The implicit theories of elementary education principals about leadership

Abstract

This investigation was conducted in schools located in the North, South, and Center of Chihuahua city. It was carried out with the participation of 35 principals of basic education that had ten or more years of experience. They work in the preschool, elementary, high school, or the special education level, and belong to the federal or state public system, as well as private education. This study showed the implicit theories about leadership which support the vision about school management of basic education principals. It is focused on the research line of management, it has a qualitative approach, and a phenomenological method. It uses the focus group technique as well as a semi-structured interview and semantic network techniques. The results are shown in five categories: the meaning of leadership, the unspoken vision of leadership, the school management: the instituted and the instituting, latent diversity in leadership practices, and experiential leadership baggage. The results refer to the management function as a significant experience: it is conceived as a training task about the knowledge and evolution of human beings. The diversity of leadership practices is present within it, however, shared work is a recurring practice to achieve school goals, as well as the commitment, and responsibility of the teaching and administrative staff. The experience in the management role is considered an important feature in the exercise of leadership, which leads to learning about the reading of contexts, which has implications such as to be able to read oneself.