The Encouragement and Development of Women into Education Management.

In Great Britain, it is not unusual to find primary schools staffed almost entirely by women, but managed by men. This paper argues that more women should manage education in western Europe and explains why. It examines the stereotypes of "gendered" management styles. For example, both Margaret Thatcher and Bill Clinton have encountered public criticism because they used combinations of feminine and masculine styles. It is argued that even when women are in positions of management, they remain at a disadvantage because they are expected to manage differently. Feminine management styles are often seen as inefficient and lacking in decisiveness. The paper describes the approach used by the Management Development Centre (at the Institute of Education, London University), which takes account of women's professional experiences and learning styles. The program seeks to develop a women-friendly pedagogy, which is based on the following cycle of learning--concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. The formation of a European women's management-development network is suggested. (LMI)