Expatriate Teachers' Experiences with the Leadership in Chinese Internationalised Schools
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| Title: | Expatriate Teachers' Experiences with the Leadership in Chinese Internationalised Schools |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Adrian Golis (ORCID |
| Source: | Educational Management Administration & Leadership. 2026 54(3):814-831. |
| 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: | 18 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Education Junior High Schools Middle Schools Secondary Education High Schools Early Childhood Education Preschool Education Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Foreign Workers, Teacher Administrator Relationship, International Schools, Elementary School Teachers, Middle School Teachers, High School Teachers, Preschool Teachers, Middle Management, Work Environment, Teacher Attitudes |
| Geographic Terms: | China |
| DOI: | 10.1177/17411432241283928 |
| ISSN: | 1741-1432 1741-1440 |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand expatriate teachers' experiences with the leadership in Chinese internationalised schools. A sample of 15 expatriate teachers with diverse demographics and backgrounds, among them nine licenced teachers from non-Anglophone countries, contributed their insights in individual interviews, written protocols, and focus groups. All participants had worked in Chinese internationalised schools for at least one school year and had experiences with the schools' leaders. Their accounts revealed that senior leadership in Chinese internationalised schools is local and driven by profit and the Chinese work culture. Expatriate leaders, while supportive, mostly occupy mid-level management positions. Expatriate teachers feel insignificant to their leaders and respond to dissatisfaction with the management by terminating employment rather than adjusting. The findings confirm prior research, corroborating reports of unskilled and unstable leadership in international schools. The tokenistic role of expatriate managers, who may be hired for their foreign appearance and have little influence on managing the schools, is a new and unexpected finding. The study narrows a gap in the literature and has implications for recruiting and managing expatriate teachers in international schools. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1504995 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this qualitative, hermeneutical phenomenological study was to understand expatriate teachers' experiences with the leadership in Chinese internationalised schools. A sample of 15 expatriate teachers with diverse demographics and backgrounds, among them nine licenced teachers from non-Anglophone countries, contributed their insights in individual interviews, written protocols, and focus groups. All participants had worked in Chinese internationalised schools for at least one school year and had experiences with the schools' leaders. Their accounts revealed that senior leadership in Chinese internationalised schools is local and driven by profit and the Chinese work culture. Expatriate leaders, while supportive, mostly occupy mid-level management positions. Expatriate teachers feel insignificant to their leaders and respond to dissatisfaction with the management by terminating employment rather than adjusting. The findings confirm prior research, corroborating reports of unskilled and unstable leadership in international schools. The tokenistic role of expatriate managers, who may be hired for their foreign appearance and have little influence on managing the schools, is a new and unexpected finding. The study narrows a gap in the literature and has implications for recruiting and managing expatriate teachers in international schools. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1741-1432 1741-1440 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/17411432241283928 |
