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Abstract
Most studies in headship focus on the elements of training and head teachers’ capabilities in leading schools. The concept of isolation experienced by head teachers during the early years of their headship is, however, overlooked. This article attempts to explore the neglected aspect of headships’ experiences with isolation that later contributes to the betterment of the headship appointment. This mixed-methods study explores the experience of head teachers’ isolation in the early phase of their leadership years, and presents findings on the strategies used to overcome the isolation. Using an open-ended questionnaire, a total of 170 novice head teachers from Malaysian primary and secondary schools were asked to give their responses on experiences of isolation. Furthermore, 10 novice head teachers, who experienced isolation in the early phase of their leadership years, were interviewed. Findings revealed that the level of isolation among the head teachers was fairly low, and they perceived their isolation experience as temporary.
Introduction
In pursuance of the government’s mission to transform Malaysia into a developed country by 2020, education has been identified as one of the vital aspects of transformation. With that aspiration, national schools require school leaders to possess leadership qualities, that is, be able to manage human capital, provide the infrastructure of the school, and manage financial resources and academic matters. In addition, school leaders are expected to be able to embrace changes and overcome uncertainties at school (Aiken, 2002). Therefore, school leaders of today should equip themselves with mental and physical strength in order to face challenging situations throughout their leadership path. In the current era of globalisation, successful school leadership requires new skills, new knowledge and a very high level of commitment (Duignan and Macpherson, 2009; Portin et al., 2006).
Novice head teachers are usually overwhelmed with issues such as the experience of isolation, lack of knowledge in leadership and a low level of confidence (Male, 2006; Miklos, 2009). By definition, isolation or loneliness occurs when someone feels isolated or lonely due to factors such as age, marital status, socio-economic levels, attitude and work (Hecht and Baum, 1984; Lashway, 2003; Noonan, 1988; Peplau and Perlman, 1982; Stuewe-Portnoff, 2001). In the leadership context, Abrams (1997) argues that isolation is a situation in which the leader feels that he/she is alone because the position as a leader demands that he/she makes a decision alone for the organisation. Marshall et al. (2007) also define isolation as the perception of individuals in which they feel isolated from others at work. In this context, isolation is defined as professional isolation in which head teachers are deprived of support, good relationships and companionship with others in the workplace, which in turn causes concern and anxiety, especially when they are new to their own teachers (Combat, 2014; Garcia-Garduno et al., 2011; Gross, 2009; Male, 2006; Miklos, 2009; Walker and Qian, 2006).
The current study focuses on colleague or professional isolation. As pointed out by Abrams (1997), school leaders usually feel isolated when they face difficulties in seeking advice from other people at school, and it takes some time for them to get used to the professional isolation phase (Bristow et al., 2007; Earley and Bubb, 2013; Garnell, 2004). Daresh (2001) further adds that this situation is unhealthy and can hamper academic excellence at school. Isolation is a lonely feeling experienced by head teachers when they are set apart from others, especially their own teachers (Walker and Qian, 2006; West, 2002). In Malaysian schools, Azlin (2006) summarises from her study that novice head teachers often face problems in managing and leading schools, leading them to make decisions alone and eventually feel more isolated. However, as school leaders, there are times when they need to be alone and aloof, since they need to solve problems and make decisions on their own without disturbance from their teachers (Sindberg and Lipscomb, 2005).
In the longer term, Stephenson and Bauer (2010) concur that professional isolation can affect head teachers’ quality of work, and it can lead to suffering related issues due to stress. Based on previous findings, it is assumed that novice head teachers will experience feelings of isolation during their early headship or pre-appointment of headship stage (0–3 years) – which is elaborated by most researchers (Azlin, 2006; Cuddihy, 2012; Izgar, 2009; Male, 2006; Razak, 2012, Sheilds, 2008; Stephenson and Bauer, 2010; Watts, 2012; Weindling and Earley, 1987). The reasons for feeling isolated were lack of experience as head teachers and little support from teachers. In relation to the experience of isolation, most novice head teachers face few socialisation phases according to their years of experience in headship, such as personal/anticipatory socialisation in the early months of their appointment, followed by organisational and professional socialisation. These are also parts of the socialisation processes in the headship years. Therefore, it is assumed that there is a strong link between head teachers’ career stages and the feeling of isolation among novice school leaders.
Literature review
Career phases of headship
There have been a number of theoretical models on career phases of headship consisting of years of career stages that significantly relate to head teachers’ tenure and length of service during their career (Earley and Weindling, 2007; Kelly and Saunders, 2010; Patuawa, 2006; Watts, 2012). For instance, Weindling (2000) and Earley and Weindling (2007) listed six career period stages, beginning with preparation for headship and ending with the last phase, namely the ‘plateau’ or disenchantment years, which comprehensively explain the phases of going to a second headship. From her study, Watts (2012) also segregated the headship phase into three basic categories of early headship (0–3 years), middle headship (3–10 years) and late headship (more than 10 years of experience). Similarly, Kelly and Saunders (2010), through their grounded/developmental study, proposed a transition model of headship that consisted of three phases beginning with preparation for headship, entry, orientations and immersion, with the last phase named as the ‘control and action’ phase. Even though both models have some differences in terms of their stages, some phases significantly share the same characteristics, especially in the early phase of appointment. Comparisons between the models are presented in Table 1.
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Table 1. Comparison of two models of headship career stages.
Both headship models begin with preparation for headship that comprises informal experiences acquired by head teachers through their noteworthy experiences as deputy head. At the same time, they also have some formal training from headship courses that expose them to head teachers’ lives and experiences. At this stage, Weindling (2000) believed that head teachers try to develop their conceptions of headship through socialisation stages consisting of professional socialisation, organisational socialisation and personal socialisation. Professional socialisation is defined as a process where head teachers intend to prepare themselves and try to adapt their traits and personalities to be a head teacher, based on the informal training that they were exposed to (Crow, 2007; Duke, 1987). In relation to this concept, Male (2006) described professional socialisation as an anticipatory socialisation process which involves learning what it is to be a head teacher. Prospective holders prepare and learn by themselves through technical and social experiences. However, Kelly and Saunders (2010) emphasised that the process of professional socialisation emerges in the third stage of headship experiences, in which head teachers attempt to adapt themselves to their fellow teachers in the phase of accepting novice head teachers as their new school leaders. At this stage, novice head teachers face isolation and loneliness based on the significant reason that novice head teachers are new and have lower acceptance; finally, they feel that they will be rejected and abandoned by their teachers.
