For Peer Review Only Retrospective View of the Early Career: Academic Administration among College Principals Journal: Journal of Educational Administration and History Manuscript ID Draft Manuscript Type: Original Article Keywords: college principals, academic administration, early career Abstract: This study provides a retrospective view by college principals of their early careers, with emphasis on the induction into their first academicadministrative positions. The thematic analysis of 10 life stories reveal three landmarks which contributed to building or impeding resilience in academic administration at the induction, adaptation and consolidation stages. Whereas the first and third stages were identified with the 'Pygmalion Effect' and the ability to establish an effective model of leadership, the adaptation stage was seen as impeding the development of resilience. The findings are discussed in relation to the literature on resilience in different educational contexts, and examine its applicability to the organizational culture of teacher training colleges. URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History For Peer Review Only 1 Retrospective View of the Early Career: Three Landmarks in Building Resilience in Academic Administration among College Principals Abstract This study provides a retrospective view by college principals of their early careers, with emphasis on the induction into their first academic-administrative positions. The thematic analysis of 10 life stories reveal three landmarks which contributed to building or impeding resilience in academic administration at the induction, adaptation and consolidation stages. Whereas the first and third stages were identified with the 'Pygmalion Effect' and the ability to establish an effective model of leadership, the adaptation stage was seen as impeding the development of resilience. The findings are discussed in relation to the literature on resilience in different educational contexts, and examine its applicability to the organizational culture of teacher training colleges. Keywords: college principals, academic administration, early career Introduction The early career of teacher educators receives a great deal of attention in the literature and is accompanied by examples of professional development and the emotional processes inherent at this stage (Griffiths, Thompson & Hryniewicz, 2014; Kelchtermans, Smith & Vanderlinde, 2018; Ping, Schellings & Beijaard, 2018; Meeus, Cools & Placklé, 2018). While most studies emphasize the issues of academic, research and pedagogical identities, only a few (Author, 2018; CochranSmith, Stringer Keefe & Carney, 2018; Olsen & Buchanan, 2017) relate to the integration of teacher educators into academic-administrative positions, and make an effort to review the landmarks that advance or imped success at this complicated phase of their careers. This, despite the fact that administrative positions are Page 1 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 2 characteristic of many academics' roles in different sectors of higher education, and the issue of acquiring the required resilience is an important milestone on the academic promotion track (Baltaru & Soysal, 2018; Upadhyay & Gangele, 2018; Parvin, 2018). In view of the importance of this issue, this study presents a retrospective view by college principals of their early careers in an attempt to map the landmarks they encountered on their way to acquiring resilience in academicadministrative positions in Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs). Resilience in Educational Administration and Leadership The concept of "resilience" in the context of educational administration and leadership is presented mainly in the literature in reference to stress management, maintaining cool-headedness, professional effectiveness, goal orientation and rational decision-making in the face of adversity and crises (Patterson & Paterson, 2009). Other studies characterize the ability to maintain and build resilience in terms of independence, human relations, initiative, creativity, morality (Lazaridou & Beka, 2015; Patterson, Goens & Reed, 2008), perseverance, determination, sense of humor and optimism (Christman & McClellan, 2007). In addition, Caruana (2014) and Van Breda (2018) add that the ability to build resilience in crisis situations is an acquired trait, which is influenced by the behaviors, instinctive skills and perceptions listed above. Beyond these, it is also driven by professional factors such as seniority, experience, career stage and sense of stability, as well as by environmental factors such as the support and trust of staff in both superior and subordinate positions (Lazaridou & Beka, 2015; Patterson & Patterson, 2009). In the context of TTCs, it was noted that resilience is characterized by the ability to withstand a situation of uncertainty and instability, in light of the reforms and changes taking place in the system (Cohen, Yemini & Sade, 2014). Thus, leaders in this sphere are also required Page 2 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 3 to demonstrate flexibility and the ability to adjust to the many expectations that prevail, as well as the ability to lead the teams in their charge. Historical Context of Teacher Training Colleges As part of the effort to promote the status of teachers in Israel, the policy of academicizing TTCs began 30 years ago, and continues to this day (Levy-Feldman & Nevo, 2013; Shagrir & Altan, 2014; Shagrir, 2015). During this process, TTCs that have given top priority to practical teacher training have begun to take steps to meet the academic standards of pedagogy, research and administration that prevail in other institutions of higher education. At the practical level, the raised standards expected to result from this process are preparation for the transition to the supervision of the Council for Higher Education which will take over TTCs in the coming years. Thus, for example, one