A Qualitative Case Study Examining Teacher Perceptions of Servant Leadership in Private K-12 Schools A Doctoral Applied Research Presented for the Doctor of Education Degree The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Leighton Ray Upton May 2024 ii Copyright © 2024 by Leighton Ray Upton All rights reserved. iii DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this work to my wife Janelle. Your continued support of my dreams and goals is unparalleled to any person in my life. Thank you for the multitude of sacrifices you have made to allow me the opportunity to achieve this degree. You have been my proof-reader, cheerleader, confidant, counselor, and most importantly my best friend. I could not have completed this program without you. You truly are Something Beautiful. I would also like to dedicate this work to Calvin, Hazel and my future children that might proceed them. I hope this is an example of what hard work and dedication looks like. As a father, I want to always be an example that with God’s help you can achieve anything that you put your mind to. I know that God has gifted each of you with amazing gifts, and I cannot wait to see how you will impact this world for Him. Finally, I would like to dedicate this work to my grandfather, Ray Testerman. You were the ultimate example of a servant leader. Your hard work, dedication, humility, and love has impacted my life more than you ever knew. I wish you could have seen me complete this degree. I love you, Grandpa T. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge and thank my Dissertation of Applied Research Chair, Dr. Pamela Angelle. Thank you for the hours you spent encouraging me through this process and reading countless drafts of my work. I truly believe I could not have finished this program without your help and support. I would also like to thank Dr. Derrington and Dr. Hayes for serving on my dissertation committee. I appreciate the time and effort you both took to help me cross the finish line. I would like to thank all the professional and academic relationships that have allowed me to complete this program. Thank you to my cohort for your support. Thank you to all those at Savannah Christian Preparatory School who helped motivate me and supported me through this process. Thank you Dr. Chris Harmon for being my best friend/mentor. I aspire to be a servant leader like you. Dr. Kevin Barrows, thank you for being an encourager in the early stages of me perusing this degree. You always pointed me to remember what is most important in education, building relationships with students. Mr. Ben Holland, thank you for taking the chance on hiring a young kid out of his master program to teach at your school. Your mentorship early on in my educational career was invaluable. Finally, thank you Ms. Jeanie Stewart. You were tasked to teach a struggling high school kid in English class how to truly read, write, and think critically. Thank you for your patience, passion, and dedication. The ground work you laid by inspiring me to be life-long learner has allowed me to complete this degree program. I would like to thank all of my family who have supported me my entire life. Robert and Tonya Upton, you are truly the best parents in the world. The words “thank v you” feel hollow to say when thinking of all the ways you have cared and provided for me. I am who I am today because of your love and support. With over 40 years in education each, you have both taught me that the most important thing in education is impacting the lives of students. Shae Fisher, I am not sure how you put up with me as a brother. Thank you for always making me laugh and pushing me to stay focused. Hazel Upton, you and grandpa “half-raised” me. Thank you for patiently teaching me how to read and helping a kid with multiple learning disabilities finish his homework each evening. I am glad I “never quit and joined the circus.” vi ABSTRACT Teachers’ values and beliefs are a key motivation to how teachers will perform in the classroom, interact with students and their colleagues, and influence the culture of a school (Borg, 2015; Davis, 2018; Finley, 2016). However, teachers do not always instruct students based on their personal values and beliefs (Fives & Gill, 2015; Diehl & Golann 2023). In this qualitative case study, the theoretical framework of servant leadership was used to understand teachers’ values and beliefs and how those beliefs influenced the culture of a school. Thirteen teachers from three private religious schools in the southeastern part of the United states were asked to describe their values and beliefs regarding servant leadership. Findings indicate that the teachers in this study valued servant leadership but were not always able to act on their values and beliefs. The study also found that teachers felt over-worked, a lack of support from school leaders, and failed to see similar values modeled by leaders but believed leadership demonstrated the traits of servant leadership in the culture of the schools was positively influenced. While this study confirms the benefits of servant leadership in schools for students and school culture, implications of the study require consideration for additional teacher support in servant leadership participation, deliberation on the possibility of burnout for servant leadership requirements, and reinforce the importance of community in guiding and supporting servant leadership. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY .................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................ 4 Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................................... 7 Research Questions ......................................................................................................... 7 Significance of the Study ................................................................................................ 7 Definition of Terms......................................................................................................... 8 Delimitations ................................................................................................................. 10 Organization of the Study ............................................................................................. 10 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................... 11 Search Process .............................................................................................................. 11 Teacher Values.............................................................................................................. 12 Teacher Leadership ....................................................................................................... 