Learning by Doing: A Daily Life Study of Principal Interns' Leadership Activities During the School Year. (March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Drake, Timothy A.
• Is Part Of: Journal of research on leadership education. Volume 17:Number 1(2022)
• Page Start: 24
• Page End: 54
• Publication Date: 2022-03
• Subjects: instructional leadership -- internships -- principal preparation -- principal time use -- daily life methodology; Educational leadership -- Periodicals; 371.2011
• DOI: 10.1177/1942775120941549
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1942-7751

Abstract

Clinical experiences, including the full-time principal internship, are considered to be one of the most important components in principal preparation. Yet research on the principal internship is limited to surveys and interviews. I use a daily life methodology to explore full-time principal interns' experiences during an academic school year. I find that interns' activities approximate the work of a school principal in many aspects of the job, including administrative activities and instructional leadership. I also find that variation between interns' activities is consistent with the literature, in that their activities vary based on personal background and school context.