EN :

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, principals have taken on increased responsibilities. Principals who are thriving are praised for their resilience while those who are struggling are inundated with calls to build their resilience. In this conceptual article, we problematize the overemphasis on individual responsibility that is implicit in pro-resilience narratives. We reviewed the interdisciplinary literature and used an inductive approach to examine resilience narratives across historical and disciplinary arcs, with specific attention given to the school leadership literature. We argue that, within the context of this pro-resilience movement, if attention is not given to the structural conditions of work intensification, the education system is setting K–12 principals up to experience adverse unintended consequences. These consequences can worsen existing mental health issues, such as occupational burnout, or exacerbate mental health stigma. We conclude by suggesting that structural changes could disrupt this individualization of responsibility and overreliance on the personal resiliency of school principals.

EN :

Educator wellbeing has broad implications for students and schools. Current approaches to address this problem are generally resource-intensive. This trial used novel nudges to increase wellbeing and decrease burnout among educators and other school-based faculty. We designed a light touch intervention where T1 received evidence-based wellbeing weekly text messages and T2 received weekly messages plus leadership endorsement emails. We evaluated this intervention in a large-scale three-arm RCT with participants (n=1,155) from K-12 schools in Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia. When compared to the control group, we saw no significant difference between the control group and T1 and T2 groups on burnout or wellbeing. The failure of these evidence-based text messages in increasing educators’ wellbeing and reducing their burnout highlights both the difficulty of addressing this problem and the importance of learning lessons from trials with null results to contribute to our knowledge base of improving educators’ wellbeing.

FR :

La réforme de la gouvernance du système éducatif belge francophone et la mise en oeuvre de plans de pilotage qui lui est corollaire placent tant les directeurs d’établissements que les conseillers pédagogiques face à la nécessité de reconsidérer l’exercice de leur métier. Dans ce contexte, le rôle et l’accompagnement du conseiller pédagogique constituent un levier devant permettre aux directeurs de développer un leadership indissociable du nouveau cadre de pilotage des établissements. À travers l’analyse d’entretiens compréhensifs menés auprès de dyades composées de directeurs et de conseillers pédagogiques, cet article développe un double angle analytique approfondissant, d’une part, les conditions d’accès au réel de l’activité des directeurs et s’interrogeant, d’autre part, sur la manière par laquelle l’accompagnement du conseiller pédagogique tend à s’adapter au contexte de réforme de la gouvernance scolaire.

FR :

Peu de recherches examinent comment les directions d’école au Canada exercent leur leadership pour inclure les élèves ayant des besoins éducatifs particuliers (EBEP). Notre étude a examiné les expériences influençant le leadership de 285 directions d’école dans six provinces. En particulier, cet article a comme objectif d’aider les chercheur.e.s et les praticien.ne.s à mieux comprendre : 1) les incidents critiques en matière d’inclusion scolaire auxquels sont confrontées sept directions d’école de langue française (DELF) du Québec, du Nouveau-Brunswick et de l’Ontario, et 2) comment la violence et les comportements agressifs des EBEP influencent leur leadership. Les données font partie d’une étude pancanadienne bilingue; elles ont été recueillies au moyen d’un questionnaire et d’entrevues semi-dirigées. Les DELF favorisant l’inclusion des EBEP sont celles sachant comment prévenir les effets de la violence et les comportements agressifs sur le climat scolaire et possédant une formation universitaire avancée en matière d’adaptation scolaire en français.

EN :

Little research has been done on the leadership practices that French-language school principals (FLSP) adopt to include students with special educational needs (SEN). Our research examines experiences that have influenced FLSP leadership in Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario. The objective of this article is to help better understand the violent or disruptive behaviours of SENs that seven French Canadian school principals are confronted with and how these behaviours influence their leadership with respect to school inclusion. This data is part of the third phase of a pan-Canadian bilingual study. We will present a profile of the FLSP and examine critical incidents they face. Next, we will highlight some of their inclusive leadership practices. These results are based on reflection on experience, from a pragmatic Deweyian and critical perspective of school inclusion.

FR :

Cet article porte sur les résultats d’une recherche auprès d’équipes de direction d’établissements scolaires en milieux francophones minoritaires (MFM) de l’Ouest canadien. C’est à partir du point de vue de ces praticiens (n=63) qu’il est possible de dresser un tableau comparatif de l’impact de la COVID-19 sur leurs pratiques de gestion et de leadership. Le questionnaire portait, entre autres, sur les éléments de gestion. Un consensus fort émerge autour des fonctions de gestion et de leadership liées à la nécessité de préserver le bien-être du personnel, d’assurer une communication régulière, d’encourager et de motiver le personnel enseignant et de réviser les horaires. Certaines caractéristiques, telles que les postes occupés, le genre, l’emplacement et la taille des écoles influent sur certains résultats. Les relations entre certains acteurs sont touchées. Le soutien reçu des membres du personnel, des collègues de travail, de la famille et des amis proches compense largement les lacunes d’ailleurs.

