Papers by Donna Kowalchuk
2017 Now, more than ever, leadership-principal leadership-is needed to address the increasing div... more 2017 Now, more than ever, leadership-principal leadership-is needed to address the increasing diversity and marginalization in Ontario schools. In 2009, Realizing the Promise of Diversity: Ontario's Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy policy was released. While The Ontario Leadership Framework was developed to support and sustain quality leadership in schools and districts across the province, it contains little to connect it to the 2009 document. Lying at the crossroads of education policy, educational leadership theory, and the practice of social justice leadership, this study aims to understand how principals engage in the OLF to enact social justice leadership. Using critical theory to conceptualize leadership for social justice, and a qualitative design, semi-structured interviews from 14 principals were analyzed using a constant comparative analysis method. This study found the OLF does not support social justice leadership. Through their own reflections on power and privilege, principals choose to engage in the OLF, not by trying to fit it into their social justice leadership, but rather by viewing it through the lens of social justice and social justice leadership. The power of reflection threads throughout the findings as does the need for principals to employ resistance and resilience to engage in the OLF to enact social justice leadership. It argues that if practicing and aspiring principals are earnest about closing the achievement gap of marginalized students, then they need to have experience with marginalization, with reflecting on their privilege and power, with resisting the status quo-all the while working subversively and with political savvy so that they can resist the dominant versions of leadership and actually make a change in schools that empower iii individuals against the structural injustices found in the greater society and within our schools. Given Ontario's commitment to equity and inclusive education, if all students are truly to benefit from schooling, then this research indicates to policy makers that changes to the OLF are needed. Preface of Thesis I respectfully submit this dissertation as a representation of a journey that began for me in January 2011 in the Doctor of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy program in the Department of Leadership, Adult and Higher Education. In truth, this journey began in 1977 when I decided to pursue an undergraduate degree, following a challenging personal process of overcoming barriers in order to complete high school. This experience of marginalization set me on my path to ensure social justice in education. I hold dear the words of Michelangelo "I am still learning" and an inscription on a dictionary my husband Mark gave me 40 years ago-"Congratulations on choosing a college career Sept. 1976"-as two sources of inspiration when the journey persistently offered challenges or as I have now come to reflect upon-opportunities. My academic supervisor, Dr. John Portelli, a major thinker in critical theory and democratic educational leadership, challenged my beliefs and practices. I am grateful, too, for the camaraderie of a cohort of colleagues, especially that of Michele Reaume. Together, they have given me the guidance and support that led me to the submission of this original, unpublished, independent work. This thesis is written to my colleagues who are principals. I challenge them to think critically, to reflect deeply, to resist and challenge the status quo, and to measure their leadership accomplishments in the schools that they administer through the lens of all of the students and families who desperately rely on public education to ensure the human rights each of us is afforded by our membership in the human race. Gloria Steinem said, "There is always one true inner voice. Trust it." My acknowledgements to individuals would not be complete without thanking Fran Cohen, who edited the many drafts of this dissertation, for her expertise and steadfast commitment to see it finished. I now completely appreciate the writing and editing process! To the reader, I thank you in advance for your consideration of this thesis, the findings and the critical analysis that I submit as evidence of the expectations inherent in a doctoral dissertation of the University of Toronto. Booth, Colomb, and Williams (2003) summarize my sentiments: After my best efforts, here is what I believe to be true-not the whole and final truth, but a truth important to me and I hope to you, a truth that I have supported as fully as time and my abilities have allowed, so that you might find in my argument good reason to consider it, even to accept it, and perhaps even to reconsider what you believe.
The purpose of this article is to contribute to the scant Canadian research regarding concrete so... more The purpose of this article is to contribute to the scant Canadian research regarding concrete social justice leadership practices. The critical, qualitative case study discussed examined the following question: "What strategies or practices do principals develop and engage in to do their social justice work in schools?" A description of the five practices that principals engage in against the injustice created by historical and social notions of privilege and power that marginalize students is provided in detail. A significant aspect of this article is that it gives voice to principals. Implications are made at the close of the article.
2017 Now, more than ever, leadership-principal leadership-is needed to address the increasing div... more 2017 Now, more than ever, leadership-principal leadership-is needed to address the increasing diversity and marginalization in Ontario schools. In 2009, Realizing the Promise of Diversity: Ontario's Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy policy was released. While The Ontario Leadership Framework was developed to support and sustain quality leadership in schools and districts across the province, it contains little to connect it to the 2009 document. Lying at the crossroads of education policy, educational leadership theory, and the practice of social justice leadership, this study aims to understand how principals engage in the OLF to enact social justice leadership. Using critical theory to conceptualize leadership for social justice, and a qualitative design, semi-structured interviews from 14 principals were analyzed using a constant comparative analysis method. This study found the OLF does not support social justice leadership. Through their own reflections on power and privilege, principals choose to engage in the OLF, not by trying to fit it into their social justice leadership, but rather by viewing it through the lens of social justice and social justice leadership. The power of reflection threads throughout the findings as does the need for principals to employ resistance and resilience to engage in the OLF to enact social justice leadership. It argues that if practicing and aspiring principals are earnest about closing the achievement gap of marginalized students, then they need to have experience with marginalization, with reflecting on their privilege and power, with resisting the status quo-all the while working subversively and with political savvy so that they can resist the dominant versions of leadership and actually make a change in schools that empower iii individuals against the structural injustices found in the greater society and within our schools. Given Ontario's commitment to equity and inclusive education, if all students are truly to benefit from schooling, then this research indicates to policy makers that changes to the OLF are needed. Preface of Thesis I respectfully submit this dissertation as a representation of a journey that began for me in January 2011 in the Doctor of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy program in the Department of Leadership, Adult and Higher Education. In truth, this journey began in 1977 when I decided to pursue an undergraduate degree, following a challenging personal process of overcoming barriers in order to complete high school. This experience of marginalization set me on my path to ensure social justice in education. I hold dear the words of Michelangelo "I am still learning" and an inscription on a dictionary my husband Mark gave me 40 years ago-"Congratulations on choosing a college career Sept. 1976"-as two sources of inspiration when the journey persistently offered challenges or as I have now come to reflect upon-opportunities. My academic supervisor, Dr. John Portelli, a major thinker in critical theory and democratic educational leadership, challenged my beliefs and practices. I am grateful, too, for the camaraderie of a cohort of colleagues, especially that of Michele Reaume. Together, they have given me the guidance and support that led me to the submission of this original, unpublished, independent work. This thesis is written to my colleagues who are principals. I challenge them to think critically, to reflect deeply, to resist and challenge the status quo, and to measure their leadership accomplishments in the schools that they administer through the lens of all of the students and families who desperately rely on public education to ensure the human rights each of us is afforded by our membership in the human race. Gloria Steinem said, "There is always one true inner voice. Trust it." My acknowledgements to individuals would not be complete without thanking Fran Cohen, who edited the many drafts of this dissertation, for her expertise and steadfast commitment to see it finished. I now completely appreciate the writing and editing process! To the reader, I thank you in advance for your consideration of this thesis, the findings and the critical analysis that I submit as evidence of the expectations inherent in a doctoral dissertation of the University of Toronto. Booth, Colomb, and Williams (2003) summarize my sentiments: After my best efforts, here is what I believe to be true-not the whole and final truth, but a truth important to me and I hope to you, a truth that I have supported as fully as time and my abilities have allowed, so that you might find in my argument good reason to consider it, even to accept it, and perhaps even to reconsider what you believe.
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Papers by Donna Kowalchuk