Name: Zubaida Ali

ID:H0022649

The collegial model

In some countries, although there are many obvious elements of bureaucracy to be seen in the
management of schools, the trend over the past 20 years has been towards a more democratic
and participatory approach to power, authority and decision-making. In some countries,
through policies of decentralization, principals and their teachers are now much more
empowered to act on their own initiative in order to change things so that they can meet the
needs of their students more effectively.
Highlight the definition of collegial models on page 72 of Bush and discuss it for a few minutes
by contrasting it with a bureaucratic model. Can you see any advantages it might offer to
primary school teachers and principals?

Collegial models assume that organizations determine policy

and make decisions through a process of discussion leading to
consensus.

Continue with pages 73-75 of Bush and summarizes the major features of collegial models.

1.

Strongly normative in orientation

2. Appropriate for organization as schools and colleges

3. Assume a set of values
4. Size of making decisions (In groups)
5. Decisions are reached by consensus rather than division or conflict

So how would you now define the concepts collegial (adj.) and collegiality (n.)? What do they
mean?

Is a work environment where responsibility and authority is shared equally

by colleagues.
The power is shared between all members of the organization.

Do you think it is easier for a primary school to adopt this kind of decision-making process than
it is for a secondary school? Give reasons.

Primary school is easier because in a primary school the faculty is usually

less than a secondary school. As a primary school teachers meet regularly as
they share planning and preparation time.

Degrees of collegiality (Bush p72 first paragraph; p91-94)

Finally, although collegial models are seen as the l progressive in schools nowadays, there is
often a gulf between the theory and the practice. Just because a certain school describes itself
as embracing a collegial approach, it doesnt necessarily mean that it is collegial in practice.
Define the following terms and differentiate between them in your own words:

partial or restricted collegiality

pure or genuine collegiality
contrived collegiality

Restricted collegiality: Where the leader shares power with a

limited number of senior colleagues to a 'pure' collegiality where
all members have an equal voice in determining policy.
Contrived collegiality: It is a step by step process where there is a
fixed time and place. Administrated by regulations as in everything
goes to the boss and Its designed to have predictable outcomes.