Using narrative in the study of school administration

Abstract

The use of narrative, which has informed the study of teaching, has only been applied in a limited manner to studies focusing on school administrators. This study of the journal‐keeping practices of school principals provides a glimpse into the use of narrative as a possible methodological strategy for understanding the stories of administrators. It begins to define how personal values, political pressures, and organizational concerns are translated into actions that are intended to solve day‐to‐day school problems. It illuminates tacit knowledge of how administrators sort through their often chaotic lives. Implications of the study for future research are examined.