Dissertation Mentoring – Project 3 1
Jay Fowler
Does Ebony and Ivory Really Mean Harmony? The Relationship of Racially Diverse
Principal/Assistant Principal Teams on Teacher Job Satisfaction
Definition and/or Measurement of Job Satisfaction:
Evans, L. (1997). Addressing problems of conceptualization and construct validity in researching
teachers job satisfaction. Educational Research, 39(3), 319-331.
doi:10.1080/0013188970390307
The author is a researcher at the Teacher Development Research and Dissemination
Unit of the University of Warwick, England. Her paper is attempting to highlight
problems in the researching of the concept of “job satisfaction”. She includes as part
of the problems: a lack of a definition of job satisfaction and a resulting problem with
construct validity stemming from the ambiguously defined concept. This is a critical
component of my research and some of these concerns must be addressed in order to
authenticate my study. To address these problems, the author encourages future
researchers to establish a shared understanding of the concept of job satisfaction. This
information seems to be more relevant to qualitative studies, but I can see how it
would be relevant for a quantitative study as well.
Effect of Leadership on Job Satisfaction:
Egley, R. (2003). Invitational leadership: Does it make a difference? Journal of Invitational
Theory and Practice, 9, 57-70. Retrieved from
http://www.invitationaleducation.net/publications/journal/index.htm
The author, a professor at the University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, researched
the connection certain behaviors of administrators to the job satisfaction of teachers.
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The theoretical framework that was used is the Invitational Education Theory and is
based on the premise that leadership influence can be achieved by promoting
collaboration and demonstrating respect and consideration for teachers as individuals.
Results indicated a statistically significant relationship between the “professionally
inviting behaviors” to teacher job satisfaction. According to this study, 29% of job
satisfaction can be attributed to the behaviors of the principal. This information is
relevant to my study by connecting qualities from administrators to the job satisfaction
of teachers.
Perrachione, B. A., Rosser, V. J., & Peterson, G. J. (2008). Why do they stay? Elementary
teachers' perceptions of job satisfaction and retention. The Professional Educator, 32(2),
25-40. Retrieved from http://www.theprofessionaleducator.org/
This study sought to explain the factors that influence teacher job satisfaction. It
explores extrinsic factors (low salary, high workload) and intrinsic variables
(autonomy, personal efficacy, working with children). This was the first mention of
extrinsic and intrinsic factors but I think I would definitely need to include that in my
the study. A survey was created using some of the questions from the Schools and
Staffing Survey (an option that I might want to consider for my study). This study
combined both qualitative and quantitative measures, and this concept appeals to me
as a possibility for my study. Even though the results were not directly rated to the
race of the principal, there is some very relevant information regarding teacher job
satisfaction that will be useful in establishing a rationale for my study.
Dissertation Mentoring – Project 3 3
Jay Fowler
Price, H. E. (2012). Principal-teacher interactions: How affective relationships shape principal
and teacher attitudes. Educational Administration Quarterly, 48(1), 39-85.
doi:10.177/0013161X11417126
The author is a researcher from the University of Notre Dame in the Sociology
Department. She used data from the 2003-2004 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS)
to study the effect principal and teacher interactions has on job satisfaction and other
school climate issues. Results indicated that principals’ relationships with their staff
have a significant role in improving teacher satisfaction and other variables. The
Appendices included sample questions from the survey that could potentially be
beneficial to me when it is time to create my own survey for my study. Furthermore,
the literature review in this article was very extensive and will be helpful to explore in
greater detail during my own literature review.
Principal’s Race on Job Satisfaction:
Fairchild, S., Tobias, R., Corcoran, S., Djukic, M., Kovner, C., & Noguera, P. (2012). White and
black teachers' job satisfaction: Does relational demography matter? Urban Education,
47(1), 170-197. doi:10.1177/0042085911429582
These researchers from New York University use the 2003-2004 Schools and Staffing
Survey (SASS) to determine if there is a correlation between the job satisfaction of a
teacher and the race of the principal. The review of literature described an impact on
“racial congruence” with teachers and students and hypothesized a similar relationship
between principals and teachers. The data suggests that there is a correlation between
“gender congruence” and job satisfaction but racial congruence was not listed as being
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Jay Fowler
statistically significant. This study is important to my topic because it provides some
data that is counter to my hypothesis. I had considered adding an element of gender
congruence to my study, and this study seems to indicate that there is a relationship
that may be worth exploring.
