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Leading with Soul: Examining the Praxis of Critical Servant Leadership Theory and Spiritual Leadership for School Administrators. Contemporary Perspectives on Spirituality in Education

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Title: Leading with Soul: Examining the Praxis of Critical Servant Leadership Theory and Spiritual Leadership for School Administrators. Contemporary Perspectives on Spirituality in Education
Language: English
Authors: Rema Reynolds Vassar, Judy Alston, Clyde Barnett III
Source: Emerald Publishing Limited. 2025.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: https://books.emeraldinsight.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 176
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Book
Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Descriptors: School Administration, Administrators, Instructional Leadership, Leadership Styles, Praxis, Elementary Secondary Education, Spiritual Development, School Policy, Management Development
ISBN: 978-1-80592-506-4
Abstract: This book aims to challenge what we consider to be static and superficial understandings of servant leadership within PreK-12 school communities. We highlight myriad ways servant leadership is misused and misunderstood within educational settings and contend that this misuse has led to a lack of moral leadership grounded in individual and collective conceptualizations of spirituality. Further, there is scant literature addressing both diverse manifestations of and the dearth of spiritual leadership within schools. Recent critical leadership theories have emerged to help leaders reflect on implications related to race and racism, gender (e.g., homophobia), and religion (e.g., Islamophobia). While critical reflections are difficult, they are imperative as, for example, Black boys and girls in special education and remedial courses are over-represented relative to their overall presence in schools. Additionally, Black students, both girls and boys, are disproportionately disciplined when compared to other racial groups, especially white students. With this book, we aim to definitively explore servant leadership toward an ontological understanding and operationalization of critical servant leadership; offering ideal school policy and practice to support it, providing examples of its manifestations within school communities, and articulating a vision for this theory's future. While many theorists acknowledge the necessity of culturally relevant, responsive, and congruent practices, they often proffer specific, discrete strategies and ideas to help facilitate these kinds of leadership. We disagree with offering leaders specific leadership strategies but argue rather that what is missing from what is now popular and mainstream professional development for leaders is the reflexive component that requires leaders to examine their own dispositions, practices, and biases, which ultimately can function as impediments to student learning. Moreover, we argue that most professional development purporting to "train" leaders fails to incorporate critical servant leadership and address the role of spirituality in leading public and charter K-12 schools.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Access URL: https://bookstore.emerald.com/leading-with-soul-hb-9781805925064.html
Accession Number: ED679381
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Leading with Soul: Examining the Praxis of Critical Servant Leadership Theory and Spiritual Leadership for School Administrators. Contemporary Perspectives on Spirituality in Education
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rema+Reynolds+Vassar%22">Rema Reynolds Vassar</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Judy+Alston%22">Judy Alston</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Clyde+Barnett+III%22">Clyde Barnett III</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Emerald+Publishing+Limited%22"><i>Emerald Publishing Limited</i></searchLink>. 2025.
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  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: https://books.emeraldinsight.com/
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  Data: 176
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  Data: Book<br />Reports - Evaluative
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Administration%22">School Administration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrators%22">Administrators</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Leadership%22">Instructional Leadership</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leadership+Styles%22">Leadership Styles</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Praxis%22">Praxis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+Secondary+Education%22">Elementary Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spiritual+Development%22">Spiritual Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Policy%22">School Policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Management+Development%22">Management Development</searchLink>
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  Data: This book aims to challenge what we consider to be static and superficial understandings of servant leadership within PreK-12 school communities. We highlight myriad ways servant leadership is misused and misunderstood within educational settings and contend that this misuse has led to a lack of moral leadership grounded in individual and collective conceptualizations of spirituality. Further, there is scant literature addressing both diverse manifestations of and the dearth of spiritual leadership within schools. Recent critical leadership theories have emerged to help leaders reflect on implications related to race and racism, gender (e.g., homophobia), and religion (e.g., Islamophobia). While critical reflections are difficult, they are imperative as, for example, Black boys and girls in special education and remedial courses are over-represented relative to their overall presence in schools. Additionally, Black students, both girls and boys, are disproportionately disciplined when compared to other racial groups, especially white students. With this book, we aim to definitively explore servant leadership toward an ontological understanding and operationalization of critical servant leadership; offering ideal school policy and practice to support it, providing examples of its manifestations within school communities, and articulating a vision for this theory's future. While many theorists acknowledge the necessity of culturally relevant, responsive, and congruent practices, they often proffer specific, discrete strategies and ideas to help facilitate these kinds of leadership. We disagree with offering leaders specific leadership strategies but argue rather that what is missing from what is now popular and mainstream professional development for leaders is the reflexive component that requires leaders to examine their own dispositions, practices, and biases, which ultimately can function as impediments to student learning. Moreover, we argue that most professional development purporting to "train" leaders fails to incorporate critical servant leadership and address the role of spirituality in leading public and charter K-12 schools.
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 176
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: School Administration
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Administrators
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Instructional Leadership
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Leadership Styles
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Praxis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary Secondary Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spiritual Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School Policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Management Development
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Leading with Soul: Examining the Praxis of Critical Servant Leadership Theory and Spiritual Leadership for School Administrators. Contemporary Perspectives on Spirituality in Education
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            NameFull: Rema Reynolds Vassar
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              Type: published
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