New Principals’ Emotions: Interactions with ‘Inherited’ School Cultures

Abstract

Often new principals approach their first appointments with a high expectation to make their mark by introducing changes that would lead to school improvement. However, these expectations may be void of thoughts of how an inherited school culture may weigh on their emotions and upset their notions about principalship on a daily basis. Emerging from a multiple case study research design, in which a critical incident technique was the main source of data on new principals’ emotional experiences, the findings show that the new principals experienced predominantly negative emotions and wounding, often linked to pre-formed expectations of school members. Also, influenced by a need to protect their leadership authority, they selected which emotions to disclose versus which to suppress. These findings as drawn from a broader study conducted in Trinidad and Tobago imply a need for training and continuing professional development that would support aspirant and practising principals’ emotion regulation.

Citation

Lee-Piggott, R. (2019), "New Principals’ Emotions: Interactions with ‘Inherited’ School Cultures", Oplatka, I. and Arar, K. (Ed.) Emotion Management and Feelings in Teaching and Educational Leadership (Studies in Educational Administration), Emerald Publishing Limited, pp. 173-191. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-78756-010-920191012

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