Abstract
This chapter examines new directions in educational management leadership theory and practice. Relevant literature is synthesized to provide a holistic picture of current knowledge of the topic, highlighting meanings, principles, prerequisites, process and consequences. The major aim of the research is to investigate the interrelation between nigh school principal's management style and parental involvement in school management in Israel. The chapter illustrates recent educational reforms in Israel as the context for introducing a specific style of managing school organizations and staff in a goal-oriented forward-thinking manner. Educational leadership moves the principal beyond upholding the status quo and towards setting an individual vision towards which to lead the school organization. Properly applied, it should help school principals forge a vision of educational success that can anticipate and adapt to the demands of the overall state requirements as well as the localized needs of school staff, the local community, the students, and their parents.
TopBackground
Educational leadership theory has its roots in general leadership theory. Three circumstances differentiate the work of educational leaders from that of their colleagues in non-school environments: the exceptionally moral character of schools; highly educated, autonomous, and permanent employees; and regular and unpredictable threats to organizational stability (Greenfield, 1995).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Managerial Behavior: Implementation of motivation, ability and opportunity in status-quo daily organizational operations.
Parental Involvement: Participation by parents in school activities, with an emphasis on their children’s educational efforts.
Leadership: A process of communication that convinces a group to work together in order to achieve a common goal.
Parental Motivation: The motivational effect of parental guidance in students’ education.
Educational Management Leadership (or School Leadership): A process of guiding students, school staff and local community towards a common goal-oriented educational vision.
School Principal: The head of the school staff, in charge of designing and implementing the school’s educational vision.