Grissom, J. A. (2011). A supervisor like me: Race, representation, and the satisfaction and
turnover decisions of public sector employees. Journal of Policy Analysis and
Management, 30(3), 557-580. doi:10.1002/pam.20579
As part of their research at the University of Missouri, the associate professors
hypothesized that the race of a principal influenced job satisfaction, compensation
opportunities, and other in intangible job benefits for minority workers. They
obtained their data from the 2003-2004 Schools and Staffing Survey and the 20042005 Teacher Follow-Up Survey which included responses from over 30,000 teachers
from across the United States.
Their findings included positive correlations between
the race of a principal and job satisfaction, lower attrition rate, and administrator
support and encouragement. Further, the authors report that teachers working for a
same race principal receive more money in extra pay opportunities than their
counterparts who work for a principal of a different race than their own. This study is
one of the closest studies to my topic that I have found thus far. It will be very helpful
in establishing a theoretical framework for my hypothesis.
Critical Race Theory:
Dissertation Mentoring – Project 3 5
Jay Fowler
Gillborn, D. (2006). Critical race theory and education: Racism and anti-racism in educational
theory and praxis. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 27(1), 11-32.
doi:10.10580/01596300500510229
The author is a Professor of Critical Race Studies at the University of London. This
paper provides a very detailed explanation of the Critical Race Theory and how it
relates to the educational environment. Key elements are included in the discussion as
well as some of the “conceptual tools” of Critical Race Theory (CRT). This
information will be invaluable as part of the discussion of Critical Race Theory. There
is also a very substantial reference list that will be helpful as additional research is
needed for the Literature Review of my study.
Kohli, R. (2009). Critical race reflections: Valuing the experiences of teachers of color in teacher
education. Race, Ethnicity, and Education, 12(2), 235-251.
doi:10.1080/13613320902995491
This qualitative study by a researcher from the University of California describes the
educational lives of Women of Color. All data and conclusions from the study were
processed through the Critical Race Theory (CRT) framework. Participants were
asked questions in three main areas: 1) To what degree they experienced racism
during their own K-12 years of schooling, 2) To what extent Students of Color
experience the same racial discrimination, and 3) What racial hierarchies are present
in teacher education. All participants in the study experienced racial discrimination
and/or racial injustice within the field of education. Based on their research, the
authors encourage districts to increase the amount of diversity within teacher-
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preparation programs in order to create a more culturally responsive workforce.
Although the number of participants in the study was low (12), this study provides
some background information that will be useful for an introduction to my study. In
addition, some basic components of Critical Race Theory are included.
Lopez, G. (2003). The (racially neutral) politics of education: A critical race theory perspective.
Education Administration Quarterly, 39(1), 68-94. doi:10.1177/0013161X02239761
Gerardo Lopez is a professor and Associate Director for Research for the Loyola
Institute for Quality and Equity in Education. He points out that there is a lack of
preparation that school leaders receive to equip them to address racism and improve
race relations. This is an important connection to the rationale of my study. Since
leaders are not trained to handle racial issues, a diverse administrative team is more
likely to positively engage all teachers thereby increasing job satisfaction. Using the
Critical Race Theory, Lopez describes racism as becoming “invisible” but goes further
to say that it is still prevalent and dangerous today. There was a great quote that I will
definitely have to use: Critical Race Theory “reminds us that the only way we will
make advances in dealing with the problem of racism is if we take the time to see and
understand how it operates, recognize it within ourselves, highlight it within our field,
and take brave steps to do something about it.”
Lynn, M., & Parker, L. (2006, November). Critical race studies in education: Examining a
decade of research on U.S. schools. Urban Review: Issues and Ideas in Public Education,
38(4), 257-290. doi:10.1007/s11256-006-0035-5
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The authors are professors at the University of Maryland and the University of Illinois,
respectively. This study critiqued and analyzed 10 years of educational research from
the perspective of Critical Race Theory (CRT). One section of this article that is
important to my study is a historical perspective of CRT. Equally important is an
entire section labeled, “Framing CRT and Explaining its Relevance to Education”, that
describes the transition of CRT from a framework used exclusively in the legal world
to a tool for closely studying education policy and outcomes.