UTILIZING WELLBEING PRACTICES TO DEEPEN CONNECTIONS AMONG INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL LEADERS
Author
Depoint, Gretchen Noelle
Abstract
“Put your oxygen mask on first” is a critical motto for educational leaders not only to espouse, but to enact. In the fast-paced environments of international schools, leaders often lack the time to make use of the wellbeing principles that keep themselves physically and emotionally healthy and connected to their communities. During a span of nine months and within two cycles of inquiry, I worked with a middle school leadership team deeply impacted by the pandemic to identify and practice wellbeing practices to deepen connections within themselves and a cohort of middle school leaders. Using participatory action research (PAR) as the methodology, I collected and analyzed data about how the leadership team used wellbeing practices and how these practices affected connectedness within the leadership team and within the middle school cohort. As a result of the PAR study, I identified two findings. First, educators who engage in emotionally centering wellbeing practices deepen connections between themselves and others. Second, international school administrators provide a holistic space in which teachers can engage in wellbeing practices and explore feelings and emotions that support them in their dual roles of personal and professional. By emphasizing the importance of leaders actively modeling practices to cultivate inclusive learning environments, study participants embraced mindfulness and reflection; as a result, the educators prioritized their wellbeing, built relational trust with their teams, and integrated their personal and professional lives and roles. The study showed the transformative potential of intentionally embedding wellbeing practices into regular practice, stressing educational leaders' importance in supporting themselves and their teams to deepen connections. The PAR study offers insights to schools worldwide, suggesting ways to improve wellbeing practices through professional learning. The findings have implications that extend beyond the study’s specific context and emphasize the importance of wellbeing practices to educators as they care for themselves so they can be effective leaders for others. The study draws attention to potential further research to explore how wellbeing practices can positively affect a more supportive environment in which leaders nurture trust among teams and ensure a sense of belonging in educational communities.
Subject
Date
2023-11-30
Citation:
APA:
Depoint, Gretchen Noelle.
(November 2023).
UTILIZING WELLBEING PRACTICES TO DEEPEN CONNECTIONS AMONG INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL LEADERS
(Doctoral Dissertation, East Carolina University). Retrieved from the Scholarship.
(http://hdl.handle.net/10342/13238.)
MLA:
Depoint, Gretchen Noelle.
UTILIZING WELLBEING PRACTICES TO DEEPEN CONNECTIONS AMONG INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL LEADERS.
Doctoral Dissertation. East Carolina University,
November 2023. The Scholarship.
http://hdl.handle.net/10342/13238.
June 20, 2024.
Chicago:
Depoint, Gretchen Noelle,
“UTILIZING WELLBEING PRACTICES TO DEEPEN CONNECTIONS AMONG INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL LEADERS”
(Doctoral Dissertation., East Carolina University,
November 2023).
AMA:
Depoint, Gretchen Noelle.
UTILIZING WELLBEING PRACTICES TO DEEPEN CONNECTIONS AMONG INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL LEADERS
[Doctoral Dissertation]. Greenville, NC: East Carolina University;
November 2023.
Collections
Publisher
East Carolina University