EN :

This article presents results from a collaborative action research study involving school leadership teams from Francophone minority settings in Western Canada. It is from these practitioners’ (n=63) points of view that a comparative picture of the impact of COVID-19 on the management and leadership practises during this extraordinary health crisis is drawn. These management teams’ tasks are presented according to the theoretical concepts of management and leadership and then particular considerations during this crisis context are discussed. The questionnaire focused on the elements of management, on the relationships between the stakeholders and on the health and well-being of the management teams. Herein, only the results of the first two aspects of the questionnaire are presented and discussed. Results reveal a strong consensus around management and leadership functions associated with the need to preserve and support staff well-being, ensure regular and constant communication, encourage and motivate teachers, and revise schedules to ensure the proper functioning of the school.

Certain characteristics were found to influence certain results, such as positions held, gender, and location and size of schools. The nature of the relationships between some stakeholders, particularly the departments of Education and members of the management teams during the pandemic, were noticeably adversely impacted compared to others. The support received from staff, co-workers, family, and close friends more than made up for the shortcomings elsewhere.

EN :

Elements of strength-based pedagogy are evident in current practices being implemented in Canadian schools as well as internationally. Classroom teachers appreciate the importance of creating a positive learning environment for students where the latter feel a sense of belonging, choice, and self-efficacy toward their learning (Deci & Ryan, 2008; Rickabaugh, 2016). While many educators apply such practices at the classroom level, strength-focused pedagogies can be organized through the conceptualization of a unifying framework. Building on research which proposed a dual-dimensional approach to student support services, this article explores the role of school leadership in shifting a school’s culture toward one that values, identifies, and leverages the strengths of students and educators to promote flourishing within their schools. Employing an Appreciative Inquiry action research design (Cooperrider et al., 2000; Stowell, 2012) to engage research participants, this study used Keyes’ (2002) dual-dimensional model as a lens through which to investigate the application of strength-based concepts and practices within school and classroom settings.

An Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Action Research Design (Stowell, 2012; Cooperrider et al., 2000) was used to engage research participants, using Keyes’ dual-dimensional model (Keyes, 2002) as a lens through which to investigate the use of strength-based concepts and practices within school and classroom settings.

FR :

Les éléments de la pédagogie fondée sur les forces sont évidents dans les pratiques actuelles mises en oeuvre dans les écoles canadiennes ainsi qu'à l'échelle internationale. Les enseignants en salle de classe apprécient l'importance de créer un environnement d'apprentissage positif pour les élèves où ils éprouvent un sentiment d'appartenance, de choix et d'auto-efficacité à l'égard de leur apprentissage (Deci et Ryan, 2008 ; Rickabaugh, 2016). Bien que de telles pratiques soient appliquées par de nombreux éducateurs au niveau de la classe, les pédagogies axées sur les forces pourraient être organisées par la conceptualisation d'un cadre unificateur. S'appuyant sur la recherche qui a proposé une approche bidimensionnelle des services de soutien aux étudiants, cet article explore le rôle du leadership scolaire dans l'évolution d'une culture scolaire vers une culture qui valorise, identifie et exploite les forces des étudiants et des éducateurs pour promouvoir l'épanouissement au sein de leurs écoles.

Une conception de recherche-action basée sur l'enquête appréciative (IA) (Stowell, 2012 ; Cooperrider et al., 2000) a été utilisée pour impliquer les participants à la recherche, en utilisant le modèle bidimensionnel de Keyes (Keyes, 2002) comme une lentille à travers laquelle étudier l'utilisation de concepts et de pratiques basés sur les forces dans les écoles et les classes.

EN :

The COVID-19 pandemic globally impacted teachers’ wellbeing as they adjusted their practices to accommodate physical distancing, online learning, and hybrid models. Coinciding these changes, music teachers were impacted by local health regulations and school divisional policy revisions prohibiting singing and playing wind instruments indoors. Consequently, music teachers were required to abruptly change their practice, were displaced to alternative locations (e.g., gymnasiums), and/or were required to use travelling carts to teach. Research into the impacts that COVID-19 policy changes had on school music remains limited in Canadian contexts. To provide insight into this phenomenon, the research question was formulated: “What are music teachers’ perspectives on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their sense of wellbeing?” To facilitate the inquiry, a mixed-methods approach was utilized via an online attitudinal survey, a questionnaire, and focus group discussions. In total, 218 music teachers across Manitoba, Canada participated in the online survey and completed the questionnaire while 21 music teachers participated in focus group discussions. Findings demonstrated that music teachers experienced significantly strenuous working conditions throughout the pandemic, resulting in many teachers considering early retirement or resignation. Despite these challenges, music teachers demonstrated considerable resilience as they navigated the educational landscape in the province.