Exploring Exemplary International School Leadership Practices During Times of Crisis: A Basic Qualitative Study

Abstract

Exemplary leadership is vital in international schools during crises, as teachers require leaders who can navigate challenging times. The problem is that during crises, international school leaders face extra responsibilities concerning teachers' professional and personal well-being. Using transformational and servant leadership theories as a theoretical framework, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore international school teachers' and leaders' experiences, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of what constitutes exemplary school leadership during times of crisis. This basic qualitative research design utilized three research questions to identify exemplary international school leadership practices during crises, the perceptions of international school teachers regarding the key leadership practices, and the strategies international school leaders utilize to support teacher well-being. Through purposive and snowball sampling, 15 expatriate international school teachers and five international school leaders who had experienced crises were selected as participants. Data collection included semi-structured, open-ended interviews and jotted notes. Through inductive coding, thematic analysis of participant responses identified four themes associated with exemplary leadership practices during crises: planning and decision-making, communication, support, and connectedness. Data from findings indicated implications for future crisis leadership practices, including supporting teacher wellbeing, participating in crisis management training, and practicing self-care. Previous research exploring school leadership during crises is limited, and very little research has focused on leadership practices specific to international schools. This study helps to fill the gap in the research literature.