Women: Educational Management and Leadership

Abstract

This chapter turns its attention to women who hold managerial responsibility in the field of education. The chapter will argue that, just as with management in general, there remain stereotypes related to who can be managers and leaders in education. Although there is evidence to suggest that women are moving into educational management, particularly at lower levels (Acker, Gender, leadership and change in faculties of education in three countries. In J. Collard & C. Reynolds (Eds.), Leadership gender & culture in education: Male and female perspectives. Maindenhead: Open University Press, 2005; Thompson 2009), Shakeshaft (Gender and educational management. In C. Skelton, B. Francis, & L. Smulyan (Eds.), The SAGE handbook of gender and education. London: Sage, 2006:508) points out: women are less likely to be represented in formal positions of leadership in schools then men across all countries. The chapter starts by examining the dilemmas and challenges faced by women who hold authority positions in schools before turning its attention to the world of higher education.