TY - JOUR
T1 - "Tears, laughter, camaraderie" : professional development for headteachers
AU - Woods, Philip
AU - Woods, Glenys J.
AU - Cowie, M.
N1 - Original article can be found at : http://www.informaworld.com/ Copyright Taylor & Francis [Full text of this article is not available in the UHRA]
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - This article reports and interprets the findings of a study of headteachers' views and perceptions of continuing professional development (CPD) provision and their ongoing CPD needs and priorities, carried out in 2007 in Scotland, involving headteachers from the primary and secondary sectors. Topic areas in which headteachers generally were most likely to perceive a need for professional development included: dispersing leadership (empowerment, coaching and building leadership capacity); management skills concerning underachieving staff and learning and teaching; time for reflection (encompassing holistic needs). A need for more time and opportunities for reflection is a theme that pervaded the responses of headteachers, with reflection including cognitive and technical, as well as affective, ethical and spiritual aspects. New headteachers emphasised the technical challenges of the post, enhancing knowledge and understanding of leadership, sustaining/rebuilding confidence, and improved support and information. Established headteachers, whilst also highlighting knowledge and understanding of leadership, particularly emphasised the value of sabbaticals, secondments and time for reflection. In discussing the findings, the article considers the importance of learning through 'disturbance' of taken-for-granted assumptions, of a holistic approach to professional development, and of thinking and acting systemically.
AB - This article reports and interprets the findings of a study of headteachers' views and perceptions of continuing professional development (CPD) provision and their ongoing CPD needs and priorities, carried out in 2007 in Scotland, involving headteachers from the primary and secondary sectors. Topic areas in which headteachers generally were most likely to perceive a need for professional development included: dispersing leadership (empowerment, coaching and building leadership capacity); management skills concerning underachieving staff and learning and teaching; time for reflection (encompassing holistic needs). A need for more time and opportunities for reflection is a theme that pervaded the responses of headteachers, with reflection including cognitive and technical, as well as affective, ethical and spiritual aspects. New headteachers emphasised the technical challenges of the post, enhancing knowledge and understanding of leadership, sustaining/rebuilding confidence, and improved support and information. Established headteachers, whilst also highlighting knowledge and understanding of leadership, particularly emphasised the value of sabbaticals, secondments and time for reflection. In discussing the findings, the article considers the importance of learning through 'disturbance' of taken-for-granted assumptions, of a holistic approach to professional development, and of thinking and acting systemically.
KW - school leadership
KW - professional development needs
KW - reflection
KW - new headteachers
KW - established headteachers
U2 - 10.1080/13632430902793825
DO - 10.1080/13632430902793825
M3 - Article
SN - 1363-2434
VL - 29
SP - 83
EP - 104
JO - School Leadership and Management
JF - School Leadership and Management
IS - 3
ER -