Indigenous women in educational leadership: identifying supportive contexts in Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey

Put Your Big Girl Knickers on! The Experiences of Two Female Leaders in New Zealand Primary Schools Turning Schools Around

“…Mentors can help women to overcome perceived barriers to promotion, and entry "hidden" institutional knowledge and understandings (Grogan, 2002). Further, mentors can support women to access development of professional networks and professional development (Gardiner et al, 2000;Shakeshaft et al, 2007;Collins, 2015;Torrance et al, 2017;Robinson et al, 2019).…”

“…Educational leadership researchers (for example Herlihy and Herlihy, 1980;Northfield et al, 2006;Starr, 2011;Northfield, 2014) found novice, transferring and women school leaders are more likely to experience isolation than male leaders who have been in their current school for 3 years or more. It is therefore probable that positional isolation (Wesson, 1998;Lindorff, 2001;Raymond, 2007;Kelchtermans et al, 2011;Spillane and Lee, 2014;Waytz et al, 2015;Liljenberg and Andersson, 2019) is associated with a lack of professional networks and professional socialization (Crow, 2006;Robinson et al, 2019) as much as it is able establishing oneself as the leader of the school. School leaders in small and/or rural schools are likely to experience geographic and social isolation (Starr and White, 2008;Halsey, 2011;Lock et al, 2012;Wildy and Clarke, 2012;Sayce and Lavery, 2013;Cornish and Jenkins, 2015) where the physical distance between schools and communities make it difficult for leaders to establish professional and social relationships outside of their community.…”

“…Some women leaders also note additional cultural and societal pressures of "constantly negotiating their coexisting roles" as professional/wife/mother (Torrance et al, 2017, p. 29). While others indicate the level of support and encouragement they receive from their families, enable them to obtain and retain school leadership positions (Robinson et al, 2019).…”

“…Other benefits include the development of social-support groups amongst school leaders and having someone to discuss school and/or leadership concerns with away from the locale of the school (Siciliano, 2015). Informal networks, such as those developed outside of education can also help women leaders connect with others, thus increasing their chances of having "insider knowledge" about forthcoming positions or internal school issues (Shakeshaft et al, 2007;Robinson et al, 2019).…”

“…As a number of women leaders report feeling marginalized and isolated by their professional male counterparts at leadership meetings, attending conferences may further enhance their sense of isolation (Gardiner et al, 2000;Collins, 2015;Torrance et al, 2017). Educational research indicates it is particularly important for women leaders to establish their network of trusted friends, colleagues, and mentors (Gardiner et al, 2000;Robinson et al, 2019). This network can provide understanding, knowledge and awareness of both the overt and covert aspects of their role and provide them with support, encouragement, guidance, and advice.…”