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School Leadership: Caute in the Middle

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A Philosophy of Schooling

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Abstract

This chapter attempts to give meaning to school leadership that recognises democracy whilst also recognising followership. Only in this way can the micro politics of schools make sense in the meso and macro politics of wider communities and society. Leaders are ‘caught in the middle’, responsible within their schools, accountable beyond their schools. They must take care. ‘Caute’, Spinoza’s motto, means ‘take care’, and this is a richly ambiguous term: school leaders must be wary and careful, and they must be caring and thoughtful. That is why school leaders are ‘caute’ in the middle of pressures from outside and inside their schools. This is a theory of leadership that makes sense to leaders and followers alike and avoids the unreal and damaging effects of many mainstream leadership theories.

I will take responsibility for using opportunities to lead (in ethical ways), I will take responsibility for accepting other people’s (ethical) leadership, and I will engage dialogically with leaders and led.

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  1. York St John University, York, UK

    Julian Stern

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© 2018 L.J. Stern

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Stern, J. (2018). School Leadership: Caute in the Middle. In: A Philosophy of Schooling. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71571-1_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71571-1_6

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-71570-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-71571-1

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