The purpose of this paper is to review English-language publications about school principalship in China published between 1998 and 2013 and to present an overview of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review English-language publications about school principalship in China published between 1998 and 2013 and to present an overview of the authorship, topics, methodologies and key findings of these publications.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology includes an exhaustive review of journal articles and book chapters about Chinese school principalship published in the English language. In total, 39 articles and 17 book chapters are identified for the 1998-2013 period. Qualitative analysis is conducted to determine the basic patterns of authorship, topics, methods and key findings. The changes or continuities in these patterns during the study period are also discerned.
Findings
The paper identifies several continuous and discontinuous patterns in each of the review categories and provides a better understanding of on-going research into the practice of school principalship in China. The results also suggest areas that require deeper exploration.
Originality/value
This paper explores the landscape of school principalship in China as reflected in the international literature and indicates the ways that this landscape has changed or remained the same over the years. As such, the paper contributes to the thin knowledge base concerning school principalship in China and sheds light on the enduring local-global tension in the evolution of education systems.
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Keywords
Aims to study successful school principals in China and to provide details of some unique features of the Chinese educational system that both support and constrain principals and…
Abstract
Purpose
Aims to study successful school principals in China and to provide details of some unique features of the Chinese educational system that both support and constrain principals and their management of schools.
Design/methodology/approach
Examines the philosophy and practice of new principals of two schools, both in Shanghai, but at opposite ends of the quality spectrum. Eastern Senior High School, a municipal key school, is one of the best schools in Shanghai. Northern Junior High School was a failing school in the 1980s.
Findings
The two principals studied were successful in creating the setting for drastic improvement in their schools. Eastern Senior High School was at its low tide when the new principal arrived. Through some innovative ideas in sports and music, he succeeded in revitalizing the school and moved it from the bottom five to one of the top ten of the 26 municipal key schools in Shanghai. Northern Junior High School was a failing school in the 1980s. There, the new principal came in 1994 and in subsequent years completely changed the school.
Originality/value
Illustrates that the concept of successful school developed by one principal and his team was simple: create continuous success experiences for students.
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Keywords
Kai‐ming Cheng and Kam‐cheung Wong
Identifies several features in East Asian schools which coincide with commonly recognized characteristics of effective schools in the Western literature: community support…
Abstract
Identifies several features in East Asian schools which coincide with commonly recognized characteristics of effective schools in the Western literature: community support, teacher professionalism, attention to quality and high expectations. Attributes this to the East Asian culture and discusses three major dimensions of the East Asian culture: the individual‐community dimension, the effort‐ability dichotomy and the holistic‐analytic tendency in analyses. Traces the origin of such cultural dimensions in the ancient literature and explores the implications of such cultural dimensions in school management. Briefly highlights two major challenges to the adoption of an effective schooling system in East Asia.