TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring Ukrainian ECE principals’ views about their role and approach to work
T2 - a case study
AU - Nadyukova, Iryna
AU - von Suchodoletz, Antje
N1 - Funding Information:
Prior to obtaining independence in 1991, Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, where the system of education was highly centralised and funded by the government. Similar to other contexts with highly centralised systems of education, principals were expected to be line managers within the larger hierarchy, often adapting a bureaucratic management approach (Tudge ; Bush ). Reforms of the education system after 1991 led to more autonomy for principals. However, the government expenditures on education were reduced significantly. Principals had to address their institutions’ financial needs, informally approaching parents for financial support and searching for alternative funding sources. Consequently, principals had to develop more flexibility in their approach to leadership and adapt to changing circumstances (Kovalchuk and Shchudlo ). Although government expenditures on education gradually increased over the past two decades, underfunding and lack of qualified staff continues to be a considerable challenge.
Funding Information:
Principals’ relationships with parents and the greater community also played an important role when it came to the challenge of scarcity of material resources. All principals mentioned applying for grants from the government and external organisations and asking parents for financial assistance. Principals 2 and 3 could rely on the ties they have built to gain financial support. Principal 2 said, ‘[…], when a mother sees what the child is doing, she will buy not only coloured paper, but anything … seeing that the child is happily running to the kindergarten.’ Similarly, Principal 3 maintained, ‘We are not fighting with parents over money, although it is true that the parents help [financially] quite a bit.’ Since these two principals made significant investments in developing positive relationships with parents, external organisations, and the wider community, they could also count on more support in challenging situations. In contrast, Principal 4 reported it was challenging for her to engage parents and the wider community in financial assistance. She described struggling to get parents to vote for a project to gain additional governmental funding: ‘You have to use all admin resources to explain, to squeeze out that vote […] It is quite tough.’
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - In an era of ongoing transformation in the Ukrainian education system, school leaders play an important role in implementing educational reforms. However, their role and practice of leadership are poorly understood. This qualitative case study explored facets of approaches to educational leadership and key challenges faced by four female principals (M age= 52 years, SD = 7.7) of average-sized public kindergartens, serving middle-class families. In-depth interviews were conducted. Results revealed important similarities and differences in principals’ views about their role and approach to work. All four principals were focused on their primary responsibilities, most prominently organisation of educational processes and relationships with teachers and parents. Differences in how they viewed their role, however, may affect their behaviours at work. While two principals focused on maintaining ongoing processes and strictly adhering to the hierarchy within their institution and with local educational authorities, the other two principals invested in motivating staff to increase their personal commitments and in developing trusting relationships with teachers and parents to create a shared identity for their institution. Implications for early childhood education principals in Ukraine are discussed.
AB - In an era of ongoing transformation in the Ukrainian education system, school leaders play an important role in implementing educational reforms. However, their role and practice of leadership are poorly understood. This qualitative case study explored facets of approaches to educational leadership and key challenges faced by four female principals (M age= 52 years, SD = 7.7) of average-sized public kindergartens, serving middle-class families. In-depth interviews were conducted. Results revealed important similarities and differences in principals’ views about their role and approach to work. All four principals were focused on their primary responsibilities, most prominently organisation of educational processes and relationships with teachers and parents. Differences in how they viewed their role, however, may affect their behaviours at work. While two principals focused on maintaining ongoing processes and strictly adhering to the hierarchy within their institution and with local educational authorities, the other two principals invested in motivating staff to increase their personal commitments and in developing trusting relationships with teachers and parents to create a shared identity for their institution. Implications for early childhood education principals in Ukraine are discussed.
KW - early childhood education
KW - Educational leadership
KW - lower-middle income countries
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U2 - 10.1080/09669760.2022.2128304
DO - 10.1080/09669760.2022.2128304
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85141032079
SN - 0966-9760
JO - International Journal of Early Years Education
JF - International Journal of Early Years Education
ER -