From Plate Spinner to Flight Attendant: Metaphors of the Principalship in Complex Times

Principals’ work has become increasingly complex as they lead school improvement in a rapidly shifting landscape. One window into principals’ professional lives is to explore the use of metaphors in their narratives. Drawing on 40 principal interviews and guided by sensemaking theory, this study examines the metaphors principals used to make sense of their professional roles and experiences with educational reform. Findings underscore the multidimensional and multilayered nature of the principalship, the physical and emotional toll of the job, and the enactment of educational reform as a sensemaking process. Implications for further research and practice are discussed.