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ABSTRACT
This paper investigates how principals can be supported in their work as teacher leaders. My focus is on how principals can help teachers respond ethically to classroom challenges. I argue that in aiding teachers, school leaders themselves need support and ongoing development. I turn to the care of the self to conceptually explore ethical self-cultivation. I then argue that a practice, Descriptive Inquiry, serves as a way for principals to care for themselves. To make this argument, I draw on a qualitative study of four long-term elementary school principals.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Notes
1. I have kept the essence of these encounters but changed names and a few details to maintain the anonymity of the families. The principals have chosen to use their names for this study.
2. This paper is part of a larger study of principals engaged in Descriptive Inquiry conducted with Cecelia Traugh. Though this paper is singly authored, as my close collaborator in this work and mentor in Descriptive Inquiry, Cecelia's influence permeates this paper.
4. These are extremely varied. Michelle did one when she retired that focused heavily on the ways she chose to involve parents in the school. As a support teacher, I once did one that covered the many different ways I worked with children and teachers and the philosophy that guided my work.
5. I have based this on a real Review but made changes for ease in conveying the general structure of a Review and also to protect the identity of those involved.
6. To make this possible, we extended every school day by a few minutes.
7. Alison became principal when Michelle retired.