MEXICAN AMERICAN WOMEN, URBAN EDUCATIONAL LEADERS IN OKLAHOMA: A HERMENUETIC PHENOMENOLOGY

Abstract

This study investigates three Mexican American female school leaders in an urban school district in Oklahoma. To this end hermeneutic phenomenology was used to obtain, analyze and interpret rich descriptive data to explore each of the Mexican American female participant's lived experiences pertaining to their role as educational leaders. Max van Manen’s (2014) Phenomenology of Practice provided a methodological framework and guide for my study. Max van Manen’s five existential life-worlds: temporality (lived time), corporeality (lived body), relationality (lived self-other), spatiality (lived space), and materiality (lived things) is used to analyze the Mexican American female school leaders, lived experiences and to examine how Mexican American females describe the experiences of school leadership in an urban district. Thematic threads of culture, language, family, education, leadership, and mentoring emerged through data analysis. These themes provide a rich understanding of addressing the research question: What are the lived experiences of Mexican of Mexican America females’ as leaders in an urban public school in Oklahoma? The data in my study revealed several implications for improving school leadership practice in terms of Mexican American female school leaders to include balancing family time with leadership responsibilities, the significance of bilingualism and the importance of building relationships. I address and make specific recommendations related to the issues identified in the theme clusters, a) Culture, Family, and Language; b) Leadership Features and Leadership Success and Barriers, and c) Absence and Desire for Mentoring.