Analysis of educational leadership at rural early-childhood and primary schools: a case study in Teruel (Aragon, Spain)

ABSTRACT

Rural schools are a distinctive feature in the autonomous community of Aragon, as state-run rural schools are the main cultural institution in small towns. This research was conducted in four grouped rural schools (hereafter referred to by their Spanish acronym, CRAs) in the province of Teruel in 2017. Our objectives included analising the views of management team members and teachers on educational leadership with a special emphasis on the rural school’s differentiating elements. Four CRAs were chosen in the province of Teruel. Three teachers and six members of management teams participated and the study data were collected using a qualitative interview. The content analysis of the interview was conducted using the NVivo program and was organised into two fundamental areas: views of educational leadership and the skills this leadership includes. The general perception of management teams and teachers is positive; they value the effort put into performing the work and understand that both management and CRAs are complex. They also appreciate the management teams’ organisation of training and its contents. This analysis suggests a set of conditions that provides a qualitative insight into management possibilities and limitations in the CRA model.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. From now on, the schools will be described as school 1, school 2, school 3 and school 4.

2. The peripatetic teacher gives specialised classes (physical education, music or foreign language) at different locations in a grouped rural school.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Vice-Rectorship for the Campus of Teruel and the University Foundation Antonio Gargallo [2600 euros]. DEPARTAMENTO DE CIENCIA, TECNOLOGIAY UNIVERSIDAD #DECRETO 59/2005, de 29 de marzo, del Gobiernode Aragón, por el que se autoriza la participaciónen la constitución de la «Fundación UniversitariaAntonio Gargallo».  Boletin Oficial de Aragón de 13 de abril de 2005; FUNDACIONES DE ARAGÓN  Nº registro: 196(I).