Title: Plotting an emerging relationship schema of effective leadership attributes for inclusive schools

Authors: Kim Fong Poon-McBrayer; Meng Deng

Addresses: Department of Education Policy and Leadership, The Education University of Hong Kong, 10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po, Hong Kong ' Beijing Normal University, 19 Xinjiekou Outer St., BeiTaiPingZhuang, Haidian Qu, Beijing Shi, 100875, China

Abstract: The significance of principal leadership to build inclusive schools has long been recognised. Studies to plot their leadership attributes that mobilise, facilitate, and sustain inclusive education specific to Hong Kong are however scarce. This qualitative study investigated teacher leaders' experiences of what their principals did to cultivate their leadership and partnership to build inclusive schools. Findings revealed three main sets of effective leadership attributes which were substantiated by varied behaviours termed as the foundational attributes. The strong interconnectivity among the attributes and their respective foundational attributes suggested an emerging relationship schema of effective leadership attributes for school reforms. In addition, adequate resources for teaching innovation and support strategies as well as professional development for teachers were significant for personnel and reform sustainability.

Keywords: principal leadership; teacher leadership; inclusive education; relationship between leadership attributes; teacher empowerment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLC.2017.086852

International Journal of Learning and Change, 2017 Vol.9 No.3, pp.245 - 259

Received: 17 Aug 2016
Accepted: 15 Jun 2017
Published online: 29 Sep 2017 *

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