of the accompanying requirements is the appropriate appointment of core staff members and administrators with a reputation for excellence in their own academic areas (CHE, 2016). Academic administration in TTCs is divided between department chairs, heads of training tracks and academic programs, heads of research authorities and faculty deans. These roles comprise two main aspects: the basic administration (i.e. preexisting components related to the work routine), and academic leadership (initiatives aimed at promoting new pathways for the vision of the college and its departments) (Egginton, 2010). The growing requirement in the academic terms, especially in the latter aspect, raises several difficulties for TTCs, where two main types of faculty members are found. The first are those with a rich background in educational administration, who often hold PhD degrees but have no significant record in research and academic activity. The second type refers to those looking for an academic home after their research studies, which usually do not have formal experience in teaching, Page 3 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 4 managing or team leadership. Further, in the case of the second type, their likely dedication to an administrative position is not self-evident (Brudvik, Gourneau & Tack, 2018; Conklin, 2015; Saito, 2013). Thus, for example, Zuzovsky (2017) noted that for the second type of candidates, such transition is not natural and is accompanied by various dilemmas for two main reasons. First, administrative roles take up a considerable amount of time, which comes at the expense of research vital to continued academic advancement. Second, the preoccupation with administration is not always relevant to the interests of the lecturers, and is perceived as an unending overload, devoid of imagination and creativity. Nevertheless, many young college principals take on these roles because they recognize the organizational requirements and their own future need to be established in the institution. The current situation reveals the need to examine the issue retrospectively among those who have managed to persevere in academic-administrative positions in TTCs over time, and to learn from their life stories. Methodology The research approach and sampling This qualitative research was conducted using a narrative approach based on the life stories of 10 college principals (six male, four female; aged 50-67, from five Israeli TTCs), relating to their first administrative positions. This narrative approach allows the interviewee to reflect on past experiences, significant issues, and changes in perceptions over time (Silverman, 2016). In order to achieve the appropriate sample group, the criterion-based sampling method was applied, based on three criteria: academic rank (associate professor), type of institution (TTC), and experience both in teacher education and in an administrative position (for 15 years or more). These criteria fulfilled the aim of mapping success stories of the early careers of academic Page 4 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 5 administrators in TTCs (who are identified with impressive achievements in teaching and research alongside administration, leading them to the highest levels of seniority), and looking at significant factors and landmarks that had shaped their resilience. As well as, it is intended to enable a retrospective view of the resilience building process of qualified faculty members as "role models" who have built successful careers in teaching and research despite the prevailing challenges in institutions (Douglas, 2013). Data collection and analysis The data collection was carried out by the author with the help of pre-prepared questions aimed mainly at directing participants to share their professional experiences from the past, during the early career stage, by reflecting on meaningful events they had faced during their administrative careers. The interview was structured in four parts: (1) biographic life story and demographic data; (2) questions about their early career experiences, challenges and opportunities; (3) reflection on the induction, adaptation and consolidation stages of their administrative activities (as interpreted by the interviewees themselves); (4) background information related to context and personality, personal beliefs and concepts (Marshall & Rossman, 2014). In adherence with the ethical principles of educational research (AERA, 2004), the purpose of the study and the general guidelines for the interview were presented to the interviewees, and permission to record it was requested. At the same time, the participants' anonymity was guaranteed by the author. Each interview was transcribed by the research assistant into rewritten documents that were used as a raw database for future analysis. Following that, the main categories emerging from the testimonies of the interviewees as they described the stages of entry into academicadministrative positions were mapped. Thereafter, the landmarks which had shaped Page 5 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 6 the interviewees' resilience during each stage, and which were repeated in the testimonies of many interviewees, were identified and documented as secondary categories, backed up by an appropriate section from each interviewee's life story. The connection between the main topics, the most common secondary topics and supporting evidence created a framework for the research findings. Validation of the cross-reference between the secondary categories and relevant quotations from the interviews was effected by "engaging in collaborative meaning making" (Silverman, 2016, p. 417). Two experts in qualitative research in education examined the most relevant quotations that emerged from the interviews, and assigned them to th different categories identified collaboratively by the researcher and the experts. Findings The early career in administration was