In the second stage or the entry phase, scholars believe that head teachers try to apply their relevant knowledge to some practical situations and decision-making processes (Weindling, 2000; Weindling and Earley, 1987). Head teachers also start to get more support and build alliances with other head teachers as part of their professional learning communities through the process of organisational socialisation. In theory, the organisational socialisation process is part of the head teachers’ strategic approach in overcoming the feeling of isolation and loneliness. By definition, organisational socialisation is a continuous process for head teachers to learn the headship values, norms and behavioural requirements of being a school leader (Crow, 2006, 2007; Weindling and Dimmock, 2006). Specifically, organisational socialisation is a process of learning in which head teachers learn the knowledge and skills based on their organisational role as school leaders. Male (2006) further contends that organisational socialisation is a socialisation process in which new head teachers try to prepare or integrate themselves into the existing school context before they can implement any actions. In this situation, Crow (2007) argues that the people surrounding the head teachers play major roles as internal and external sources that support the process of head teachers’ early socialisation; this significantly raises head teachers’ levels of confidence, and provides challenging ideas and skills. Lastly, personal socialisation is defined as a process of head teachers assuming or adapting to the new identity when appointed as heads (Earley et al., 2011). However, the concept of personal socialisation was less emphasised in both models. By definition, personal socialisation is a process in which the head teacher assumes or adapts to the new identity when she/he is appointed as school head (Earley et al., 2011).
Significantly, in the following stages, head teachers will not feel isolated, since they are trying hard to socialise themselves with teachers, the school community and even other senior head teachers. The fourth stage, which only appears in Weindling’s (2000) model, is called the reshaping phase, in which newly appointed head teachers learn and study the strengths and weaknesses of teachers in their own school context. While in the refinement stage, head teachers try to ‘fine tune’ or improve the established system in order to upgrade school performance. At this stage, some improvements and innovative suggestions are forwarded to strengthen the total implementation of the school’s improvement process. At this point, head teachers have high self-confidence in leading the school. In the consolidation stage, head teachers try to build alliances and network with other head teachers as part of sharing knowledge and ideas. The last stage, known as the plateau stage, is when head teachers feel that they are already at the peak of their headship career, and decide that moving to a second headship is an absolute option for them.
Headship isolation: causes and strategies
Studies in headship prove that crucial factors such as longer working hours, unending supervision, large amounts of paperwork and excessive work pressure can be identified as major causes of loneliness and isolation among school leaders (Cushing, 2004; Howley et al., 2005; Norton, 2003; Yerkas and Guaglianone, 1998). Newly appointed head teachers feel isolated and overwhelmed in their role as school leaders due to lack of experience and poor networking with more experienced head teachers (Aiken, 2001; Cuddihy, 2012; Kelly and Saunders, 2010; Sheilds, 2008). However, Weindling and Earley (1987) argued that the issue of professional isolation is part of the daily routine that cannot be avoided by newly appointed head teachers; in turn, this symbolises the ‘initiation ceremony of leadership’. Although the issue of isolation has been widely discussed, research that explores isolation among head teachers and principals is rare and limited, especially in new Malaysian head teachers, apart from a study conducted by Razak (2012).
School leaders feel isolated and lonely in carrying out their duties and responsibilities, especially when it comes to solving problems and making decisions (Ackerman and Maslin-Ostrowski, 2002; Herlihy and Herlihy, 1980). Studies conducted by Daresh (1988) and Marshall et al. (2007) show that the lack of support from subordinates may result in the increase of isolation between subordinates and their leaders. Barth (1990) emphasises that a healthy principal–teacher relationship is essential in decreasing isolation among head teachers. He also believes that the leadership style used by head teachers is closely related to the condition of isolation. In this case, the autocratic approach is often associated with head teachers’ experience of isolation (Daft, 1999), due to poor communication and interaction between teachers and head teachers. Further, Guptill (2003) emphasises that the feeling of isolation can also be accounted for by the bureaucratic structure of educational institutions, which sometimes negatively affects open relationships between teachers and school leaders.
According to Abrams (1997), one of the factors leading to isolation or loneliness is head teachers’ negative attitudes. They do not seek the assistance of colleagues or subordinates when dealing with problems or challenges in the workplace. Some of the negative attitudes that may cause this isolation are (a) feeling embarrassed to ask for help from their teachers and (b) the inability to listen to views, ideas and suggestions from their teachers. Minaker (1993) and Peterson (2002) also point out that heavy workloads and time constraints in communicating with teachers may contribute to the problem. Some scholars (Jones, 1994; Mercer, 1996; Weis and Gore, 1997) believe that loneliness is inherent, given the higher position of the school leader in an organisation. Razak (2012) and Dussault and Barnett (1996) also claim that school leaders are always ‘struck’ with the official designation, which results in some teachers keeping their distance and feeling isolated and lonely, which is considered a typical trait of leaders’ personal and professional lives. Isolation normally has more impact on novice head teachers, given the lower acceptance of a new member by the people in the community. Along a similar line, Dussault and Thibodeau (1997) and Gumpert and Boyd (1984) agree with this view, adding that isolation may affect the decision-making process and that it may slow down head teachers’ professional development. Therefore, professional isolation or loneliness among head teachers needs to be viewed from the perspective of their job scope as a leader in an organisation; these challenges have therefore turned head teachers’ isolation into an important issue (Stephenson and Bauer, 2010).
There are numerous studies of headships’ isolation outside of Malaysia; however, local studies dealing with isolation among Malaysian headships are limited. Stephenson and Bauer (2010) carried out an empirical study related to the level of isolation among new heads and its impact on the quality of their work. Their findings confirm that novice head teachers experience isolation while performing their duties. This situation has contributed to a larger problem, that of physical or emotional burnout. Similarly, Watts (2012) carried out a qualitative study with 18 head teachers from primary schools in Birmingham, which also revealed that head teachers within the early headship felt isolated and lonely, especially if there was a breakdown of relationships in their particular school. During the interviews, they described being isolated and lonely as a tough experience, since most of the responsibilities were on their shoulders. Another study conducted by Sayce and Lavery (2013) in Western Australia’s remote and rural Catholic schools reported that new principals in rural schools also highlighted the issue of isolation and loneliness. Most of them disclosed that they also experienced professional isolation and personal and social loneliness because of the distant location of schools, and that, as novice school leaders, they were distanced from their fellow head teachers. In New Zealand, Patuawa (2006), based on a series of interviews with 12 new principals, and claimed that loneliness among new principals was considered a common issue, and that most of them revealed that they were left alone in terms of being responsible for the school’s decision-making.
