Conflicting Views of School Community: The Dichotomy Between Administrators and Teachers

Authors

  • John Barnett The University of Western Ontario
  • Gerald Fallon The University of Western Ontario

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22230/ijepl.2007v2n1a28

Keywords:

school community, elementary schools, teacher knowledge

Abstract

This project was the second phase of a two-phase study of teachers’ knowledge of community in an urban, private boys’ day school in Canada. The first phase examined a teacher’s perception of her classroom community, and this phase asked teachers and administrators in the same school about their perceptions of school community. We found that the school created and implemented an organizational structure designed to foster and sustain a professional community. However, administrators and teachers conceptualized, understood, and experienced community in different ways. Administrators saw community as a management tool to generate support for the school’s objectives. Teachers experienced community as social support that served as a remedy for professional isolation. Neither group based its view on community as a capacity-building, reflective process leading to a generative professional community.

Author Biographies

John Barnett, The University of Western Ontario

Dr. John Barnett is assistant professor of science and technology education at the J.G. Althouse Faculty of Education, University of Western Ontario, Canada. His research interests include online pedagogy, community, Internet safety, and online research methods.

Gerald Fallon, The University of Western Ontario

Gerald Fallon is a PhD student in policy and educational leadership at the J.G. Althouse Faculty of Education, University of Western Ontario. His research interests include learning and professional community, educational policy, law, and educational leadership.

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Published

2007-01-10

How to Cite

Barnett, J., & Fallon, G. (2007). Conflicting Views of School Community: The Dichotomy Between Administrators and Teachers. International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.22230/ijepl.2007v2n1a28

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