The servant leader : a model for school leadership

Abstract

The local educational scenario has been undergoing reforms for decades. Leadership models that were effective in the past need to be replaced by ones which are more suitable to address the issues of the ever-changing contemporary context. Heads of church schools need to overcome these challenges, adhere to the mission of Catholic education and safeguard the school’s Catholic identity. This study considered servant leadership (SL) as a model of school leadership for church schools in Malta. Through an interpretative phenomenological analysis, it sought to understand and describe the lived SL experiences of four heads of church schools in Malta. A purposive sample was used in this study. The data collected from semi-structured one-to-one interviews was analysed and interpreted in an attempt to answer the four research questions which guided this study. The research can be a source of information and inspiration to aspiring or acting educational leaders who may wish to embrace a leadership model which is in sync with the mission of Catholic education. The fourteen themes that have emerged from the interpretative phenomenological analysis implemented in this study include: Values People, Develops People, Builds Community, Displays Authenticity, Provides Leadership, Shares Leadership, a Person for Others, Catholic Spirituality, Maturity and Resilience (in the face of difficulties), Advantages of SL, Disadvantages of SL, Mission of Church Schools, Who to Serve First, Difficulties of SL.