Comparatively, the experience of isolation also can be measured based on head teachers’ demographics such as gender and types of schools. In Turkey, Izgar (2009) identified issues related to isolation or loneliness among head teachers in their early years of headship. His study involved 232 head teachers from all districts in Turkey. He found that the level of isolation was rated higher among female head teachers compared with male head teachers. In addition, he reported that the feeling of isolation among head teachers had a weak correlation value (r = 0.39) with depression. Using a phenomenological interviewing strategy, Howard and Mallory (2008) explored the feeling of isolation among 10 Georgia high school principals (five males and five females). Based on several interviews, the pressures were accounted for by the lack of support from the educational central office. Using a naturalistic approach, a comprehensive study of nine Australian novice head teachers, conducted by Sheilds (2008), revealed that eight out of the nine newly appointed head teachers faced difficulties in building relationships with their teachers, with a stronger effect of isolation on primary head teachers in comparison with secondary head teachers.
In the Malaysian context, Razak (2012) reported that the level of isolation among head teachers at secondary schools is quite low, although the head teachers claimed that they experienced symptoms of isolation during the early years of their appointment. The study also revealed that male and female head teachers faced similar isolation experiences; a t-test indicated that the levels of isolation between the two gender groups were not statistically different.
Several scholars suggest different approaches to overcoming self-isolation or loneliness in the workplace. One approach is to establish a link or a network (Herlihy and Herlihy, 1980; Petzko, 2004; Weindling and Earley, 1987; Whitaker, 2001). An external network with other head teachers can create a support group that may assist the head teachers in performing their duties and responsibilities. At the same time, it also helps them make better decisions at school. Pierce et al. (2001) argued that attachment to a network is critical in order to reduce social isolation. Head teachers should learn to create networks, both inside their schools and with head teacher peers outside their schools, so as to provide the support system necessary to reduce their feelings of isolation or loneliness (Dussault and Barnett, 1996). By establishing a good network with other head teachers, they are able to share some of their experiences and exchange good practices in leadership for the benefits of both parties (Patuawa, 2006). Meanwhile, a good relationship with teachers enables head teachers to get the support needed in order to be successful in a programme or an activity organised at school. Piggot-Irvine (2004) suggests some developmental activities, such as informal discussion and networking among head teachers, which can be used to eradicate the isolation experienced by head teachers. These activities can create an opportunity for head teachers to meet and support each other, to participate in a collaborative dialogue with peers who can provide support and feedback, and to accept any evaluation of their actions, particularly with regard to their leadership practices.
Meanwhile, Stephenson and Bauer (2010) and Colgan (2003) note that coaching and mentoring programmes can build connections among head teachers in an effort to understand the challenges of their duties. In addition, West (2002) suggests a support system in the form of a mentoring approach for newly appointed head teachers. With the implementation of this mentoring system, novice head teachers may have a stronger network with other experienced head teachers (Bush and Middlewood, 2013). Skrla et al. (2001) indicate that peer networking is the most effective method for professional growth because it promotes reflection, questioning and information sharing. Riley (2007) also recommends a professional development programme for first-year head teachers. This programme can promote peer interaction and collegiality among new head teachers, who should come together periodically to share common problems and gain additional insights from their colleagues. Even though head teachers’ isolation is a prevalent issue, it is a new area in the Malaysian context that warrants further investigation.
Novice head teachers’ appointment and induction in the Malaysian context
In Malaysia, the Ministry of Education administers the appointment of school head teachers. In the pre-appointment stage, they are required to undergo comprehensive leadership courses conducted by Institute Aminuddin Baki (IAB), the official institution that provides professional development and assessment for school head teachers (Khair, 2007). It is an official mandatory requirement and part of the professional socialisation process for the appointment of Malaysian head teachers. This requirement is aligned with the Ministry of Education’s strategic plan to equip head teachers with sufficient skills and knowledge to respond to the demands brought by the knowledge-based community (Tie, 2011). Even though it is compulsory for potential head teachers to acquire the National Principalship Qualification for Educational Leaders (NPQEL)/National Principalship Qualification for Headship (NPQH) certificate, some existing head teachers were appointed with no official qualification, because of the small number of applications for headship posts (Chan and Sathiamorthy, 2003).
In order to be promoted, head teachers in Malaysia are required to have the following prerequisites: (a) wide experience as a middle-layer administrator such as a deputy head; (b) the NPQEL or NPQH certificate; (c) seniority or tenure merit; and (d) excellent performance and wide experience at school. Head teachers are usually promoted to the leadership post after spending many years in teaching and as deputy head teachers. However, with the introduction of the second phase of the national educational policy (the National Educational Blueprint 2013–2025), selection has become rigorous, clear, and transparent; promotion is stringently based on the merit policy approach; that is, priority is given only to high-quality senior teachers with emphasis on their achievement, leadership quality, efficiency, teaching experience and annual evaluation. This new second-phase policy aims to substitute the previous tenure-based appointment that leads to the selection of aging head teachers who are due to retire (Ministry of Education, 2012). The problem with the previous system is that the Ministry may lose talented individuals, while other countries select their school head teachers at a younger age. With this new practice, head teachers will be promoted at a younger age and spend more years serving as head teachers before their retirement. Under the new policy, potential head teachers will join the new headship residency programme, in which they spend 1 month under informal mentorship with their senior head teacher mentors after completing the headship NPQEL course at the beginning of their tenure as novice head teachers (Ministry of Education, 2012).
After being appointed as a novice head teacher, the issue of isolation will arise. At this stage, issues related to isolation will have greater implications on the head teachers’ psychological and emotional well-being (Holloway, 2004; Riley, 2007; Weindling, 2000). In this phase, organisational socialisation starts with the process of getting to know the people, the school’s problems and the school’s culture. In addition, Norhasimah et al. (2009) affirm from their study that newly appointed head teachers have to use their own socialisation tactics in order to avoid being isolated from their teachers.
The induction phase is considered the most crucial for novice head teachers, as they usually feel isolated, lonely and unappreciated. At this stage, newly appointed head teachers are supported by the Headteacher Council, an informal support group for novice head teachers. This council aims to help newly appointed head teachers through continuous professional development courses, group meetings, professional discussions, seminars and workshops on leadership and management, and other related headship activities. Therefore, newly appointed head teachers are supported informally by the Headteacher Council using informal mentoring programmes, that is, senior head teachers train the novice head teachers. Another pivotal approach is the establishment of a peer network group among head teachers, in which they informally meet in annually organised meetings or in round-table discussions. The objectives of this approach are: (1) structured opportunities discussing current issues in headship; (2) disseminating good practice of headship among members; and (3) having an online communication of peer networking so as to reduce the feeling of isolation among newly appointed heads.
The isolation experiences of newly appointed head teachers in Malaysia have not been explored in depth. This study, therefore, attempts to investigate novice head teachers’ isolation in the Malaysian context. The findings will determine whether the isolation experiences of head teachers in Malaysia are consistent with those reported elsewhere in the literature on headship isolation.
