Who’s the Boss?: Exploring the Academic Leadership Styles of Principals in Non-traditional Preschools

Abstract

Principals play a vital role in running an entire
institution as they provide leadership and a strategic
directional path for their constituents to follow.
They face challenges in carrying out multiple
administrative functions in addition to their key
position as the overall visionary leader. The study
explores the academic leadership styles of
principals/school heads of non-traditional
preschools. Specifically, it aims to (a) investigate the
distinct leadership style practices of three
principals/school heads from different institutions;
(b) determine their roles within their respective
schools; and, (c) identify their current management
approaches. The overall purpose of the study is to
contribute preliminary findings on the leadership
style practices of school leaders in non-traditional
preschools in the Philippines, which is an
understudied population. A multiple case study was
employed that compiled narrative accounts from
interviews. Thematic analysis resulted in four major
themes: collaborative culture, collaborative
visioning, developing lifelong learners, and
innovation in education/pedagogy. Analysis of these
themes proposed a Filipino theory that was aligned
with available literature that can be further
investigated in future endeavors.

Keywords: principals, school heads, nontraditional
schools, leadership styles, management practice