described by the interviewees as comprising three stages. The first was the induction stage, defined as the point at which the decision was taken to commit to academic administration and prepare for building resilience before entering the position. This stage was identified with the Pygmalion Effect (the self-fulfilling prophecy achieved when prevailing expectations influence performance), which appeared to be dominant among the interviewees. The second (adaptation) stage was defined by entry into the position and was characterized by significant deficiencies (such as lack of experience, preparation, skills, leisure), and therefore appeared to impede resilience throughout this stage. Finally, the third (consolidation) stage was identified with the pathways and obstacles to developing leadership skills. Induction Stage: Pygmalion Effect as Leverage for Resilience Page 6 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 7 In the interviewees' testimonies about their early careers, it emerged that most had begun combining academic-administrative positions with teaching within five years of starting work, without any experience or awareness of how to work as an academic director. In many cases, they were assigned administrative functions in institutional management because there were so few veteran staff members with the required background and level of education. In retrospect, the decision to take up academic administration came with mixed feelings. On the one hand, the interviewees described feelings of modesty, lack of ambition and even passivity in the search for prestige and status. They had been concerned about failing to meet high expectations in the early career stage, and had feared "a meteoric collapse following too great a leap". On the other hand, the interviewees had received explicit reinforcement from the workplace, which empowered them to take up the challenge in the belief they would meet it in the proper manner and succeed in establishing their status and realizing their educational vision. The dilemma came at the point when they accepted the role; later on, this decision turned out to be subject to the 'Pygmalion Effect'. Such testimony was heard from four interviewees, examples of which can be seen in the following samples: Prof. M. (66, male, dean of faculty): When I was accepted into [institution] where I worked for the next 18 years, I was happy. Being a 29 year-old teacher at such a prestigious institution was very respectable and I felt like a meteor. A short while later one of the bosses told me: "You have such good ideas; we want you to join a management team and head a department." I replied: "I'm afraid it's too soon for me." And he said: "Don't talk nonsense and take it. You will receive backup and support." And I took it because someone had to do it; because I could not give up an opportunity to position myself in such a prestigious place and at such a young age. With time I Page 7 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 8 learned the secrets of the profession and managed to connect with people, but in the initial period I was scared to death. Prof. A. (65, male, head of an academic discipline): The college principals accepted me well and gave me the feeling that I would be a success. Even though I had no real experience, this support allowed me to take my abilities in new directions that I had not seen before. Prof. D. (50, female, dean of faculty) also spoke of her fears of not meeting the demands of high-level administrative responsibility, and noted that she felt the role had been given to her a little too soon. According to her, she gained a great deal of confidence from her managers and felt the need to prove them right. When I was offered the job, the department was in trouble, and I realized there were very high expectations of me. Since I was really a novice, and still did not know how things worked, I was not sure I could manage it. But I saw it as a gesture of confidence from my bosses and I wanted to prove that they were not wrong. So I took the job because I had no choice, although it was too early, and I would have preferred it to come a few years later. The evidence presented by Prof. B. (66, female, dean of faculty) also revealed the opportunity to establish her college status as a significant motive to engage in administrative work. Although I was very flattered to get a job so early, I argued that I was the youngest member of the entire faculty and new to the college, and there were veteran faculty members.... After a few conversations, I realized that they (the college principals) relied on me. As well as, in order to have a full-time job and to stand up in the college, I needed to take up management positions and so I did. Page 8 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 9 Professors Z. and L. reinforced this line of thought through their own stories, emphasizing that the final decision to engage in management came from the insight that they were going to realize their mission and destiny by being academic administrators. This was further impetus for taking an administrative role, along with the encouragement of senior colleagues who stood by them. Prof. Z. (51, male, head of a research authority): At that time I was new and they didn't really know me. I didn't think I would get a position so quickly and it did not suit me to get it. Then the head of the department left his job and the rector said: "Take the job. You will apply." The truth is that it made me nervous. It seemed too early in my third year in the college. But there was no choice because there were very few people with doctoral degrees. It made me feel that this was my destiny. Prof. L. (59, female, dean of faculty): I did not bother to promote myself at the start of my career, I was rather lacking in ambition. The head of the program told me: "Don't hesitate. You have amazing management skills and in time you will be able to leverage them." Then I realized that I would continue to do the things I really believed in, in a way that would suit the environment in which I worked. I would continue dealing with things that I saw as an advantage – only at a higher level. It can be seen that the decision to take up a management position was made in conjunction with the willingness to respond to the needs of the institution, as well as with the encouragement of senior colleagues; this created the Pygmalion Effect and the belief in capabilities that had not yet surfaced. These feelings were mixed with the fear that they would not meet the high expectations at the early career stage, but this was mitigated by the strength and empowerment they received from the environment. Page 9 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 10 Adaptation Stage: Significant Deficiencies Impeding Resilience In the retrospective view of college principals, the stage of adapting to a managerial position was characterized by many deficiencies, including the lack of proper preparation, training, managerial skills, and undoubtedly a lack of experience, which were acquired later through trial and error. Thus, one of the difficulties mentioned during the interviews was the lack of proper training for the administrative function, which required them to prove their ability to learn independently on the job, but which was also full of obstacles. This is what emerges from the testimony of Prof. D.: At the start of my career in management I worked for many hours, and did not really understand how the system worked. I was very young, only 33 years old, and without experience. I still don't understand how I survived it. Today I realize that there are various ways to streamline processes but I had no idea then; it took me a while to figure out what was going on. I had no organizational orientation. The voice of Prof. Y. demonstrates that the lack of such guidance had implications for his ability to function as a leader in an academic institution, for example, he suffered from a lack of skills in management and didn't know he should encourage teamwork. His early career agenda aspired only to the basic administrative operations. I had no management tools. I didn't even know what a manager did. I was not trained, and I was not a good manager. That is to say that I didn't do all the things that are so self-evident today, such as sharing information with staff, personal meetings with each and every staff member, holding general meetings, implementing procedures, using schedules, building hierarchy and delegating authority. Instead, I would hold just one annual meeting to see if we were teaching what we were supposed to, and that was it. Page 10 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 11 The human aspects of interaction with faculty members who questioned their suitability for the job due to their youth and lack of administrative experience were also mentioned. In addition, the lack of familiarity with the organizational structure and flow of interaction between functionaries emerged as significant obstacles in the acquisition of resilience. Prof. G (67, male, head of a research authority): I felt that I had so many gaps in my knowledge that I didn't even know where to begin to make up for it. I had never worked in a college before, and everything was new and strange to me. Today I know about the structure of TTCs and understand the flow of interaction with oth r role-holders. But then I just had no idea. Finally, Prof. B. also spoke about the lack of connection to the academicadministrative identity, which is essential for the acquisition of resilience at this stage. She admitted that the trust and support she received from the staff increased her ability to lead change and helped her overcome the blurring of the professional identity characteristic of this period. In the first period of starting the job, I remember feeling confused because I had not planned to be an administrator and did not want to be one. It was rather frustrating for me to be perceived as an administrative figure and not as a teacher educator. I felt that the lecturers were more liked and appreciated by the students than the "principals" who were seen as senior officials. But I had a lot of encouragement from the team above me; I was supported in the changes I wanted to make, and that made me feel good. The stage of adaptation can be characterized as impeding resilience. It was a most memorable landmark for the interviewees, and it resulted from a lack of experience, appropriate preparation or the skills required for their early careers. These testimonies Page 11 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 12 show that management skills are perceived as the basis for academic positions taken up by faculty members, or that they are acquired during their work, usually without formal overlap with an associate, but through interaction with people in parallel positions. Consolidation Stage: Crystallizing a Formula for Legitimacy and Leadership The third stage, which follows the overcoming of the deficiencies that characterized the initial stage of adaptation, and later the acquisition of the basic experience required for the administrative role, is the stage of establishing and adapting to the team. For some of the interviewees, the most challenging issue was the acquisition of legitimacy in for the members of the team, which did not welcome the appointment. In the eyes of another part of the college principals, they are required to crystallization a formula of leadership appropriated for the local context. Thus, college principals described the process of acquiring legitimacy among the staff and positioning themselves as a new leader. There are examples: Prof. M.: When I took on the role of dean of faculty, it was in a huge deficit. The faculty was in difficulty and they were considering closing it down, and for a time I was in the position of just fighting fires. I was greeted with great suspicion by the veteran staff, because