Continuity of practice in two international schools: taking a distributed perspective of leadership

• Main Author: Van der Merwe, Alison
• Other Authors: Jacklin, Heather
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 2014
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6862

This study investigates the effect of transiency on leadership practices in two international schools experiencing different rates of student and faculty turnover. Specifically it looks at different ways in which continuity of practice is achieved in the leadership area of regulation of student behaviour. The study draws upon the literature related to distributed leadership in particular the work of Spillane and models his approach of taking a distributed perspective of leadership. This is used as a lens to examine the ways in which leadership becomes embedded in the everyday practices of the school. Using data generated from document analysis, observations, interviews and artefacts, a comparison is made between School A (experiencing relatively high rates of student and faculty turnover) and School B (which has a much more stable student and teaching population). The study focusses on the role of 'institutional memory' in processes of continuity and investigates whether or not schools with transient populations do things differently. Data is analysed in three categories: Values and Purposes, Arrangements and Tools, and Routines. Activities that contribute to processes of consistency and continuity in the schools are identified. The discussion draws conclusions regarding the effects of transiency on practice and the significance of context when considering leadership decision-making processes. In general, the study found that in School A, continuity of practice was achieved through the materialisation and routinisation of processes and systems, and relied on the communication of expectations to all stakeholders and the distribution or embedding of practice at multiple levels. In School B, continuity of practice was achieved through the institutional memory of the people in the school and relied on longevity of staff and a strong, longstanding commitment to the school community on the part of the faculty. Finally, the implications of the findings for future research are presented.