J. Trzópek. Abstract 1 INTRODUCTION. Jagiellonian University (POLAND)

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1 THE COMPETENCY OF UNDERSTANDING DIVERSITY, SENSITIVITY TO VARIOUS NEEDS, INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS AND POSSIBILITIES AS REFLECTED IN HEAD TEACHERS' OPINIONS J. Trzópek Jagiellonian University (POLAND) Abstract Inequalities seem to be one of key problems that can be observed in our life. We differ from each other in many ways as psychological, physical or intellectual differences. One may argue that schools are places where we can see differences between students very clearly, and that diversity brings serious challenges to those who are responsible for management of educational processes. Understanding diversity is the basis for equal treatment and sensitivity to these differences. Dealing with social inequalities in schools so as to reduce them seems to be the key task of educational leaders and key competence of contemporary educational leaders. The paper presents part of results of broader research on school leaders competencies. The paper focuses on analysis of competence Understanding diversity, sensitivity to the different needs of individual situations and opportunities for development. This competence of head teachers was analyzed within the context of research carried out as a part of the project "Leadership and management in education-the formulation and implementation of a continuous professional development system for school head teachers ". In that research more than 2800 head teachers of different types of Polis schools (that is more than 11% of whole the group of head teachers in Poland) were asked to assess their competencies in six broad areas such as: Leadership in the school, Management of learning, Educational policy - the head teacher as a leader in the local community, Management of people, Strategic management with legal and financial issues; Management of leader s own professional development. Results show how important competence of understanding diversity is for Polish head teachers and how they understand it. Keywords: Inequalities, research, leadership, competencies, diversity. 1 INTRODUCTION Educational management is a young sub-discipline which, in view of the challenges of the contemporary world, requires a continual discourse and scholarly research. This paper presents the results of research into the topic of leadership at school. Before the presentation of the results it is necessary to explain the meanings of the key terms used in this paper, i.e. educational management, leadership and social inequalities, which constitute a basis for the understanding of dissimilarity (with respect to needs or opportunities) and sensitivity to diversity. Roman Dorczak suggests that educational management should be considered a specific field of management. According to this method, educational management is a separate field of management with a unique set of characteristic features. The method provides for the building of knowledge of educational management anew, on the basis of key educational values, and focused on the primary objective, i.e. a pupil's development [1]. This paper is also based on this approach, according to which knowledge related to educational management and educational leadership cannot be transferred from other disciplines, but has to be built basing on fundamental educational values [ibid]. According to Grzegorz Mazurkiewicz, it is necessary to accept that the education and development of pupils is not somebody's individual activity, but a collective undertaking [3]. A similar opinion is expressed by Łuczyński, who claims that education should be focused more on the transformation of social life with a view to decreasing social inequalities with a simultaneous and continuous support for the development of every pupil [4]. Thus, as a specific branch of knowledge of management, educational management consists of many components characteristic for this sub-discipline. One of such issues is social inequalities. In my opinion, the school is to ensure social justice [5], and the elimination of social inequalities should be the key task for educational leaders. Proceedings of EDULEARN14 Conference 7th-9th July 2014, Barcelona, Spain 1396 ISBN:

2 According to Mazurkiewicz (after Drucker), there is a considerable need of determining a new paradigm whose most important assumption "should be a statement that people cannot be managed just like other resources, but they should be assisted in their development in order to make it possible for them to execute their tasks"[6]. In his opinion, educational management is this type of activity and educational leadership should constitute its key element (ibid.). According to Jacko (after Kotter and Zaleznik), a characteristic feature of the majority of contemporary organizations is too much management and too little leadership. The author states that leadership consists in "dealing with change" and "its importance has been rising because there is more change than in the past" [7]. Leadership will be treated as "...a skill to foster other people's ability to fulfil their duties as best they can with a simultaneous sense of sensibility, dignity, respect for others and satisfaction" [8]. According to Mazurkiewicz, "educational leadership can become the main idea in initiating changes necessary for the contemporary school to react to the challenges of the contemporary world in a responsible manner" (ibid., p. 29). In my opinion, the biggest challenge of the modern world is the skill of the authentic being and acting in the diversified world, while the key challenge for educational leaders should be the reduction of social inequalities and the assurance of social justice (through a redistributionist educational system). Equality will be perceived as equality of condition introduced by Kathleen Lynch, who refers to equality with respect to the basic living conditions. "Equality of condition means the pursuit of something we could call "realistic options" and which includes the equalization of opportunities and the activation of individuals [9]. According to Lynch, there are four dimensions of equality of condition: resources; respect and recognition; love, care and solidarity; and power. Equality of resources is understood as the economic equality of capital in the form of income and wealth. Equality of respect and recognition refers to the identification, acknowledgement and acceptance of differences. The third dimension related to love, care and solidarity is, according to Lynch, a fundamental prerequisite for mental and emotional wellbeing and for human development generally. The fourth aspect of equality of condition applies to the reduction of power inequalities. Kathleen Lynch does not claim that there is a solution to the problem of class inequalities and power (particularly in the education system), but she states that education "[...] is also a potential site for developing resistance to inequality" [ibid, p. 31]. Lynch believes that only education can break the process of reproducing social inequalities (ibid.), while Anna Dzierzgowska expands this opinion, stating that not schools (identified with the educational system), but school communities have opportunities to do this. In her opinion, "being a democratic community, the school constitutes a response to the problems of discrimination or the creation of group hierarchies, and also to the problems resulting from differences in so-called cultural capital" [10]. According to Grochalska, the notion of difference does not have negative semantic connotations because "difference means diversity, pluralism, possibility of alternative choices, freedom and creativity" [11]. Thus education should rather focus on the affirmation of differences because they are the source of individual choices made by pupils as well as their individual needs and opportunities. There are many differences; some of them are accepted, while others are not and, according to Grochalska, this is the very moment when differences in their pejorative perception appear (ibid.). Pluta and Trzaska state that differences in human social capital are something natural; they result from the assumption that humans are not identical. In view of such an assumption, the necessity of equalizing educational opportunities should be determined not by the very fact of diversity and the occurrence of differences, but by the extent to which a pupil's social capital allows her to and achieve goals and success (success understood as a sense of happiness and satisfaction). The main attitude of people involved in the learning process should be that described by Freire; namely an attitude of continuous humility towards diversity and different perspectives [12] as well as sensitivity to differences and awareness of the diversity of the world, culture, customs and abilities. Thus, I would like to repeat that the main task of educational leaders is to reduce social inequalities. It appears that a basis for the initiation of such activities by head teachers is the possession and development of a leadership competency defined as understanding diversity, sensitivity to various needs, individual developmental needs and possibilities. 1397

