Latina/o School Principals as Instructional Leaders

Abstract

Focusing on the fundamental purpose of schools as student learning, this exploratory study attempts to better understand the role of Latino principals' activities that are centered on the teaching and learning include 33% in classrooms, 25% connecting with students, 23% pushing paperwork, 18% planning, 16% in meetings, 15% teaching training, and 14% in professional development. Additionally, our study highlights barriers for Latino school leaders indicating activities to reduce their time in meetings, student discipline, paperwork, and teacher administrator discipline.

Equity Leadership Informed by Community Cultural Wealth: Counterstories of Latinx School Administrators

“…Roger described relying on his cousin in school to support him as he tried to be the “whitest brown kid on campus.” He recognized in our interview this was destructive and unjust, but he saw it as a survival tactic in the face of the deep oppressive pull of assimilation. Across the counterstories, it is evident that as people of color, the four Latinx leaders in our study relied on their Community Cultural Wealth to help them along their pathway (Hernandez et al, 2014; Horak & Valle, 2016; Martinez et al, 2016; Murakami et al, 2013) and to inform how they approached their work to promote equity as administrators (Martinez et al, 2016; Murakami et al, 2013, 2016; Niño et al, 2017).…”

“…In particular, how their equity focus is related to their own experiences and backgrounds as people of color, from marginalized backgrounds, or low-income communities. For example, Niño, Hernandez, Valle, and McPhetres (2017) study of the instructional leadership of Latina/o leaders considered how administrators’ tasks, time, and priorities aligned with Yosso’s (2005) model. Other studies have considered how Latinx leaders more deeply understand the experiences and identities of students (Martinez et al, 2016; Murakami et al 2013) and are seen as role models by Latinx families and students, because of their cultural backgrounds (Murakami, Hernandez, Méndez-Morse, & Byrne-Jiménez, 2016).…”