| This is a naturalistic, phenomenological study of women in educational administration. Letters were sent to twelve female administrators requesting interviews. These women were selected by recommendations from colleagues as well as women I had read about or heard about from other educators. Each participant is a woman who is well respected in her district. Each has been successful in career advancement.;Interview questions were developed after reviewing the literature on female administrators and problems they had encountered in administrative positions.;Detailed interviews of twelve women were conducted and the results of the interviews were compared to the research on women administrators.;These women have shared their family backgrounds, their reasons for entering education, the obstacles they have faced, and their beliefs about gender discrimination.;Of the twelve women interviewed, eight are assistant superintendents, two are directors, one is a retired principal, and one is a superintendent.;These are strong, successful women who have "made it" with the odds against them. They discuss strategies for effectively dealing with discrimination and share powerful insight into advancing within a system.;As a female administrator, I have an avid interest in what we can do to attract more females into educational administration and what can be done to help these women succeed. I believe this study addresses these issues. |