13 Servant Teaching .......................................................................................................... 15 School Culture .............................................................................................................. 16 Theoretical Frame ......................................................................................................... 18 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 25 CHAPTER THREE METHODS ...................................................................................... 26 Research Design and Rationale .................................................................................... 27 Design type ............................................................................................................... 27 Rationale ................................................................................................................... 28 Site and Participants ...................................................................................................... 28 Site ............................................................................................................................ 28 Participants ................................................................................................................ 30 Data Collection ............................................................................................................. 31 Instrumentation ......................................................................................................... 31 Data Collection ......................................................................................................... 32 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................ 33 Ethical Safeguards ........................................................................................................ 34 Methods of Verification ................................................................................................ 35 Triangulation of Data ................................................................................................ 35 Multi-Site Case Study ............................................................................................... 36 Member checks ......................................................................................................... 36 Role of the Researcher .................................................................................................. 37 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 37 CHAPTER FOUR ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS........................................................... 39 Data Coding .................................................................................................................. 40 Presentation of the Findings.......................................................................................... 41 Research Question: Number One .................................................................................. 41 The Nature of Community ........................................................................................ 41 The Influence of Leadership ..................................................................................... 49 School Culture and Pedagogy ................................................................................... 53 Research Question: Number 2 ...................................................................................... 56 The Nature of the Community .................................................................................. 56 viii The Influence of Leadership ..................................................................................... 62 School Culture and Pedagogy ................................................................................... 65 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 68 CHAPTER FIVE DISCUSSION, IMPLICATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ... 70 Discussion of Findings .................................................................................................. 71 Finding 1- Outside factors ........................................................................................ 72 Finding 2- A lack of support ..................................................................................... 73 Finding 3- The community influence on culture ...................................................... 74 Finding 4- Burn out ................................................................................................... 75 Discussion of Major Themes ........................................................................................ 76 Theme 1- The Nature of Community........................................................................ 77 Theme 2- The Influence of Leadership ..................................................................... 78 Theme 3- School Culture and Pedagogy .................................................................. 80 Implications for Practice ............................................................................................... 81 Implication 1- More Support for Teachers is Needed .............................................. 82 Implication 2- Community is Essential..................................................................... 83 Implication 3- Burn Out could be Dangerous ........................................................... 85 Limitations of the Study................................................................................................ 86 Recommendations for Future Research ........................................................................ 86 Recommendation 1- Expand the Scope of the Study................................................ 87 Recommendation 2- Longitudinal Study .................................................................. 87 Recommendation 3- Quantitative Analysis .............................................................. 87 Conclusion .................................................................................................................... 88 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 90 APPENDIX ..................................................................................................................... 104 VITA ............................................................................................................................... 107 ix LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1. Open-Ended Interview Protocol. ................................................................... 104 Table 3.1. Inerview Participants Demographic............................................................... 