Implications of a shadowing/mentoring programme for aspiring principals
International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education
ISSN: 2046-6854
Article publication date: 5 September 2016
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of a shadowing/mentoring component of a post-graduate programme designed to prepare deputy and assistant principals for the principalship.
Design/methodology/approach
The research design is a qualitative evaluation of the shadowing/mentoring component of a principal preparation programme. The experiences of 13 individual aspiring principals who had taken part in the programme were explored using semi-structured interviews.
Findings
The shadowing/mentoring component of this programme allowed the aspiring principals to gain an understanding of the complexity of a principal’s role by shadowing and being mentored by experienced principals in a range of New Zealand schools. In addition to providing them with a network of effective principals, the experience led the aspiring principals to reflect on their leadership development.
Research limitations/implications
The study drew on a small sample of 27 students enroled in the programme, 13 of whom were included in the data collection process.
Originality/value
This study presents the views of aspiring principals who valued the opportunity to relate theory to practice as part of a post-graduate programme.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Special thanks for those school principals who supported MSSL by hosting and mentoring the aspiring leaders. Gulay Erin Dalgic was funded by TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) during this research.
Citation
Service, B., Dalgic, G.E. and Thornton, K. (2016), "Implications of a shadowing/mentoring programme for aspiring principals", International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, Vol. 5 No. 3, pp. 253-271. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMCE-03-2016-0031
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited