Marginalization and the Occasional Teacher Workforce in Ontario: The Case of Internationally Educated Teachers (IETs)

This article considers the marginalization of internationally educated teachers (IETs) as occasional teachers. In particular, it explores the experiences of three IETs as they try to gain access to full-time teacher employment within the Ontario, English-speaking public school system. Data used in this article was generated from a qualitative study of occasional teachers who worked in the Ontario English-speaking public school system. Findings indicated that these teachers engaged in considerable amounts of unpaid work, participated in a great deal of informal and formal learning, and accepted all and any occasional work available – all practices associated with the cycle of marginalization

Teaching Policy by Collaborating Across Borders

Drawing on research from two cross-border course collaborations, we show that focused cross­ border online dialogues between Canadian and American graduate students can broaden students\u27 thinking beyond national borders, provide insight into how policies are implemented in schools, enable access to diverse perspectives on policy issues, and support learning about the influence of local, state/provincial, and national contexts on policy processes

Preparing politically savvy principals in Ontario, Canada

Purpose We argue that principal preparation programs should help candidates: 1) recognize the political role of the school principal; 2) develop political skills (including the ability to strategically appropriate policy); and 3) understand that the political approach of the principal influences teaching, learning, relationships, governance, and reform efforts. In addition, we report findings of our analysis of Ontario’s Principal Qualification Program guidelines to determine if they require principal preparation programs to develop aspiring school leaders’ political skills. Design/methodology/approach We reviewed theoretical arguments and empirical studies from the fields of school micropolitics, business, educational leadership, and critical policy studies to establish five political skills principals require. We then conducted a content analysis of Ontario’s Principal Qualification Program guidelines to determine if they require principal preparation programs to develop aspiring leaders’ political skills. Findings Ontario’s Principal Qualification Program guidelines do not explicitly direct principal preparation programs to help candidates develop political skills. However, the guidelines recognize that principals pursue political goals and work in political 2 environments, and they offer opportunities for appropriating the guidelines in ways that promote the development of principal candidates’ political skills. Originality/Value The paper is the first to analyze Ontario’s Principal Qualification Program guidelines to determine if they require principal preparation programs to develop aspiring leaders’ political skills. It also identifies policy appropriation as a political skill that should be developed in principal preparation programs and provides a model of how principal preparation policies themselves may be appropriated to support a focus on developing aspiring principals’ political skills

School Principals’ Job Satisfaction: The Effects of Work Intensification

This study examines principals’ job satisfaction in relation to their work intensification. Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory was used to shed light on how motivating and maintenance factors affect principals’ job satisfaction. Logistic multiple regressions were used in the analysis of survey data that were collected from 2,701 elementary and secondary school principal members of the Ontario Principals’ Council in Ontario, Canada. Approximately1,423 valid cases were used in data analysis. Results show that principals’ work intensification affects their job satisfaction. As a result of work intensification, motivating factors, such as workplace challenge, recognition from the employer, and work demand; and maintenance factors such as external policy influence, organizational support, principals’ relationships with teachers, superintendents, and unions are having a significant impact on principals’ job satisfaction. These factors affect the extent to which they are able to contribute effectively to improving student achievement and school performance

What Shapes Inner-City Education Policy?

This paper is part of a larger study looking at the issues involved as two large urban Canadian school boards, in Winnipeg and Toronto, responded to the demands of poor, inner city areas over the last thirty years of the twentieth century. In this paper we focus our attention on the broader stage on which education policy takes place. We draw from our data three overarching themes that we believe are critical for understanding change in inner-city education over this period. These are: 1) The diminishing role of school boards, as provincial governments took more control of education policy and limited the scope of school boards, 2) The importance of unique, and sometimes unexpected local events, and 3) The powerful implications for schools and education policy of increasing population diversity in cities

School Principals’ Standards and Expectations in Three Educational Contexts

Principals play a key role in schools influencing academic improvement through a campus vision, goals, and objectives. They are also charged with the task of supervising and supporting students, teachers, and families in the community, with the intent of guiding students toward their future. The principals are guided in their efforts by standards and expectations designed by states, provinces, or governments. Current policy-makers and officials in charge of re-designing these standards and practices for principals are known for observing other countries, in efforts to improve local schooling, using information technology’s widespread access and international exchanges. These standards and expectations are meant to address the need of the local community, but may updated or borrowed from school systems in other countries. The purpose of this cross-country comparative study is to explore standards and expectations for school principals and the role of educational leadership observing global contexts of attraction for policy borrowing in three sites—Ontario, Canada; Texas, USA; and Sweden. We explore, “To what extent policy borrowing philosophies and ideologies influence standards and expectations for principals?

Finding the sweet spot: Network structures and processes for increased knowledge mobilization

The use of networks in public education is one of a number of knowledge mobilization (KMb) strategies utilized to promote evidence-based research into practice. However, challenges exist in the ability to effectively mobilizing knowledge through external partnership networks. The purpose of this paper is to further explore how networks work. Data was collected from virtual discussions for an interim report for a province-wide government initiative. A secondary analysis of the data was performed. The findings present network structures and processes that partners were engaged in when building a network within education. The implications of this study show that building a network for successful outcomes is complex and metaphorically similar to finding the “sweet spot.” It is challenging but networks that used strategies to align structures and processes proved to achieve more success in mobilizing research to practice

A reflective analysis of the implementation of the National Literary [i.e. Literacy] and Numeracy Strategies in England's schools

This report focuses on large-scale, standards-based educational reform through a reflective analysis of the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies (NLNS) in England's schools. The framework employed during this inquiry was adopted from the external evaluation of the NLNS conducted by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto (OISE/UT). Data collection occurred over a ten-week research internship which consisted of school visitations, interviews with individuals from various aspects of the English educational system, and document analysis. Data analysis was conducted from an Atlantic Canada teacher perspective where reflections were compared to the teaching experience found in both Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. -- In conclusion, teachers are the delivers of educational reform. The English Government must not only acknowledge the unique teacher needs generated from standards-based educational reform but provide professional development and support. -- In addition, England's educational reform allows the Atlantic provinces a prime opportunity to learn and gather knowledge to assist with making better, well-informed decisions related to their own future educational directions

Secondary Principals\u27 Perspectives on the Impact of Work Intensification on the Secondary Vice-Principal Role

Principals’ work intensification has increased the volume and complexity of their daily tasks. This exploratory study was conducted to determine how secondary principals’ work intensification has influenced their understanding of the secondary vice-principal role. Thirteen secondary principals from Ontario, Canada participated in one-time semi-structured interviews for this qualitative study. Findings indicate that secondary principals expect their vice-principals to perform both operational and instructional tasks, although the work completed by secondary vice-principals remains predominantly school operations. Duties are determined collaboratively as a school administrative team. Three tensions emerged regarding how secondary principals perceive the secondary vice-principal role: They believe their vice-principals (i) experience role conflict and role ambiguity, (ii) have difficulty prioritising operational and instructional duties, and (iii) have difficulty achieving work–life balance. Recommendations to professional practice, educational policy, and research in educational leadership are included