I was not the most likely managerial figure. Most people recognized me as a well-known figure in my field. I had to demonstrate daring and make changes without in-depth knowledge of the structure or political map. Indeed, there were those who went against the tide and I had to keep the peace internally and learn how to work with these people whilst on the job. Prof. D.: My colleagues were secretly wondering why I had received (as many as) two administrative positions at my young age. I had to overcome my lack Page 12 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 13 of self-confidence and inexperience and prove myself. In time I did it. It was a "baptism of fire" because at first I had to carry the burden of proof. Others mentioned inspirational managers who helped them gain insight into the priorities of their roles. Identifying features and role models enabled the interviewees to establish a formula for academic leadership at institutions like TTCs, at an early stage. Prof. Y. (57, male, head of an academic discipline): I saw my boss as a model. I learned from him about leadership, vision, and thinking, using him as a personal example, but this isn't enough to grow as a leader. You need an inner understanding of what leadership is, and how to put others before yourself. It didn't come naturally to me and I was helped by the spiritual tools that were around... They helped me through internal processes that worked on reducing the ego and seeing the other. It also opened me up emotionally to other people. After a while, people perceived of me as a leader, there was something in me that made people consult with me, reveal their feelings and talk to me. I learned how to listen and contain others I learned a lot from my boss, but I also developed on the job. Prof. N. (67, female head of M.A. program): My luck is that [...] gave me freedom of action to do what I wanted. He was there for me and we were able to make big changes after that. It gave me a sense of creativity; I was lucky to have bosses and managers who treated me like that, so I learned about that too. Your leadership is reflected in your approach to young colleagues in their early days. The interviewees summarized their insights regarding management's perception of TTCs, the dominant feature of which is not to seek control. The main insights heard Page 13 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 14 in this regard related to the need to shift away from concentrating on and empowering oneself to empowering others and increasing their self-efficacy: Prof. E. (58, male head of a research authority): Leadership here [at the TTCs] is more important than in any other academic institution. And that's the first thing I've learned. I saw some people who were put in academic administrative positions without proper training or skills, just because of their ability to maintain good interpersonal relationships and to demonstrate leadership; they succeeded. Your staff will allow you to lead them and make you their leader as long as you give them a sense of security, empower them and put their needs ahead of your own. Prof. G.: When I took... [administrative position], my instinct was to excel in managing and demonstrate control over current affairs, pushing things forward and bringing in initiatives. However, in practice you need other skills, certainly in a college of education. Actually, your leadership is reflected in the way you are able to enlighten people so that they feel they have self-efficacy. That way they will follow you and let you lead them, crown you as a leader, because being close to you is empowering. Learning these skills from them and applying them to my work was challenging. In conclusion, this stage emerged as a barrier at which the interviewees had to prove themselves to the members of their teams, overcome suspicion, and develop leadership skills they had not had until now. The interviewees talked about significant figures who had taught them how to listen to and empower members of their teams. These figures were often role models, and the mentoring processes they experienced with them are seen as a significant landmark, accompanied by the insight that leadership skills are of particular importance in a teacher training institution. Page 14 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 15 Discussion The findings revealed three landmarks created by the tension between the interviewees' former professional identity as college lecturers and their new identity in the wake of the administrative duties that presented them with the next challenge. The first landmark is expressed in the challenge underlying the decision to commit to administration despite the emotional barriers; the second relates to integration and coping with their lack of experience; and the third reveals a process of selfpositioning in the team, gaining legitimacy among colleagues and acquiring leadership skills. Thus, for example, the first stage of induction into an administrative role is seen as a landmark in building resilience; this is reflected in signing up to the task and removing the emotional barrier and fear of a responsibility overload. Success at this stage proved to be a product of the Pygmalion Effect, since the empowerment gained from fellow staff led the interviewees to summon up their courage and fulfill their mission. The second stage of adaption to daily reality in the administrative role, relates to dealing with the complexity of the role given the lack of experience, management tools, skills or guidance during the first year in the job. Overcoming this situation, demonstrated by the ability to "put out fires," was identified by the interviewees as a difficult stage that weakens one's resilience. The third stage of consolidation of the position and the acquisition of legitimacy, characterized by the assimilation of leadership skills, is seen as a third baptism of fire that generates significant insights in the long term. The