105 Table 4.1. Servant Leadership in Private K-12 Schools. ................................................ 106 1 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY Teachers’ values and beliefs have a powerful impact on the way teachers teach and the way students’ experiences are shaped in the classroom (Dwyer, 2015). Teachers’ beliefs have become an important part of research to understand teacher decisions, practices, and means of change (Borg, 2015). Three key elements are involved in shaping teachers’ values and beliefs: normative values, descriptive beliefs, and emotions (Borg, 2015). These three elements create a system of practice which a teacher acts upon each day in the classroom. Descriptive beliefs focus on how things “are” which is the ontology and epistemology of teaching and learning (Schwieler & Ekecrantz, 2011). Descriptive beliefs focus on issues of pedagogy such as personal theories of learning, views on assessment, and self-efficacy beliefs. Normative values focus on how things “ought to be” such as what is just and fair, what is important, and how teachers should value students (Schwieler & Ekecrantz, 2011). Emotions influence the feelings of a teacher, which can fluctuate, but have a great impact on the decisions of a teacher (Nagamine et al., 2018). By understanding how things are, how a teacher believes things should be, and by understanding a teacher’s emotions, a clear understanding of the practices of teachers can be understood. Teachers’ foundation, the actions and choices teachers make, emerges directly for their values and beliefs (Fives & Gill, 2015). Parjares (1992) explained that teachers’ “beliefs are the best predictor of individual behavior” (p. 45). Furthermore, Borko and Putnam (1996) concluded that “teachers’ knowledge and beliefs, about teaching, about 2 subject matter, [and] about learners, are major determinants of what they do in the classrooms” (p. 675). Fives and Gill (2015) added that “teachers’ beliefs are generally regarded as an explanatory principle for practice” (p. 87). Literature has reported through several studies that teacher beliefs and values are influenced by the collective beliefs of the organization in which they work (Fives & Gill, 2015; Hannula, 2012; Jeyarai &Gandolfi, 2019). Hannula (2012) explained that the values and beliefs of an institution play an important role in shaping teacher values. These values and beliefs of an educational institution are defined by Deal and Peterson (1991) as culture. Fives and Gill (2015) found that “teachers’ beliefs are significantly shaped by school culture and context” (p. 9). Therefore, teachers’ values and beliefs are closely linked to the culture of a school (Jeyaraj & Gandolfi, 2022). Deal and Peterson (2009) explained that school “culture influences and shapes the ways that teachers, student, and administrators think, feel, and act” (p. 9). Furthermore, Deal and Peterson (2009) called for an investigation of school culture and the role culture plays in the development of teachers values and beliefs. School Culture Culture is a common word used among school leaders and educators and has been difficult to define by scholars (Gruenert & Whitaker, 2015). A universal definition of school culture does not exist making this term even more difficult to understand (Karadag et al., 2014). This word culture has been used to describe many different aspects of a school, such as “ethos,” “sage,” and “climate” (Deal & Peterson, 1991, p. 7). Deal and Peterson (1991) were two of the original researchers of culture in education and their 3 notion of culture has been foundational to the field. They (1991) explained that “each school has its own character or ‘feel’ [that] you can sense as you approach the building” (p. 7). Deal and Peterson (1991) defined the concept of school culture as “the character of a school as it reflects deep patterns of values, beliefs, and traditions that have been formed over the course of its history” (p. 7). Another seminal researcher in educational culture and noted anthropologist, Clifford Geertz (1973), explained that culture represents a “historically transmitted pattern of meaning” which is seen explicitly and implicitly (p. 28). Explicit culture is seen though symbols of an organization, and implicit culture is perceived by the taken- for-granted beliefs of that organization (Geertz, 1973). Implicit culture is assumed by all the members of the organization who have all bought into the same values, beliefs, and traditions. Explicit culture is the visible results of the underlying taken-for-granted beliefs. Everyone within an organization has a part to play in both the implicit and explicit culture. Similarly, Bolman and Deal (2021) explain that culture is comprised of two parts: process and product. Culture is a process because new members are entering the organization making the culture of that organization their own, but culture is also a product because it has been previously produced and established by members within the organization (Bolman & Deal, 2021). This leads to the conclusion that culture, though established, is continually changing through and by members within an organization. Key members of the organization such as teachers could help guide and direct the constantly moving culture to maintain the underlying values, beliefs, and traditions. 4 Statement of the Problem Literature has found that teachers’ beliefs and values could influence students and the culture of a school (Dwyer, 2015). Dwyer (2015) found a connection between teachers’ values and beliefs and the positive or negative impact these beliefs had on the culture of a school. Dwyer (2015) concluded that a “teachers’ values and beliefs have a powerful effect on… shaping student’ experiences” (p. 93). Fives and Gill (2015) explained that “teachers’ beliefs can facilitate or hinder practice by serving to filter, frame, and guide experience, decisions, and actions” (p. 1). Five and Gill (2015) continued to explain that “teachers frequently rely on beliefs, particularly those that underlie their intuition, automaticity, and habit, to meet the demands of the practice” (p. 1). The importance of teacher beliefs and values is evident based on decades of research, but how teachers choose to act on their values and beliefs to influence school culture is not clear (Fives & Gill, 2015). Researchers have found that teachers do not always act on their values and beliefs but instead conform to the pressures of an institution (Diehl & Golann, 2023). Atiles et al., (2017) explained that “teachers’ values and beliefs which are impacted by their cultures and are often transmitted and accepted from generation to generation without evaluation” (p. 6). Furthermore, Liljedahl et al., (2023) discovered that there was a disparity between