| Thus far, no research has examined school leadership from the perspectives of ethnic women not in formal positions of authority. To investigate their views, I used womanism as the conceptual framework to examine in particular Native American women's views of school leadership. The following research questions guided my inquiry: (1) How do Native American women view school district leaders? (2) How do Native American women conceptualize and practice leadership in their Native American communities? (3) How do Native American women's views of school district leaders compare to their views of Native American leaders?; In this qualitative study, I interviewed fifteen Native American women, mostly parents, from a Midwestern state. I found that a few Native women viewed school leaders, regardless of race and gender, as responsive. Most women felt that this diverse group of school leaders was unresponsive and blamed, ignored, or disrespected Native families and culture. By contrast, the women conceptualized leadership in their own communities as a collective process: they believed anyone or everyone in the community could lead. They also conceptualized leadership as possessing a set of personal qualities. They said that the leaders in their communities were not selected, but rather ancestrally or issue determined and practiced leadership in the following ways: service to the community, being generous, taking risks, and leading on a daily basis. Further, Native leaders demonstrated leadership by listening, respecting, sharing, and practicing spirituality. They also nurtured members of the community and practiced gender equity. When comparing school leader behavior with the behavior of leaders in their Native communities, these women said the differences between the two groups centered on culture, bureaucracy, relationality, and responsiveness.; Researchers have called for alternative ways to think about school leadership. Native American women, who historically have led their communities, offer perspectives of authority or perhaps new authorities that can change current leadership praxis to frameworks that include culture and community. |