Research questions
This study aims to explore whether primary and secondary head teachers experience isolation during the early years of their headship. Three major research questions are listed as follows:
Do head teachers experience isolation during their early phase of appointment to the headship position?
What are the causes of isolation during the head teachers’ early years of headship?
What are the strategies employed by head teachers to solve their isolation issue?
Methodology
Study design
This study employed a mixed-methods approach of sequential explanatory design in answering the research questions. According to Creswell and Clark (2011) and Greene (2007), the mixed-methods design consists of two phases where the numerical data are first collected, followed by collection of qualitative data in order to support the quantitative data. The rationale of this design is based on an assumption that the quantitative outcome of the study will be further explained by the qualitative data in exploring the isolation experiences faced by the head teachers in both secondary and primary schools. Collins et al. (2006) reason that mixed-methods research may enrich the data and augment the interpretation of isolation experiences. In the current study, the data collection process was divided into two major phases. First, quantitative data were gathered using questionnaires; this was followed by collection of qualitative data using interviews.
Population and sample
The participants were 779 primary head teachers and 240 secondary head teachers from 1019 schools during the academic year of 2012/2013. Due to financial and time constraints, only novice head teachers with less than 5 years of experience in the headship post were selected for this study. The overall number of novice head teachers was 193 from secondary and primary schools. In this study, 180 head teachers were chosen as the sample (125 from primary schools and 55 from secondary schools) to measure their feelings of professional isolation and loneliness. Of the 193 novice head teachers, 13 were excluded since they had already participated as respondents in the pilot study. Permission to distribute the questionnaire was obtained from the State Department of Education (officers from the Quality Assurance Sector) in order to ensure that the questionnaires were successfully distributed. Some 115 questionnaires were returned by the primary head teachers and 55 by the secondary head teachers, with a total number of 170 questionnaires (response rate: 94%).
After analysing the overall feelings of isolation of the head teachers using descriptive statistics, the study proceeded with interviews with 10 head teachers from primary and secondary schools. The 10 head teachers were selected from those with less than 3 years as head who indicated a feeling of isolation in the early years of their headship post. The reason for selecting 10 head teachers was to obtain more insights, reflections and in-depth explanations based on their reflections of causes, experiences and their strategies to reduce or overcome the feelings of isolation during the early years of headship. In the first phase of selection, we contacted 20 head teachers from secondary and 36 head teachers from the primary schools who reported experiencing isolation based on the descriptive analysis using the loneliness instrument. However, only five from each category of schools responded, since some head teachers refused to be interviewed due to their busy administrative and leadership routines. In protecting their identities, the 10 head teachers were labelled as Head teacher 1 to Head teacher 10 without revealing their identities.
Instrumentation
The instrument for this study used Russell (1996) uni-dimensional loneliness scale, which consists of four major sections. The first section contains demographic variables: gender, years of service as head teacher and school location. The second part is the loneliness and isolation scale questionnaire developed by Russell et al. (1978). The original items were in negative statements and were later changed by Russell et al. (1980) into direct and reversed statements items in order to provide multidirectional responses towards isolation issues (Izgar, 2009; Russell, 1997). The instrument consists of 20 items using four scales: 1 = never; 2 = rarely; 3 = sometimes; and 4 = often. The higher score of 4 reflects greater perceived isolation, and the lower score of 1 reflects lower perceived isolation. The high validity and reliability of this questionnaire were proven based on alpha coefficients of 0.80 to 0.96 shown in other studies that adopted a similar instrument (Dussault and Thibodeau, 1997; Russell and Cutrona, 1991; Russell et al., 1997; Stephenson, 2009; Stephenson and Bauer, 2010). Russell et al.’s (1996) loneliness scale consists of psychological and non-specific occupational items used to measure isolation and loneliness for over 30 years in individuals from a variety of backgrounds, including school leaders (Stephenson, 2009; Stephenson and Bauer, 2010). The instrument has been tested on various occupations such as college students, nurses, teachers and even school head teachers. Previous studies that used head teachers or principals as samples while testing this instrument were conducted by Stephenson (2009) and Stephenson and Bauer (2010) at US schools, and a study by Izgar (2009) used Turkish head teachers in measuring professional isolation and loneliness in early headship. In this study, a slight modification was implemented on the items, based on the local school context. In their psychometric analysis and factor structure of the loneliness scale items, Russell et al. (1996) reported that the scale was a one-dimensional measurement with all items significantly loaded to the loneliness/isolation factor.
The third section lists the causes of isolation suggested from the isolation literature. Head teachers were encouraged to add in the empty space other factors that might also contribute to their isolation experiences. The fourth section of the instrument consists of strategies listed for the head teachers so that they could reflect and respond to a possible strategy that might decrease their level of isolation. The strategies were taken from numerous contexts of headship studies. In this section, head teachers were asked to choose a maximum of three strategies that they might use in decreasing their isolation. Based on the head teachers’ responses, interviews were conducted with 10 novice head teachers in order to provide an in-depth explanation with regard to their strategies. The questions asked during the interview were related to the isolation experiences during the head teachers’ initial years of headship. Some of the questions are as follows: (a) Did you experience isolation during your early years of leadership? (b) How long did you experience isolation? (c) Based on your experiences and discussions with other head teachers, what are the possible causes of isolation? and (d) What are the strategies you often use in order to manage isolation? Before proceeding with the interview sessions, the head teachers’ ethical and participatory consents were sought and their anonymity was guaranteed.
Translation process
Since most of the novice head teachers were educated in the system that used Malay as a medium of instruction, the items were fully translated into Malay. In order to ensure the precision of meaning from English to Malay, a rigorous translation process was employed that involved the forward and backward process of translation (Brislin et al., 1973; Sperber et al., 1994) by two translators. A Malay language expert was also employed to ensure the correctness of the sentence structure; the grammar and meaning of the items were finalised using the Malay language. Finally, items were backward translated into English with the assistance of two language experts. Further, items were checked and evaluated by a few novice head teachers and language lecturers to ensure the equivalence of meaning between English and Malay items. The process was repeated if there were discrepancies in terms of meaning. Before proceeding with the pilot test, some changes were made based on suggestions forwarded by the lecturers and head teachers involved in the translation process.
Pilot testing
A pilot test was carried out to obtain the measurement precision of the validity and reliability of the instrument. For this, the instrument was distributed to 13 head teachers who were excluded from the main sample of this study. After the pilot test, some changes were again made based on the recommendations and suggestions provided by the head teachers in order to secure content validity for several items. The calculated coefficient of alpha reliability was 0.929. Therefore, the instrument was suitable and had the ability to measure the head teachers’ experiences of isolation. Next, items from the interview protocol were pilot tested with one of the 13 head teachers who were purposely selected. The interview pilot testing took approximately one and a half hours, which was considered appropriate for the purpose of an interview. The interview’s items were improved, especially with regard to the meanings, based on the head teachers’ suggestions.
