Leading during a pandemic – what the evidence tells us

Introduction

More than two years on from the start of the pandemic, most education systems are still coping with the substantial effects of COVID 19. In some countries, schools remain closed and in others, schools are open but barely managing as the virus continues to take its toll on staff and students. Whichever way you look at it, COVID 19 is not leaving any time soon which means ongoing disruption to education and the learning of young people.

One thing is certain, the world has shifted on its axis in a way that has fundamentally and radically changed education. Hybrid learning is now prevalent, and technology has become essential for continuous learning to take place. In many ways, education has been re-defined in this pandemic as an experience where the personal connection between teachers and students has been interrupted.

Despite the dominant discourse around ‘learning loss’¹ which is unquestionably real and important, it is also essential to recognise that new learning happened during the height of the pandemic. Educators and students learned to be flexible, resilient, and adaptable. Those in leadership roles learned to connect with their colleagues and stakeholders remotely, to lead differently in the crisis and above all, to ensure learning and teaching continued. Parents and carers learned to support learning in the home, while juggling their many other responsibilities.

Yet, despite a return to a certain degree of normality, the pressures on school leaders and their staff remain relentless and acute. All those working in schools are still dealing with the effects of the pandemic day by day, week by week, month by month. The continuous pressure on school leaders has resulted in high numbers choosing to leave the profession and a raft of unfilled vacancies for headship.²

Changing context

For those leading schools, the impact of the pandemic is the ongoing disruption to learning, teaching, and assessment. Schooling has been upturned in ways that were unthinkable just two years ago and the computer or smart phone or iPad is now at the epicentre of learning and teaching.

As the pandemic took hold, school leaders had to lead virtually, remotely, drawing upon crisis management skills daily. School leaders had to distribute leadership effectively and efficiently, relying on building and maintaining relationships with their staff and stakeholders through online connections rather than face-to-face conversations.

The international evidence base about school leadership during the pandemic is still emerging, but overall, it reinforces how the demands on school leaders remain unpredictable and relentless. The evidence tells us that the personal toll on school leaders has been significant, negatively affecting their well-being and mental health. It also tells us that school leaders remain critically important in supporting the continuity of learning, as this pandemic plays out.

What the evidence tells us

A recent review of the existing evidential base³ has highlighted seven core themes relating to school leadership in a pandemic. Each of these themes will be briefly outlined. The first theme concerns the changing nature of leadership during the pandemic and the greater demands placed upon school leaders. The evidence suggests that the pandemic has exacerbated principal burnout because of the added demands associated with school closures, reopening, and social distancing protocols (DeMatthews et al. 2021). In their work, Hauseman, Darazsi, and Kent (2020) note how school leaders are experiencing work intensification as a direct result of the pandemic and still feel under intense pressure to perform a much-changed leadership function and role.

Pollock (2020) highlights the changing nature of school leaders’ work during the pandemic and characterises it as leadership in times of predictability to leadership in times of uncertainty. Argyropoulou, Syka, and Papaioannou (2021) note that school leaders and education stakeholders are coping with multiple managerial and emotional issues during the pandemic. On balance, the existing evidence underlines very clearly how the challenges that have accompanied the pandemic continue to place undue pressure on school leaders and those they serve (Hylton-Fraser and Hylton 2021; Kafa and Pashiardis 2020).

The second theme focuses on the way the increased pressure felt by school leaders is affecting their physical, emotional, and mental well-being (Harris and Jones 2020; Girelli, Bevilacqua, and Acquaro 2020; Kavrayıcı and Kesim 2021). The evidence clearly outlines the way in which the pandemic has had a negative impact on the mental and emotional health of school leaders. Stasel (2020) outlines the tremendous stress that school leaders have been under during the pandemic. Huber (2020) emphasise the extent of the stress reported by school leaders in different countries and notes that school leaders continue to manage their way through this crisis. Argyropoulou, Syka, and Papaioannou (2021) reinforce how school leaders are coping with the multiple, managerial demands created by the pandemic and how the increased sense of accountability, accompanying the demands, is having a negative impact on their well-being.

The third theme considers the way in which school leaders are adapting their leadership practices. Fornaro et al. (2021) propose that school leaders are offering their colleagues four levels of support–academic support, technological support, operational support, and interpersonal relationship support. Other evidence underlines how the emotional support expected of school leaders now goes beyond far beyond the parameters of their leadership role (Dewes 2020; Talsera 2020; Thornton 2021).

The fourth theme considers the personal characteristics that school leaders are exhibiting to cope with the huge challenges of the pandemic. Burwell and Terry (2021) underline the personal resilience exhibited by school leaders during this crisis. Ng (2021) highlights the way in which school leaders have maintained a calm persona when managing difficult issues. Other writers note the critical role of the school leader in bringing all stakeholders together for mutual support during the pandemic (Akinwumi and Itobore 2020; Gurr and Drysdale 2020; Hauseman, Darazsi, and Kent 2020; Stasel 2020).

The fifth theme outlines the unevenness in learning that has accompanied the pandemic. In their work, Sahlberg (2021), Huber (2020), Harris and Jones (2020) underline how COVID 19 has exacerbated socio-economic differences between students and widened the attainment gap. For all school leaders, therefore, tackling inequity remains a major consideration and a future challenge (Ravitch 2020).

The sixth theme focuses on the way in which school leaders have engaged education stakeholders (families and communities) during the pandemic. Pinar Ayyildiz and Baltaci (2000) emphasise how parents and carers remain significant education partners and how their work with schools, in the pandemic, has been hugely impactful in securing effective learning for many young people. Balakrishnan (2020) highlights the way in which a range of community-based initiatives have helped those in schools, including school leaders, to cope with the challenges of COVID 19.

Many international scholars emphasise the importance of community and family engagement in assisting school leaders to manage their way through the challenges of the pandemic (Björn et al. 2020; Jopling and Harness 2021). Fogarty (2020) highlights the importance of the involvement of expert care professionals in supporting schools, families, and the community. The core message for school leaders, from this evidence, is the importance of engaging with families and community in the most challenging times.

The final theme touches upon the ways in which COVID 19 has changed leadership practices. Many writers propose that a new model of school leadership has evolved during the pandemic one that is distributed, digital, networked, and dependent on technological infrastructure. Harris (2020) suggests that distributed leadership is now the modus operandi of school leaders facing the multiple demands and unpredictable challenges of the pandemic.

Final commentary

Overall, the evidence tells us that school leaders have successfully adapted their practices to meet the extreme challenges and unprecedented circumstances caused by COVID 19. As Hauseman, Darazsi, and Kent (2020) suggests, however, there are still major challenges ahead for school leaders as this pandemic continues. Consequently, increased support, resources, and practical help are needed now, more than ever, for school leaders everywhere. Leadership practices may be changed by the pandemic, but the evidence suggests that, against the odds and often at personal cost, school leaders continue to put children first and remain totally committed to ensuring that every child succeeds.

Notes

1 https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2022/03/03/the-pandemic-has-had-devastating-impacts-on-learning-what-will-it-take-to-help-students-catch-up/.

2 https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/general/school-leader-headteacher-vacancies-rise-above-pre-pandemic-covid-levels.

3 This editorial is based on a review of the evidence. https://rcepunesco.ae/en/KnowledgeCorner/WorkingPapers/WorkingPapers/For%20Online%20-%20Harris%20-%20The%20Relationship%20Between%20School%20Leaders%20and%20Education%20Stakeholders%20(1).pdf.