Abstract:
It is well known that many principals report feeling isolated since they are ultimately the person held accountable for high-stakes decisions that have real consequences for students and schools. What may be less recognized is the mental toll that this stressor takes on school leaders and the increasingly high rates of burnout and principal turnover that result. Unfortunately, a common narrative is that "superhero" principals can overcome the odds of systemic inequalities as well as the day-to-day challenges of their many roles by just summoning greater internal strength, coping skills, and resilience.
Is there an alternative model that can better serve leaders, one that builds upon resilience, but approaches it from a critical and collective standpoint? To deepen our understanding of school leader retention, the Principal Leadership Institute at UC Berkeley piloted Change Makers, an administrator support network where principals from across California were invited to work together to build physical, cognitive, and social resilience for themselves while collectively seeking solutions for their schools.
Publication date:
April 1, 2021
Publication type:
FQ2: Supporting social justice leaders