Data collection and analysis
The questionnaires were distributed to all selected head teachers using the official letter provided by the State Education Department. In answering Research Question 1, descriptive statistics consisting of mean scores and standard deviations were employed to determine whether the head teachers experienced isolation, and to examine the level of isolation during the head teachers’ early years of appointment to headship. The interpretation of the level of isolation was based on the following set of descriptors: 1.00–2.40 (low isolation); 2.41–3.80 (moderate); and 3.81–5.00 (high isolation). In answering Research Questions 2 and 3, data were obtained using responses provided by the head teachers in the questionnaires regarding their perceptions on the causes and strategies employed in minimising isolation. Data were analysed descriptively (i.e. they were ranked from the most frequently used to the least frequently used strategies) before proceeding with the interview data.
Following the findings from the descriptive statistics, two interview sessions were consecutively implemented a month after obtaining the quantitative data. Two series of interviews were organised with 10 head teachers (i.e. five head teachers each from primary and secondary schools). The session lasted approximately 2 hours and covered topics related to their experiences of isolation/loneliness during the early phase of headship. In order to provide comfortable sessions and encourage trust, interviews were conducted in an informal manner. Before the interview, the novice head teachers were informed about their anonymity, since all interview data were recorded. Further, the interview data were analysed to extract patterns and capture the meanings mentioned by the head teachers.
In securing the trustworthiness of this study, two important measures were used to provide reliability and validity of the interview data. First, inter-reliability tests were conducted; two evaluators assessed these segments. Based on their evaluation process, inter-reliability was coded at 0.78 based on Cohen’s Kappa level of agreements. The other method of validity was to ask the head teachers to comment on the accuracy based on their verbatim quotes taken from the interview sessions. The qualitative data were further confirmed with the novice head teachers, who were interviewed in order to obtain the high validity of the interview data.
Results
The descriptive statistics are presented in Table 2, depicting 170 head teachers who completed the questionnaire. As shown in Table 2, 52% of the secondary school head teachers were males and 48% were females, mirroring the almost equal proportionate percentage of male and female head teachers in secondary schools. However, 43% of the primary school head teachers were males and 58% were females. The data reflect the fact that female head teachers dominate the administration post at primary schools. Some 45% of the secondary school head teachers were from rural schools and 55% were from urban schools; 63% of the primary school head teachers were at their leadership positions at rural schools, and 37% were school leaders from urban schools. In measuring the years of service as head teachers, 48% had less than 3 years of experience as head teachers and 52% had less than 5 years in a headship position at secondary schools. As for the primary schools, the table shows that 43% of the head teachers had less than 3 years of experience and 57% had less than 5 years’ experience as head teachers.
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Table 2. Novice head teachers’ description.
Reliability and validity of the Malay version of isolation/loneliness scale
The loneliness and isolation scale has been translated into different languages, such as Turkish (Dogan et al., 2011; Izgar, 2009), German (Döring and Bortz, 1993), Greek (Anderson and Malikiosi-Loizos, 1992) and Danish (Lasgaard, 2007). Two studies report that the loneliness/isolation scale has high internal consistency, with Cronbach’s alpha ranging between 0.84 to 0.94 with undergraduate students from Wei et al.’s (2005) study. Using an explanatory factor analysis, Wei et al. (2005) indicate 74% variance of isolation scale, while Lasgaard (2007) reports 52.1% variance using the Danish version of the loneliness scale. Dogan et al. (2011) also report 36.69% of total variance using the Turkish version of the loneliness scale among university students.
In this study, the items in the loneliness/isolation scale were translated into Malay in order to provide a clearer understanding for the head teachers. In determining the validity and reliability of the Malay version of loneliness/isolation scale, some statistical analyses were conducted. These were the reliability analysis using the Cronbach’s alpha value and the exploratory factor analysis. Using SPSS, the internal consistency was reported at 0.929 for the overall measure, while consistency values for all items were also reported at high values ranging from 0.899 to 0.918. Further, the Kaiser–Mayer–Olkin Test (KMO) and the Bartlett’s test of sphericity were employed in order to examine sample adequacy before proceeding with the factor analysis. First, the KMO Test, a measure of sampling adequacy, was conducted for each item, and results indicated that it had an acceptable range of reliable values of 0.935; this is considered a significant range value (Hair et al., 2010). Following this finding, an exploratory factor analysis was also used to determine the items’ factor loading value, which should exceed the value of 0.30. Also, the eigenvalue should be larger than 1.00 to meet the acceptable standard (Muijs, 2011). Using the oblique rotation procedure, results from the exploratory factor analysis for 20 items using the Malay version of isolation explain 53.8% of the total variance. Based on the findings from the factor analysis, all 20 items of the Malay version of loneliness/isolation scale had high factor loadings, ranging from 0.61 to 0.827.
Novice head teachers’ isolation experiences
Table 3 below indicates the head teachers’ responses based on their perceptions of isolation during the early years of their headship post. Based on the overall mean, it can be observed that the overall means of professional isolation among novice school head teachers were considered low; 1.74 (SD = 0.65) for secondary school head teachers, and 1.73 (SD = 0.60) for primary school head teachers. Female novice head teachers felt more isolated compared with male novice head teachers, both at secondary and primary schools, even though the level of isolation was still low. Table 3 also shows that novice head teachers in urban schools felt more isolated compared with those in rural schools. Novice head teachers with less than 3 years of headship perceived higher experiences of isolation compared with those who had 3–5 years’ experience as head teachers.
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Table 3. Descriptive statistics for novice head teachers’ isolation.
Ten head teachers were further interviewed in order to determine whether novice head teachers experienced isolation during their early years in headship position. Based on the interview, four other novice head teachers reported that they felt isolated for a period (i.e. between 1 week to 4 months) in their early years of headship. Head teacher 2 mentioned:
Honestly, at first I felt isolated when everybody didn’t know me and I was considered new to them. I had the strong feeling that they tried to run away from me since I reported for duty as a school head. During the first week, I felt uncomfortable to communicate with all my teachers. I preferred to be alone when finishing the management tasks. However, when I tried to practise the ‘recipe’ of open communication, now, all teachers are my best friends.
Interestingly, one of the novice head teachers (Head teacher 2) also claimed that there was a time when they needed to be isolated from their teachers, especially when checking teachers’ tasks, making a decision and planning the school’s academic programmes. She further elaborated:
As a head, there is a time when you need to be isolated from all your teachers. At this time, I prefer to isolate myself in my office and think of the academic programme and plan for my school’s improvement strategies. I practise to be alone when checking all the tasks completed by my teachers, giving marks for their performance appraisal. At this phase, I don’t want to be influenced by anybody when finishing this crucial task.