3 2 THE COMPETENCY OF UNDERSTANDING DIVERSITY, SENSITIVITY TO VARIOUS NEEDS, INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS AND POSSIBILITIES AS REFLECTED IN HEAD TEACHERS OPINIONS- RESEARCH RESULTS The results presented in this paper have been acquired within the scope of a part of a large-scale research conducted among the heads of schools or educational institutions in Poland (the project financed by the EU, from the ESF). The research constitutes a part of the project entitled "Leadership and management in education - the preparation and implementation of a development and improvement system for head teachers", whose main objective is to strengthen the educational management system through the development and recommendation of comprehensive solutions in the area of professional development and improvement of head teachers from the year The expected result of the project is the creation of 3 model solutions for the reconstruction of the system of professional development and improvement of head teachers in Poland. The aforementioned research comprised both quantitative and qualitative study methods. It was divided into two stages. In the first stage, all heads of schools and educational institutions in Poland were sent an invitation to take part in an electronic interview (CAWI - Computer-Assisted Web Interview). The number of returned CAWI questionnaires was The objective of the first research stage was to identify how relevant a particular competency was for the respondents and to what extent they believed they had it (According to the respondents, how important are the selected competencies for educational leadership? To what degree do head teachers possess the selected competencies?). The competency selected for analysis in this paper is one of the 89 leadership competencies defined and adopted for further studies (these competencies have been chosen on the basis of the analysis of literature on the subject and available education reports). The second stage of the research comprised in-depth interviews (IDI) with 200 respondents selected at random from among the participants of the first stage. The sample was stratified by the duration of a respondent's tenure as head teacher, the type of a community in which a school is located and a respondent's sex. With respect to the leadership competency called understanding diversity, sensitivity to various needs, individual developmental needs and possibilities, the following questions were essential: 1. What is the way of understanding the selected competency? How do the respondents define the key elements of this competency (what is the most important)? 2. In the head teachers' opinion, how is the selected competency applied in practice? Are such practical applications adequate to the understanding of the competency? 3. Do the respondents who identify the selected competency as their strength consider it important in their work as head teachers? 4. Do the respondents who identify the selected competency as their weakness consider it important in their work as head teachers? 3 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH - THE FIRST STAGE (2824 HEAD TEACHERS) 3.1 Relevance level The head teachers perceive the competency of understanding diversity, sensitivity to various needs, individual developmental needs and possibilities as relevant for educational leadership % (a five point Likert scale: a) completely irrelevant, b) rather irrelevant, c) hard to say, d) rather relevant, e) very relevant). The mode is the answer "very relevant" (64.3%). It is interesting that more women (96.3%) than men (91.7%) consider this competency as relevant, and the difference is statistically significant. Another interesting fact is that the head teachers with shorter periods of holding managerial positions find this competency as more relevant than their more experienced colleagues (a statistically significant difference of 2.2%). The respondents' age and the location of their schools do not influence the perception of the relevance of the selected competency. 1398

