PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP WITHIN SOME SOUTH AUSTRALIAN HIGH SCHOOLS
| Date | 01 January 1979 |
| Pages | 51-57 |
| Published date | 01 January 1979 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/eb009805 |
| Author | JOHN MADDOCK,BERNARD HYAMS |
| Subject Matter | Education |
THE JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION
VOLUME XVII, NUMBER I MAY, 1979
PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP WITHIN SOME SOUTH
AUSTRALIAN HIGH SCHOOLS
JOHN MADDOCK AND BERNARD HYAMS
In recent years a noticeable policy trend in South Australia has been towards according
to state high schools a greater measure of autonomy in the conduct of their affairs, a
phenomenon which has prompted a study of the power structure of high schools in that
State. Much of the research into this subject focussed on the question of professional
leadership within individual institutions. While many investigations in the past have
concentrated on the role of the principal as a professional leader, this examination
sought in addition to include, for the purposes of comparison, teachers' perceptions of
the professional leadership roles of deputy principals and senior subject teachers. The
results indicated that while the influence of the principal in professional matters
tended to be greater than that of the deputies, it was less than that of the subject
seniors.
INTRODUCTION
In August 1970 a memorandum was issued by A.W. Jones, Director
General of Education in South Australia, to principals of state schools,
exhorting them towards greater exercise of autonomy in educational
decision making. Since that time the Freedom and Authority
Memorandum has on occasion focussed discussion on the question of
power and authority at the institutional as well as the system level of edu-
cational organization. The memorandum not only urged principals
towards more autonomy from the central education office, but also
suggested that they accordingly grant a greater measure of freedom to
their subordinates within the school. In the light of this exhortation, it is
pertinent to raise questions on the locus of power in schools in South
Australia. Does power reside primarily with the principal, is it exercised
collectively, or is it held in varying degrees by specific categories of school
staffs?
Power in any situation relates to the ability of individuals or groups of
individuals to influence the actions of
others.
Applying this interpretation
to the school environment it would be important to know not only how
that influence is exercised but over what aspects of school life. Since the
major task of the school is the development of cognitive skills attention
JOHN MADDOCK is Senior Lecturer in the Sociology of Education, Flinders University.
He holds the degrees of B.A. and Ph.D. (London). Dr. Maddock has published a number of
articles in sociological journals. BERNARD HYAMS is Senior Lecturer in Education,
Flinders University. He holds the degrees of B.Ed., M.A. (W.A.) and Ph.D. (Flinders). Dr.
Hyams is Editor of the
Journal
of
the Australia
and New Zealand History of
Education
Society.
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