To summarise, the interviews with these novice head teachers revealed that they felt isolated in the early phase of their headship. However, after 2 weeks to a month, they no longer felt isolated. However, as school head teachers, there were times when they had to isolate themselves, especially when finishing tasks related to job performance appraisal for teachers.
Causes of isolation among novice head teachers
The feeling of isolation was due to many factors such as heavy workloads, autocratic style of leadership, unwillingness to share workloads, problems in communicating with teachers and lack of support from teachers. Based on the perceptions and responses provided by the novice head teachers, the causes of isolation are presented in Table 4.
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Table 4. Descriptive statistics for causes of isolation.
Table 4 shows the factors that might cause headships’ isolation. A total of 630 responses were obtained from 170 head teachers reflecting on the causes of isolation/loneliness. Based on the table, novice head teachers agreed that isolation was due to their unwillingness to share their knowledge with their teachers (149 responses), followed by ineffective communication between head teachers and teachers (148 responses). The third selected cause of isolation was autocratic style of leadership (132 responses), followed by heavy workloads (119 responses). The final cause of isolation was the difficulty in gaining support from teachers (42 responses).
In order to investigate the causes of isolation among novice head teachers, 10 novice head teachers were interviewed. The majority explained the causes of isolation during their first years of headship, as listed in Table 4 above. From the interview, they claimed that there were many factors that contributed to isolation. Head teacher 3 highlighted that the head teachers should be open with teachers, such as sharing ideas, solutions and strategies for the school’s improvement. At the same time, teachers’ involvement was considered crucial in order to minimise isolation among head teachers. He elaborated:
As head teachers, we shouldn’t have any negative thoughts towards our teachers. We should include them in our decision-making group. At the same time, we don’t have to work and solve this problem alone and feel isolated or lonely. Some senior teachers may have more experiences in solving problems.
In addition, six novice head teachers emphasised close communication at school. Six head teachers picked this factor as one of the major causes of isolation. They criticised the closed communication approach practised by some head teachers during their early leadership years. One of them (Head teacher 7) explained:
Some head teachers don’t want to listen to or accept any suggestions forwarded from their own teachers. Eventually, they close any channel for suggestion and improvement for the benefits of their own school. It also drives your teachers away from you and you will be left alone without their help.
Moreover, an autocratic style of leadership was also ranked as the third major cause of isolation. During the interview, head teachers mentioned that an autocratic approach was not a suitable leadership approach, since it could alienate teachers in participating in the school’s improvement programmes. For them, collective involvement in decision-making was considered an appropriate strategy to know more about teachers’ capabilities. An autocratic approach could demotivate teachers, and also hinder interactions between teachers and their head teachers. Later, Head teacher 6 said:
For me, an autocratic leadership style is not a suitable approach in leading your school. An autocratic style is an intolerable approach since this style will decrease teachers’ involvement in decision-making and you will feel isolated. As a result, teachers don’t have any sense of belonging and won’t be part of the school community.
Novice head teachers’ strategies in overcoming isolation experiences
To explore the strategies used by novice head teachers to overcome their experiences of isolation, a checklist was included in the questionnaire containing suggested strategies commonly used in overcoming isolation. Participants were allowed to select a maximum of three strategies that they used in overcoming their isolation. In total, 300 responses were analysed, and the results are shown in Figure 1 below.
It can be seen that novice head teachers preferred to work as a team with their teachers as the best way to minimise isolation (34.1%). Other strategies were: networking with other head teachers (30.6%), continuous and constant meeting with teachers (15.1%), the change of attitude by head teachers (13%) and open communication (4.9%). Task distribution was ranked last (1.2%).
After analysing the responses, this study advanced with a series of interviews with 10 novice head teachers through two rigorous interview sessions. In both sessions, the novice head teachers were asked how they implemented the strategies listed in Figure 1. Interview data were transcribed and coded in order to segregate them into major themes, which are presented as follows.
Change in head teachers’ attitudes
In the interviews, eight head teachers emphasised that, as school head teachers, they had to change their attitude after being appointed as novice school leaders. One head teacher mentioned that novice school leaders should build a good relationship with their teachers and put aside the autocratic style. In addition, school leaders should know how to interact with their teachers. Head teachers should act more positively, such as being courteous, prudent and respectful of any ideas and suggestions from teachers. Head teacher 8 later clarified:
As a school leader, you should be clever in adapting yourself to your fellow teachers. It is wiser for you not to use the autocratic style of leadership when you are new to all teachers. It will chase them away even though they should be close to you.
Another head (Head teacher 9) mentioned that:
We also have to put aside any negative behaviours that might isolate ourselves from our fellow teachers. Negative behaviours such as being arrogant and not accepting any ideas from teachers shouldn’t be implemented in winning teachers’ hearts.
Enhance teamwork
Most head teachers selected teamwork as the most preferred strategy in minimising isolation (34.1%), as mentioned earlier. By enhancing teamwork, such as getting involved in school activities, teachers and head teachers will come to know each other and this may decrease isolation. Head teacher 10 mentioned:
The sense of belonging and togetherness should be created while leading your school. As a school leader, you should involve yourself with all the activities organised at school. Therefore, you don’t have to be alone because participation in school activities will build an acquaintance culture between you and your teachers.
A novice (Head teacher 3) emphasised that teachers and head teachers are bonded together through collaboration to solve problems at school. Later, Head teacher 4 also stated that, as school leaders, they had to encourage collaboration between themselves and teachers so that they could work as a team. Novice Head teacher 4 commented:
As novice head teachers, we planned the tasks related to instructional matters together with senior teachers. With this approach, senior teachers are able to know our priority and standards. In other words, they know us much better and I also can understand their competencies because the school’s success relies on the concept of teamwork.
Another novice (Head teacher 5) also spoke about the importance of teamwork in decreasing the experience of isolation. Novice head teachers are very experienced as teachers before being promoted as school heads. They are trained and instructed to work as a team. Therefore, the teamwork approach is the most effective strategy in decreasing isolation or feelings of loneliness. She added:
During our early years of teacher training, we were taught to work in a team, which later had a positive impact on the success of our school. Through teamwork and collaboration, a harmonious and close relationship between head teachers and teachers is built and, at the same time, we also care about each other. With this approach, we wouldn’t feel isolated or lonely.
Establish good networking with other head teachers
Nine of the 10 novice head teachers remarked that having a good network with other school head teachers was a notable strategy in overcoming isolation. In the interview session, some novice head teachers mentioned that, through networking, they were able to share experiences and knowledge with other senior or novice head teachers from other schools. One comment, quoting from one of the novices interviewed (Head teacher 2) was:
Usually, we established networking with other head teachers within or outside our district. With this approach, I manage to have more friends and I feel more motivated.
