1. Do Schoolteachers Need to Learn Management?
The authors challenge the long-standing assumption that teachers are “professionals of pedagogy” and not “managers.” Traditionally, teaching has been viewed as a vocation driven by subject expertise, classroom instruction, and pastoral care. However, modern schooling is far more complex, requiring teachers to:
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plan, organise, and sequence learning
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coordinate activities, resources, and assessment
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collaborate in teams
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manage behaviour, relationships, time, and communications
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contribute to whole-school development
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participate in curriculum planning and evaluation
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implement national reforms and quality assurance procedures
Thus, learning management is not optional; it is foundational for all educators who wish to operate in a complex, accountable, and rapidly changing school context.
2. Instinct, Common Sense, Skills and Techniques
Everard, Morris, and Wilson describe management as a blend of four elements:
a. Instinct
Some individuals demonstrate a natural capacity to organise, lead, motivate, and supervise others. instinct can contribute to successful management, but relying on instinct alone is insufficient, because:
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instinct may not adapt well to new contexts
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instinct might reinforce outdated habits
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instinct can be biased or inconsistent
b. Common Sense
Common sense—practical judgement developed from lived experience—helps managers make reasonable decisions. However, common sense can also be culturally bound or subjective.
c. Skills
Skills are learned abilities gained from practice, such as communication, delegation, conflict resolution, time management, or planning. Schools increasingly require teachers to master such skills to deal with daily classroom and organisational challenges.
d. Techniques
Techniques refer to systematic methods or tools, such as:
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strategic planning models
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performance management frameworks
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project management processes
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evaluation and monitoring tools
The authors argue that relying solely on instinct and common sense is no longer adequate in a world of professionalised school management. Skilled educators must adopt structured management techniques to ensure consistency, accountability, and improvement.
In essence: management excellence is built, not born.
3. What is Management?
Management is defined as the process of getting things done effectively through people. Its goal is to coordinate human, material, and intellectual resources to achieve organisational aims.
The authors highlight that management in schools involves:
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setting objectives
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planning and allocating resources
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coordinating staff effort
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monitoring progress
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making decisions
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evaluating outcomes
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ensuring continuous improvement
Management is therefore a practical, purposeful, and social activity. It is not hierarchical control for its own sake but the facilitation of successful teaching and learning.
4. Who is a Manager?
A manager is anyone responsible for achieving results through the work of others.
In the school context, this includes:
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principals and deputy heads
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heads of departments
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grade coordinators
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curriculum leaders
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team leaders
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anyone guiding colleagues or students toward shared objectives
The authors stress that teachers themselves are managers even if they do not carry a formal title. For example:
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Teachers manage classrooms, behaviour, lessons, and learning processes.
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They coordinate with colleagues and parents.
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They plan and implement activities within limited time and resources.
Thus, management is not restricted to senior leadership; it is present at every level of the school.
5. The Manager and the Organisation
No manager operates in isolation. The organisation—its culture, policies, people, norms, and structures—shapes what a manager can or cannot do.
The authors note that school managers must understand:
• Organisational Structure
How authority, communication, and roles are distributed.
• Organisational Culture
Shared beliefs, rituals, expectations, and unwritten rules.
• Organisational Processes
Decision-making, planning, conflict resolution, communication channels.
Effective management depends on the manager’s ability to navigate these organisational realities. Problems arise not simply from individuals but from interactions between people and systems.
Schools are especially complex organisations because they:
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deal with young people with diverse needs
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employ professionals with different specialisations
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must satisfy parents, communities, and government expectations
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operate under strong accountability and political pressures
Understanding the organisation is therefore essential to successful school leadership or classroom management.
6. Ethics and the Manager
Management is not merely technical; it is moral. The authors emphasise that managers make decisions that affect people’s lives, wellbeing, and dignity.
Key ethical responsibilities include:
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fairness in distributing responsibilities and rewards
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transparency in decision-making
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respect for staff and students
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confidentiality and trust
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honesty and integrity
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prioritising the welfare of learners
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avoiding misuse of authority
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resolving conflicts justly
Because schools deal with vulnerable young people, ethical standards must be especially high. Ethical lapses undermine trust, morale, and organisational culture.
Everard, Morris, and Wilson argue that ethical leadership is not optional—it's central to effective management.
7. The School’s Role and Mission: Are Education and Management Incompatible?
Some educators fear that management introduces business-like, bureaucratic pressures that may conflict with the moral mission of education. The authors address this tension directly.
Is management contrary to education?
They argue no: management and education are mutually dependent.
Reasons:
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Education is a social mission requiring coordination.Without proper planning, organisation, and resource management, the educational mission collapses.
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Management protects teaching.It ensures stability, clarity, safety, and resource availability so that teachers can focus on learners.
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Poor management harms students.Inefficiency, chaos, or inconsistency reduces learning quality and increases teacher burnout.
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Good management empowers educational values.It allows the school to pursue its vision, nurture learners, and respond to societal changes.
Conclusion
Chapter 1 establishes that management is an essential, learnable competence required by all teachers and school leaders. It blends instinct, common-sense, skills, and formal techniques. It operates within an organisational context, guided by ethical considerations. Importantly, management and education are not incompatible; effective management is indispensable to achieving the school’s educational mission.
