Caring as a central aspect of administration in education

• Main Author: Hansen, Elaine
• Format: Others
• Language: en; en_US
• Published: 2007
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/2032

The purpose of this study was to examine evidence relative to the belief that caring is central to effective leadership in educational administration. The study originated from a personal validation of caring human relationships being at the heart of education. Influential experiences and review of literature led to the development of areas to explore this belief with other practising school administrators. It is the caring for another human being--a genuine, ethical connection--that is examined in this study. Research was conducted by interviewing a random sample often principals with a focus on their beliefs as to caring ways, effective leadership qualities and barriers to caring as a school administrator. The selection process was stratified to create a sample with a balance of male and female administrators in elementary and secondary schools. Participants identified and exemplified caring ways in the development of human relationships with staff, students and parents. They generally ranked caring as a high priority as a leadership quality, reporting it to be foundational to administration in education. Individual personality style was considered to be a decisive factor in ways that caring connections are made in the school community, although there was agreement that gender would not be without influence. Eleven organizational or societal barriers to caring were identified, with the most common one being uncaring or marginal teachers. Limitations and implications are identified in conclusion focussing on the validation of caring as a leadership quality and the motivation of current and future educators to realize the central aspect of caring as they relate to the children and adults in their school environments.