During the interview, novices also mentioned that mentoring was an effective strategy to decrease isolation. Through mentoring, school head teachers were assisted in reducing stress and work pressure. Further, they might exchange some ideas on school leadership. Head teacher 7 elucidated mentoring benefits during the interview sessions, as follows:
I strong[ly] believe that mentoring is able to help us build our confidence in leading the school. Through mentoring, we can share our experiences and problems together and do the thinking process of how to solve a crucial problem. Also, I feel motivated because I have many friends who really support me on how to win our teachers’ hearts and souls. I feel that mentoring should be implemented formally and informally in helping our aspiring school leaders grow.
Continuous interaction with teachers
Novice head teachers also mentioned that head teachers should involve themselves in activities such as curricular, extra-curricular and even outdoors activities. They also believed that head teachers should not spend too much time in the office during the school day – this could isolate them from other teachers. Therefore, head teachers were recommended to organise open discussions involving teachers and head teachers, and make it a part of the school’s informal activities. This approach invited the involvement and participation of teachers. Hence, head teachers’ experiences of isolation may decrease when they treat their teachers as friends. Head teacher 7 shared his thoughts:
As leaders, we should always meet our teachers for them to know us. It is ridiculous if head teachers spend too much time at the office and neglect what really happens at school. I sometimes went to the teachers’ lounge in order to be seen by my teachers. At the canteen, I ask about their problems and have an informal discussion that may be related to their family and kids. This approach trains you to be a kind and emphatic leader to your teachers.
Build an open communication climate
An open communication style consists of having a positive support system or a proper channel for teachers to make suggestions for the school’s improvement. Head teachers should practise an open communication approach, such as accepting feedback from teachers and encouraging more formal and informal discussions. Later, Head teacher 5 explained:
As school leaders, head teachers should emphasise an open climate where teachers are encouraged to share their views and suggestions for the benefit of the school. We also have to be the positive role models to teachers. We should give them motivation on how to show their sense of belonging to the school.
Head teachers are also encouraged to include a recognition system as part of the processes of rewarding committed teachers. In the interview, most of the head teachers seemed to agree that a recognition system may build a good relationship between teachers and head teachers; teachers are motivated enough to produce their best for the school’s academic excellence. In addition, their support of the school leadership will automatically increase. Head teacher 3 further elaborated:
In order to gain support from teachers, we must always recognise them for their commitment and motivate them to produce the best practices for students’ achievement. At the same time, they also appreciate our efforts and they will become our friends.
Task distribution
School leaders should also implement a distributed leadership approach, especially when dealing with deputy head teachers. Task distribution can be implemented by giving more chances to the deputy head teachers in managing and leading the school; the deputies should be trusted, and a collaborative decision-making process that involves all teachers should be encouraged. With the implementation of this approach, a decision is determined not only by one individual at school but also by the whole school community. For head teachers, being kind to their deputies may lessen isolation, since the deputies can also be the head teachers’ closest friends. The issue was described by Head teacher 1:
I give my trust and empower my deputy to handle most of the tasks. Therefore, my deputy will have high confidence in leading the school. Decisions are also made collectively between me and the deputy. I also treat my deputy as my closest friend and he has to lead the school when I’m attending some courses. Admittedly, I felt lonely at the beginning of my appointment but no more now because I have my deputy to talk to and discuss with.
To conclude, school head teachers felt lonely and isolated during their first month of appointment, but they were capable of managing their isolation with various approaches in order to reduce isolation or feeling lonely. Some used informal discussions with teachers in order to get to know them better. In addition, head teachers shared experiences and built an open environment for interaction with their teachers.
Discussion
The main purpose of this study was to explore the isolation experienced by novice head teachers during their initial years of leadership. This study examined the causes and possible strategies to overcome the head teachers’ experiences of isolation. A pragmatic mixed-methods approach, consisting of quantitative and qualitative data, was widely used in this study. Ten novice head teachers were selected for two series of interviews in order to explore their experiences.
The data from the empirical analysis showed that novice head teachers did experience isolation during the early phase of their appointment. However, it was only temporary. This finding was based on the low mean scores obtained from both secondary and primary novice head teachers, indicating that their isolation level was low. This finding is parallel with a study conducted by Izgar (2009) who also measured the professional loneliness and isolation issue among head teachers in Turkey. Turkish school head teachers also experienced a low level of isolation. Another study by Guptill (2003) proved that New York’s female school superintendents also felt isolated during the early 5 years of appointment. Based on the findings of this study, it is assumed that although Malaysian novice head teachers felt isolated during the early years of their appointment, this lasted 3–4 weeks. Therefore, for novice educational leaders, isolation was not considered an issue since the negative experiences were temporary.
In this study, female head teachers showed a higher level of isolation than their male counterparts. This finding is consistent with previous findings by Izgar (2009) and Razak (2012), which also found that isolation among female head teachers was higher than among their male colleagues. The analysis based on school location also showed that head teachers of primary urban schools felt a higher level of isolation compared with novice head teachers from rural and secondary schools. This is also echoed by Sheilds (2008), who indicates that isolation is more strongly felt among primary school head teachers compared with secondary head teachers. In addition, novice head teachers with less than 3 years of experience showed a higher level of perceived isolation compared with those who had experience of headship of 3–5 years. These results are consistent with those from previous isolation studies that highlighted isolation in the early years of headship.
School leaders feel isolated or lonely when they are rejected and abandoned by their teachers (Daresh, 2001; Garnell, 2004; Howley et al., 2005). This situation occurs because novice head teachers are considered new to the school community, and they will usually receive low approval from teachers. The findings from this study also revealed that isolation was caused by (a) head teachers’ unwillingness to share information with their teachers and (b) ineffective communication between head teachers and teachers at the school. The interview data showed that close communication between head teachers and teachers might not benefit the school. The autocratic style of leadership might also result in head teachers’ feeling of isolation because an autocratic style of leadership does not promote a healthy and open relationship between teachers and head teachers. This finding is aligned with Barth (1990), who discourages head teachers from using an autocratic style of leadership in the initial years of appointment.
In our study, most of the head teachers selected four major solutions to overcome their experiences of isolation: (1) attitude change among novice head teachers; (2) enhancing teamwork; (3) establishing a network with other head teachers; and (4) continuous discussions with other teachers. From the interviews, head teachers highlighted the importance of being kind and building good relationships with other teachers. They should know how to adapt themselves to fellow teachers. This finding is aligned with previous studies that also pointed out the importance of building a good rapport with teachers (Barth, 1990; Guptill, 2003; Howard and Mallory, 2008; Sheilds, 2008). Head teachers also emphasised that it was crucial for them to heighten the concept of teamwork throughout the early days of their appointment; with the implementation of teamwork, they may share the responsibility of decision-making with other teachers (Ackerman and Maslin-Ostrowski, 2002). Further, a healthy interaction between head teachers and the school community may be easily nurtured. In the end, this helps to reduce the gap between the staff and newly appointed head teachers.