findings from the first stage indicate that academic administration was not part of the professional identity of teacher educators at the start of their careers, which were characterized by a sense of modesty and a lack of ambition. This is a time when Page 15 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 16 they faced a new reality and their main challenge was in-depth study of the field of teacher training and its unique aspects. This picture of reality contradicts the familiar account found in the literature (Coleman, Sharp & Handscomb, 2016; Salavert, 2015; Öztekin, 2018) which states that young managers are integrated into the profession with managerial horizons as the focus of their professional aspirations. The profession of academic administration among teacher educators in TTCs was not perceived in the same way as teacher education, and it conflicted with the basic qualities to which they had aspired. Hence, it is possible to examine in depth the identity crisis experienced by this group when an administrative role is added as another layer of daily activity, becoming dominant in everyday life and demanding a significant commitment. According to the testimonies, the option of embarking on an academic management career was accompanied by a sense of insecurity, and the feeling that "it's too early for me." However, this was overcome by the understanding that this was also a good opportunity to position oneself in the new institution, expand the scope of one's activity, and perhaps even realize one's vision and broadly influence it. These different feelings were accompanied by the encouragement of their colleagues, which led them to believe they had the ability and power to succeed, influenced by the Pygmalion Effect. In the professional literature there is no explicit mention of the impact of such interaction on building resilience in management. It may be a cultural phenomenon whereby veteran faculty members emphasize the emotional empowerment of new principals in the same way that they would empower new teacher educators. The important discovery that emerges from the analysis of the second stage concerns the experiences, characteristics and challenges of their rapid integration into administrative positions, usually without prior appropriate experience or preparation. Page 16 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 17 This part of the interviewees' life stories aroused ambivalent feelings and memories in relation to their careers. Much of the evidence correlates with the academic literature concerning a school principal's early career. Although the position of teacher educator and that of school principal require very different management styles, the commonalities include a feeling of 'reality shock,' lack of preparation or colleagues accompanying them into the role, dealing with multiple tasks, and establishing collaboration with other colleagues (Cowie & Crawford, 2008; Nelson, Colina & Boone, 2008; Oplatka, 2012). The teacher educators testified that the pressure and burdens of entering the job in administration, the endless problems requiring immediate solutions, and the lack of training for the role were the aspects most clearly etched in their memories. Not surprisingly, all these factors led to impeding resilience, but not for a long time, as a result of their rapid adaptation to the new reality. The third stage related to the acquisition of resilience by developing the magic of leadership and the necessary qualities for the new position. The college principals described this stages as a "profound learning period," accompanied by the crystallization of one's self-identity as an administrator and a team leader, while also building trust with the staff, most of whom were both older and more senior than themselves. Much has been said about the skills required for teacher educators to develop resilience and success. According to certain studies (Holme, Robb & Berry, 2016; Trent, 2013; Williams, 2014), in order for teacher educators to succeed and settle down in TTCs, the concept of a 'mission' is necessary, as well as the total commitment to students, and the ability to serve as a personal example and inspiration for the future generation of teachers. In addition to those sources mentioned above, others (Loughran, 2006; Murray et al., 2011) claim that success in this profession depends to a great extent on leadership ability, versatility, flexibility in different Page 17 of 21 URL: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cjeh Email: CJEH-peerreview@journals.tandf.co.uk Journal of Educational Administration and History 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 For Peer Review Only 18 contexts, and the skills of self-regulated learning in ever-changing professional fields. The research findings correlate with this and they add to the perception of leadership the ability to relinquish control, and to recognize and empower others. All these qualities are essential for success in an academic-administrative role within a teacher training institution, and in order to serve as a personal example for the younger generation of educators. This is one of only a few studies dealing with the issue of the early career stage from the academic-administrative perspective, as reconstructed by college principals. Testimonies collected and analyzed here enabled me to focus on past experiences of acquiring resilience. On the practical level, the findings and interpretations presented in this study may shed light on significant issues in the development of educational and academic leadership skills, and provide insights for those who reach academic-administrative positions without the required preparation. At the theoretical level, this study may lead to a deeper discussion of academic management as a significant part of teacher education, a subject that has not yet been thoroughly discussed. References AERA (2004). 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