Moving from 'Womanless History' to Women Stepping Up into School Leadership Roles

Each time a girl opens a book and reads womanless histor y, she learns she is worth less. Each time the teacher passes over a girl to elicit the ideas and opinions of boys, that girl is conditioned to be silent and to defer.(Sadker & Sadker, 13)The concept of 'womanless history' is one that has been considered in a variety of different places, from the most serious scholarly publications to the latest high street supermarket magazines. This article will address the role of women in education and particularly the part women play today in leadership positions in international schools.Are women invisible in history, or has today's society just become lazy and overlooked the role that women rightfully can claim in being educational leaders over the centuries? In an interview with National Public Radio on 4th April, 2015, Oxford-educated journalist Carla Power refers to 9000 women scholars in Islamic history over the last 1400 years. Power refers to '...women riding across Arabia doing lecture tours on horse or camel-back and women teaching caliphs or princes'.Where are these women today and are they fully represented in leadership positions in international schools? If not, why not? And further, what can be done to further support more women to seek leadership roles?In today's international school landscape, three international school women leaders have created a sisterhood based on professional and personal respect and are actively working to change the attitudes of the vocal and silent voices of both genders when it comes to effective women leadership in international education.Ellen Stern, Mona Nashman-Smith and Linda Duevel met in 1998 when men primarily populated the field as superintendents in large, co-educational international schools. Today the field continues to be fertile with young men, (some in their late 20s or early 30s) who believe that their skillset is ready to take on a senior international school leadership assignment while women hesitate until they feel fully prepared for this role - mostly when they reach their late 40s and 50s (Women Leadership Alliance Symposium, Nov. 2013).Khazan's 2014 study showed that, although women rate themselves equally competent to their male colleagues, they rate themselves as less effective than men. While male leaders were likely to rate themselves as more effective, colleagues were more likely to rank women as more effective. This belief was perplexing to some as men are often paid more than their female counterparts. In the same article, it was cited that when women behaved in an 'aggressive' manner or 'more like men' they are more disliked.Stern, Duevel, and Nashman-Smith witnessed the 'double bind' (www. atlanticbusinessmagazine.net) whereby women leaders were seen as competent or nice but rarely as both. As one female administrator told Nashman- Smith: is it that when women are strong they are considered 'bitches' but when men are strong they are considered highly effective leaders? The authors have all experienced this double standard in at least one or more professional conflicts with school stakeholders.With their combined international experiences, and based on their interfaith understanding and respect, (Christianity, Islam and Judaism), they feel in a position to consider the current environment in international schools as they represent these diverse religious backgrounds, with educational leadership experience in public schools, non-profit and proprietary international schools in Austria, Canada, Croatia, Egypt, Germany, Guatemala, India, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Russia, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam.The authors are among a group engaged in a current global movement fostered by women, but also including many men, operating in a loosely coupled effort to encourage more women to take on leadership roles in international schools. Why is this work important? All educational leaders have a responsibility to mentor and promote competent, passionate and inspirational men and women into school leadership roles. …

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