issue and also where attitudes toward women, boys and girls is embedded in cultural norms and daily practices and so confronting, addressing, questioning, analysing to try change attitudes is threatening.
Educational leaders and managers face many challenges in relation to social and ethical issues in the daily administration of the schools. Successful administrators and managers should understand the various dimensions of social justice issues influencing the day to day administrative processes and the impact of gender on the theorising and practice of educational leadership, and how this in turn influences the daily administration of the school as an organisation
Essentially, this paper provides a range of conceptual and practical frameworks within which students can gain a better understanding of their own and their colleagues' gendered practices, and to also think about possible approaches to change and development in their own workplaces: centres, playground, classroom, staffroom, and boardroom. More importantly, this course is designed to examine a range of social justice issues and challenges for educational leaders that emerge out of intersections between gender, sexuality and ethnicity. This is done through the introduction of theories of gender construction that provide a conceptual framework for analysis of gendered practices in educational settings.
This provides students with an understanding of how male and female leaders practice and behave as leaders or managers. The examination of relevant theories on gender and leadership and management that covers Leadership styles are explored in relation to gender and other factors such as culture and religion. In light of these theories explore some current issues through personal reflection and observation, and to critically make informed evaluation of the potential and practical strategies for change in the school environment. Here attention is given to the career paths of men and women, how gender influences leadership attainment, and the kinds of strategies that males and females adopt to help them in this process.
- Teacher: Mary Ulnas