Abstract
The curriculum reform in China presents radical changes not only to how and what students learn, but also to how principals lead, relationships within the school and connections with governments and parents. The purpose of the chapter is to present a snapshot of some of the struggles faced by secondary school principals in Shanghai during their implementation of the curriculum reform. Based on the empirical evidence, this chapter attempts to explain, from the principals' perspectives, why they fail to perform the expected "curriculum leader" role. The explanation is presented in the form of three propositions. They include the important principal role to win resources, the dominant expectation to produce good performance on exams and the pressure of culturally and structurally engrained relationships. The chapter ends with the discussion of some implications for leadership to enhance learning in the future. Copyright © 2012 by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Curriculum reform in China: Changes and challenges |
| Editors | Hong-biao YIN , John Chi-Kin LEE |
| Place of Publication | New York |
| Publisher | Nova Science |
| Pages | 47-59 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781614709435 |
| Publication status | Published - 2012 |