Abstract
This chapter explores the preparation pathways of successful school leaders who have been able to sustain school success in two countries that have contrasting preparation contexts: the USA, where there is generally a requirement for formal pre-service leadership preparation, and Australia, where there are no formal preparation requirements. Despite the different contexts, all the principals spoke of how it was a combination of personal experience and formal and informal learning that helped them to develop as successful school leaders. There was not an emphasis on one over the other, and it did not matter whether there were regulatory requirements for qualifications or not. What did matter was that these principals had dispositions that promoted continuous learning; they were restless learners who were actively responsible for their professional growth, and reflective about the development of themselves and the schools they led. Three additional aspects, while not directly related to leadership preparation, seem to be important to the sustained success of these principals: development of appropriate values, beliefs, and principles to help guide their work; exerting a wider influence on education; and an ability to foster a sense of stability in a culture of continuous change.
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Gurr, D., Drysdale, L., Ylimaki, R., Jacobson, S.L. (2011). Preparation for Sustainable Leadership. In: Moos, L., Johansson, O., Day, C. (eds) How School Principals Sustain Success over Time. Studies in Educational Leadership, vol 14. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1335-2_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1335-2_11
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