Abstract:

Concept of leadership became very popular in thinking about schools as organization replacing or enriching concept of educational management. Many authors simply transfer theories of leadership developed in business context to education. More adequate attempts try to define specificity of educational leadership starting within educational context. It seems that in order to do this properly we should start from basic professional values. Author presents such attempts focusing at those proposing learning as core value and contrasts such attempts with those proposing development to be a core value. Later he claims that what matters more is understanding of educational values as both learning and development can be understood differently. Researching such ways of understanding present in thinking of school leaders seems to be an important factor contributing to development of both theory and practice of educational leadership.

Paper presents results of qualitative study carried out in 2017 with participation of a group of school head teachers from Polish schools of different type. They were asked to answer an open question about their understanding of development as central value that should be taken into consideration when thinking about everyday management of schools. Results show diversity of understandings and differences in focus when subjects describe what is important from the practical perspective to support development. Practical recommendations for school leadership development and training are also formulated.

Keywords:

Management, leadership, educational leadership, development.