A Field Study Of A Middle School Female Principal Leading The Work

Based upon the assumption about human nature of "non-gender-biased humankind",traditional studies on principle just only reflect the males’ experience and standpoint in practice,excluding females’ experience and voice for a long time, which results in the lack of gender perspective about the compatibility of "male" and "female".As a unique professional group, female principles play a decisive and irreplaceable role in the educational leadership as well as the development and improvement of school. Because all the time, "principle" is regarded as a masculine occupation, and in fact, the vast majority of principles’ posts are actually occupied by males, with only a small part for females. Thus,compared with male ones, the distinct gender identity of "female" makes female principles facing more challenges, meeting more obstructions and paying more efforts at work.Under the guidance of feminist research methodology, through the gender perspective,with the research target of a female principle in a certain middle school in the city S, this essay carries on the field study about her different leadership works and situations in middle school C and D,which containing "leading teacher development","caring for students’ growth","innovating campus cultural", "Rising school team","regularizing school management", stimulating the vitality of the school","wandering inside and outside school". The essay conducts the profound and careful field study of this female principle’s leadership work, comprehensively depicts her realistic situation in jobs,including her advantages and dilemmas,and tries to discover the reason as well as the meaning behind her work,through which her "happiness" and "difficulties" can be understood and explained. The essay also delves how the element "gender" affects the leadership work of principle in-depth, finding a way for sustainable development of female principles’leadership work.Through the field case study, this research further explores the following questions: What kind of principle is she? Is there a difference between male and female principle? Is female suitable for principle post? How should we view principle’s "gender consciousness"? How can we make more females become principles? On the question of "What kind of principle is she?",the researcher finds that this female principle does more education than management: she not only has deep humanistic care,but also has a little bit bypassing command and individualistic heroism. On the question of "Is there a difference between male and female principle?", the researcher finds that the main reason for the differences of leadership work between male and female principles comes from the gender socialization mechanism, gender experience and different world views constructed by them. On the question of "How should we view principle’s’gender consciousness’?", the researcher finds the four aspects of this female principle’s deficiency of gender awareness: voluntarily desalting the "female identity", misunderstanding the "gender awareness", unconsciousness of "male preference" and deficiency of "female alliance "consciousness. On the question of "Is female suitable for principle post?", the researcher thinks that although the female principle has her unique advantages, she also faces some relevant dilemma. In fact, excellent leaders can be generated from both males and females. On the question of "How can we make more females become principles?",the researcher thinks "creating a tolerant and friendly gender culture atmosphere for the female principles" is vital important: we can offer special support for the growth and development of female principles by "building trust","providing guidance" and "strengthening research".The research on the leadership work of female middle school principles can also show the researcher’s ultimate objective for gender freedom,equality and liberty as a female. As a practical form of woman movements, feminist studies can reshape females’ subjectivity status, manifest females’ twisted or lost values,and further promote the establishment and realization of a social culture of "compatibility and inclusion of male and female".