Another strategy mentioned by the heads in this study was to establish a network, which is critical in the elimination process of professional isolation among head teachers. Through networking strategies such as mentoring and peer networking, school head teachers may improve their professional growth (Colgan, 2003; Pierce et al., 2001). Further, having a strong link with other head teachers is vital, since only fellow school heads understand the challenges of their work. In the interviews, head teachers critically mentioned that having friends to talk to would enable them to eliminate their feeling of isolation or loneliness. Through networking strategies, such as peer networking, head teachers were also able to improve their professional growth based on critical discussions involving reflection, questioning and assistance from others who hold similar responsibilities. Other studies also agree that mentoring is the most-listed approach by head teachers in other contexts (Colgan, 2003; Stephenson and Bauer, 2010; West, 2002). Some studies point out that having strong peer networking is an effective strategy to overcome isolation (Dussault and Barnett, 1996; Pierce et al., 2001; Piggot-Irvine, 2004; Riley, 2007).
Apart from the proposed strategies mentioned above, head teachers are also encouraged to hold regular meetings with senior assistants, teachers and supporting staff to ensure that information is delivered effectively; the exchange of ideas, suggestions and recommendations among school communities can lead to the betterment of the school. Previous studies prove that collaboration between the head and the teachers in problem-solving and decision-making can reduce isolation among the principals (Abrams, 1997; Barth, 1990; Stephenson and Bauer, 2010).
Practical implications
This study explored the experiences of professional isolation of secondary and primary head teachers in their initial years of headship. The findings revealed that secondary and primary school head teachers experienced professional isolation for 3–4 weeks. Nevertheless, the level of isolation was considered low. Several suggestions were proposed for practical implications.
First, most of the head teachers highlighted the practicality of the mentoring approach in overcoming their isolation issues. Based on their evaluation, they strongly suggested that mentoring should be used widely in order to lessen isolation experiences among novice school leaders. Therefore, mentoring should be used as one of the official professional development strategies implemented by the Ministry of Education in order to equip new head teachers with the skills and knowledge of school leaders. This, in turn, may decrease their feeling of isolation at the beginning of their appointment.
Second, as school head teachers, they should have constant interaction and meetings with other teachers. This strategy highlights the importance of collective work between teachers and head teachers for the school’s improvement. Further, it was advised that the Ministry of Education Malaysia, the State Department of Education and the district education office should carry out this study as a continuous yearly assessment in order to get feedback on isolation or loneliness issues among newly appointed head teachers.
Third, during the interviews, it was mentioned that head teachers’ unwillingness to share knowledge and ideas was considered as one of the factors that might cause isolation. Therefore, the ministry needs to organise courses that emphasise a strong relationship between head teachers and teachers together with leadership flexibility in leading their school. At the same time, head teachers should be exposed to the concept of teacher leadership that highlights the importance of collective efforts between teachers and head teachers; the notion of a heroic leader in schools is no longer applicable, as it is impossible to run the school single-handedly (Bush, 2003). With the application of teacher leadership, all teachers have the opportunity to lead and contribute to their schools’ improvement at various levels (Harris and Lambert, 2003). Further, this approach may lead to the development of teachers’ professional growth.
Fourth, the ministry or the State Department of Education should introduce a programme called the ‘school orientation programme’ or early internship, in which all potential head teachers are attached to the school where they will be in the future. All aspiring head teachers will spend 2–3 months in the school before they are allowed to take responsibility as the head teacher in that particular school. In this period, they can get to know their potential teachers much better with the assistance of the outgoing head teacher (Weindling and Earley, 1987). At the same time, outgoing head teachers are also able to teach, inform or even mentor the novice head teachers before passing the responsibilities on to them. Martinez (2007) and Steyn (2013) conclude from their studies that head teachers’ familiarity with a school is helpful in the socialisation process so that they will have a better knowledge of a school’s culture. That is, they will adapt their behaviours according to the school’s context and situation over time. Through careful observation and scanning of the school’s culture, they are expected to change their attitudes and behaviours, and practise open communication with teachers in order to eliminate any feeling of isolation and insecurity during their early appointment as head teachers (Ball, 2009; Berrong, 2012; Parkay et al., 1992).
Finally, relevant educational authorities should have clear thoughts in instilling socialisation strategies in their NPQEL training syllabus to equip potential head teachers with integration strategies in their initial entry into the headship phase. Based on the previous studies conducted locally and abroad regarding the socialisation processes and tactics used, it is concluded that the socialisation of head teachers provides many benefits to their integration with a school’s culture and environment (Glasspool, 2007; Norhasimah et al., 2009; Steyn, 2013;). Moreover, mentoring and internship by outgoing head teachers should also be identified as noteworthy approaches, as they enhance a head teacher’s confidence level, promote positive communication and collegiality, and therefore decrease the feeling of isolation/loneliness.
Future studies and conclusion
The findings from this study can also be developed further with the collection of data from bigger samples covering a wider range of education departments in Malaysia. Therefore, more patterns used by head teachers can be revealed in order to determine the most suitable strategy in the Malaysian headship context. In addition, an interesting angle to explore, related to headship isolation, is the power distance in the workplace or school context that could also contribute to head teachers’ isolation. Another important suggestion is the use of qualitative research that enables researchers to explore in depth some of the isolation patterns that were not investigated in this study. Future studies could also provide a deeper understanding of the experiences of isolation and loneliness of head teachers and shed much greater light on this phenomenon.
In general, this study has shed some light on the isolation issues experienced by novice head teachers in the early years of their appointment. The study also proved that novice head teachers in Malaysia had been through isolation or lonely experiences, albeit at a low level. Based on the findings, head teachers admitted that they experienced isolation and that they also had to self-evaluate, reflect and identify the negative attitudes and practice that resulted in their isolation. At the same time, head teachers should be aware of the causes of isolation that may slow down the process of sharing and collective work between school leaders and teachers.
Funding
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
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Author Biographies
Lokman Tahir is a senior lecturer majoring in headship and school leadership at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Mohd Taufiq Mohd Thakib is a teacher and postgraduate student at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Mohd Hilmi Hamzah is a senior lecturer at the Language Academy, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Mohd Nihra Haruzuan Mohd Said is a senior lecturer at Department of Educational Sciences and Creative Multimedia, Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.
Mohamed Berhanddin Musah is a senior lecturer majoring Higher Education Quality and Evaluation at Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.