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Who Am I? -- Exploring Secondary Education School Leaders' Professional Identity

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Title: Who Am I? -- Exploring Secondary Education School Leaders' Professional Identity
Language: English
Authors: Janine Mommers (ORCID 0000-0001-7008-8050), Piety Runhaar (ORCID 0000-0003-4151-5003), Perry Den Brok
Source: Educational Management Administration & Leadership. 2026 54(1):200-219.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 20
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education
Descriptors: Instructional Leadership, Professional Identity, Secondary Education, Foreign Countries, Administrator Role, Standards, School Administration, Professional Development, Administrator Attitudes, Self Concept, Leadership Responsibility
Geographic Terms: Netherlands
DOI: 10.1177/17411432241230978
ISSN: 1741-1432
1741-1440
Abstract: This study explored school leaders' professional identity by examining the guiding standards school leaders pursue in their jobs and the professional roles they identify themselves with. Using professional roles in school leadership that were formulated in (inter)national frameworks, 36 Dutch school leaders in secondary education provided their identity standards and their professional role identification. Standards were grouped per topic for each professional role. Role identification was visualized and grouped using radar charts. Results showed that in general 'interactions and interpersonal contact' formed significant aspects of these school leaders' professional identities. Identity standards covered all professional roles and were mostly formulated in terms of contact and interaction. School leaders sometimes identified themselves primarily with a specific social or analytical role. Some school leaders identified themselves with multiple professional roles. Additionally, a new role, focusing on performing practical 'hands on' tasks, emerged. The identity standards as well as the identification patterns can be used in helping school leaders to gain more insight into their personal leadership preferences and their motivation for certain dimensions in their work and how these relate to specific demands and expectations in the work context.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1491964
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Who Am I? -- Exploring Secondary Education School Leaders' Professional Identity
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Janine+Mommers%22">Janine Mommers</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7008-8050">0000-0001-7008-8050</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Piety+Runhaar%22">Piety Runhaar</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4151-5003">0000-0003-4151-5003</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Perry+Den+Brok%22">Perry Den Brok</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Educational+Management+Administration+%26+Leadership%22"><i>Educational Management Administration & Leadership</i></searchLink>. 2026 54(1):200-219.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Leadership%22">Instructional Leadership</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+Identity%22">Professional Identity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+Education%22">Secondary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrator+Role%22">Administrator Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Standards%22">Standards</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+Administration%22">School Administration</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Professional+Development%22">Professional Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Administrator+Attitudes%22">Administrator Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self+Concept%22">Self Concept</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Leadership+Responsibility%22">Leadership Responsibility</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Netherlands%22">Netherlands</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
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  Data: 10.1177/17411432241230978
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
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  Data: 1741-1432<br />1741-1440
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: This study explored school leaders' professional identity by examining the guiding standards school leaders pursue in their jobs and the professional roles they identify themselves with. Using professional roles in school leadership that were formulated in (inter)national frameworks, 36 Dutch school leaders in secondary education provided their identity standards and their professional role identification. Standards were grouped per topic for each professional role. Role identification was visualized and grouped using radar charts. Results showed that in general 'interactions and interpersonal contact' formed significant aspects of these school leaders' professional identities. Identity standards covered all professional roles and were mostly formulated in terms of contact and interaction. School leaders sometimes identified themselves primarily with a specific social or analytical role. Some school leaders identified themselves with multiple professional roles. Additionally, a new role, focusing on performing practical 'hands on' tasks, emerged. The identity standards as well as the identification patterns can be used in helping school leaders to gain more insight into their personal leadership preferences and their motivation for certain dimensions in their work and how these relate to specific demands and expectations in the work context.
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  Data: EJ1491964
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        Value: 10.1177/17411432241230978
    Languages:
      – Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 20
        StartPage: 200
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Instructional Leadership
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Professional Identity
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Secondary Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
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      – SubjectFull: Administrator Role
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      – SubjectFull: Standards
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      – SubjectFull: School Administration
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      – SubjectFull: Professional Development
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      – SubjectFull: Administrator Attitudes
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      – SubjectFull: Self Concept
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      – SubjectFull: Leadership Responsibility
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      – SubjectFull: Netherlands
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      – TitleFull: Who Am I? -- Exploring Secondary Education School Leaders' Professional Identity
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