4 3.2 Possession degree assessment As a matter of principle, the head teachers declare that they possess the competency of understanding diversity, sensitivity to various needs, individual developmental needs and possibilities (89.4%). Just 0.8% of the study group admit that they do not have it. Similarly to the issue of relevance, the cafeteria of answers comprises a 5 point Likert scale: ( a) I don't have this competency; b) I have a general idea about the components of this competency, but I don't have any practical skills in this respect; c) it's hard to say, I haven't thought about it; d) there occur some difficulties with the application of this competency, but if it becomes necessary, I can use it; e) I have sufficient knowledge and skills; I use this competency at work). The majority of the respondents (55.1%) choose the answer e): I have sufficient knowledge and skills; I use this competency at work. The man (87.7%) less frequently than the women (89.9%) declare the possession of this competency and more often choose the neutral answer (it's hard to say / I haven't thought about it). In the respondents' answers there are also differences determined by the location of their respective schools. The head teachers of rural schools claim the possession of this quality the least often (89.5%), while the head teachers of schools in cities of more than 100,000 inhabitants - the most often (93.5%). The head teachers' answers do not differ based on their age or the duration of work at managerial positions. 4 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH - THE SECOND STAGE Twelve out of 171 respondents participating in the second stage of the research (in-depth interviews - IDI) selected the competency of understanding diversity, sensitivity to various needs, individual developmental needs and possibilities for a more detailed discussion (they identified it as their strength or weakness). Ten of the twelve head teachers identified it as their strength and a competency relevant to the work of a head teacher. As far as the meaning of this competency is concerned, the respondents define it as the adoption of an attitude based on openness and an individual approach not only to pupils, but also to parents and teachers. According to the head teachers, a person having this competency is sensitive to the needs of others, understands different forms of behaviour and represents a high level of empathy. Furthermore, such a person has knowledge of various personality types, knows how to use diagnostic tools, and understands various barriers and limitations in others. According to the respondents, these are the key elements of the analysed competency. Understanding diversity. Each man is different, everybody functions in a little different way. One man is choleric, another is of a sanguine disposition, and yet another is phlegmatic. And the ability to recognize these types allows the head teacher to delegate tasks accordingly. This works with respect to both teachers and pupils [13] In the head teachers' opinion, the practical application of this competency manifests itself in adjusting one's behaviour to the personality of another person (a pupil, teacher or school employee) and a given situation. A head teacher who has the competency of understanding diversity, sensitivity to various needs, individual developmental needs and possibilities must sometimes be a mediator in school conflicts, and is open to all pupils. According to the respondents, openness should be combined with care for the development of the teaching personnel so that teachers are able to take care of and ensure the individual development of every pupil. They believe that this particular competency corresponds the best to the complexity of the school environment. The understanding of diversity is a starting point for a good atmosphere and relations at school; it translates into effectiveness and the achievement of adopted objectives. What is more, the respondents think that the awareness and appreciation of diversity is a sign of a strong leader and hence their importance in a head teacher's work. 5 CONCLUSIONS The discussed competency (understanding diversity, sensitivity to various needs, individual developmental needs and possibilities) is an important leadership quality of a head teacher. The majority of the respondents who chose this competency considered it as their strength. The understanding of diversity and sensitivity to various situations, needs and possibilities require an attitude characterized by empathy, openness and forbearance. They also require particular knowledge 1399

5 of various personality types and need diagnosis methods. In practice, it means a requirement of considerable flexibility as well as the awareness and appreciation of diversity. REFERENCES [1] Dorczak, R., (2009), Zarządzanie w edukacji wyzwania i możliwości, in: Zarządzanie Publiczne Zeszyty Naukowe ISP UJ, Vol. 2/2009, pp [2] Dorczak R., Specyfika zarządzania w edukacji rozwój indywidualny człowieka jako wartość centralna, Zarządzanie Publiczne, Zeszyty Naukowe ISP UJ, Vol. 3 (19), 2012, pp [3] Mazurkiewicz G., (2012). Edukacja i przywództwo. Modele mentalne jako bariery rozwoju, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, Kraków. [4] Łuczyński J., (2011). Zarządzanie edukacyjne a wychowanie uczniów w szkole, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, Kraków. [5] (Mika Risku, conference materials, on-line: access: [6] Mazurkiewicz G., (pod red.), (2011). Ewaluacja w nadzorze pedagogicznym. Refleksje, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, Kraków, pp [7] Oleksyn T., (ed.), (2013). Filozofia a zarządzanie, Wydawnictwo Wolters Kluwer Polska SA Filozofia a zarządzanie, Wyd. Wolters Kluwer Polska SA, Warszawa, pp. 156). [8] Mazurkiewicz G., (pod red.), (2011). Ewaluacja w nadzorze pedagogicznym. Refleksje, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, Kraków, pp. 55. [9] Mazurkiewicz G., (pod red.), (2012). Jakość edukacji. Różnorodne perspektywy, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, Kraków, pp. 29. [10] Dzierzgowska I., Rękawek A., (2008). Wszystko o Radach Rodziców, Wydawnictwo Wolters Kluwer Polska, Warszawa, pp.54. [11] Mazurkiewicz G., (pod red.), (2012). Jakość edukacji. Różnorodne perspektywy, Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, Kraków, pp. 76. [12] Freire P., (2007). Education for Critical Consciousness, Continuum International Publishing Group, Wiltshire. [13] Dorczak R., Kołodziejczyk J., Mazurkiewicz G., Trzópek J., (2014). Raport kompetencji przywódczych kadry kierowniczej szkół/placówek w Polsce, Kraków, pp