teacher beliefs and actions based on “tensions” such as pressures to prepare students for exams, complete the syllabus, and time constraints, all factors which are reflected in the school’s culture. Atiles et al., (2017) added that “what a teacher believes and holds to be true and the actions the teacher actually takes can be very 5 different” (p.7). The values and belief of a teacher that were once held strongly can quickly change after experiencing a new event (Atiles et al., 2017). According to Atiles et al., (2017) this means “that teachers actions in a classroom might not always align with their values and beliefs” (p. 7). One way that teachers’ values and beliefs may position their outlook on education is through the idea of acting as a servant to others. According to Greenleaf’s Theory of Servant Leadership, people who take on the role of leadership, such as in a classroom or school, no longer view themselves as having ultimate power to lead but choose, instead, to share their power by putting the needs of other before their own. (Greenleaf, 1998). Teachers who value served leadership demonstrate characteristics such as humility, ethical behavior, and a sense of community value (Liden et al., 2008). Through teachers placing value on servant leadership and putting those values into practice, a positive impact on the culture of a school could be found (Shepherd, 2018). Fives and Gill (2015) have called for more research examining teacher beliefs and values. Liljedahl et al., (2023) explained that more research is needed to understand why and how teachers act on their values and beliefs. They (2023) also stated that more research is needed to explain why outside tensions cause teachers to act or fail to act on their value and belief systems. This research will answer that call by studying private school teachers’ beliefs and values of servant leadership and will seek to understand how and why teachers act on those beliefs and values. Additionally, more research is needed to understand how culture is influenced when teachers act on their values and beliefs, specifically the values of servant 6 leadership. The literature has been clear that school culture influences the level of achievement of the students through teachers’ pedagogy (Davis, 2018; Deal & Peterson, 1991; Finley, 2016; Piotrowsky, 2016). Moreover, school leaders and teachers, through their value system, act in ways that form a school’s culture (Black, 2010; Deal & Peterson, 2016; Martin, 2009; Spicer, 2016). Greenleaf (2016) explained that the desired outcome is that a servant attitude will improve employees’ attitude and work ethic which could affect the culture of an organization. Servant leadership has gained greater attention from researchers in the past two decades (Davis, 2020; Shepherd 2018). Servant leadership can be understood in schools as a representation of leaders and teacher’s value system in placing the interest of their followers above their own interests (Northouse, 2016). Researchers have noted that more research is needed regarding how perceived servant leaders influence the culture of their institution (Davis, 2020; Cunningham, 2008; Renfro, 2019). Davis (2020) called for more research in the area of the influence servant leadership has on the culture of a school. Specifically, he (2022) stated that more research needed to be conducted “outside of the Midwestern United states for diverse perspectives on how servant leadership influences school culture” (p, 95). Additionally, Shepherd (2018) stated that “it would be beneficial to conduct a qualitative study (on the topic of servant leadership) which would be able to deeply analyze the intricacies of servant leadership and how it impacts a school’s culture” (p. 81). Through this research, I will address previous researchers’ appeal for further in the area of how servant leadership influences the culture of a school. 7 Purpose of the Study The purpose of this qualitative study will be to examine private school teachers’ beliefs of the value and influence of servant leadership on the culture, students, and leaders within their school. Thirteen teachers will be interview from three different private schools in the southeastern part of the United States to understand their perceptions of servant leadership and how they believe servant leadership influences the culture of their school. Research Questions To examine teachers’ beliefs and values of servant leadership and teachers’ beliefs of how servant leadership influences the culture of a school, the following questions are asked: 1) How do private school teachers describe their beliefs on the value of servant leadership? 2) How do private school teachers describe the influence servant leadership has on the culture of their school? Significance of the Study Researching how teachers perceive servant leadership in their schools could provide a learning tool that will help current and future leaders understand how they may positively influence their educational institutions. Furthermore, understanding the connection between a positive school culture and teachers’ expressed values could add to 8 the literature on school improvement as future researchers continue to seek ways to make schools better. Findings from this study may also be important literature on teacher practices. By acting as servant leaders to their students, teachers could build positive, authentic relationships that are built around trust. The literature on teacher-student relationships may be broadened as this study encompasses teacher modeling the idea of servanthood to students. This could motivate students to be servant leaders as well which adds to the literature on educating students to be productive members of society. As students become servant leaders, they may begin serving each other and placing other’s needs before their own. Definition of Terms The following terms will be used throughout the course of the study. For the purposes of clarity, the definition for each term was determined by common understanding within the field, as well as the researcher’s perspective. Culture For purposes of this study, the definition of culture by Deal and Peterson (1991) will be used. Deal and Peterson (1991) define culture as ““the character of a school as it reflects deep patterns of values, beliefs, and traditions that have been formed over the course of its history” (p. 7). Principal The term principal will be used predominately throughout this study, but also might mean administrator or school leader. 9 Teacher The term teacher as defined in this study will refer to the primary instructor in the classroom. School A school in this study is referred to by any educational institution that servers PK- 12 students. Servant Leadership Greenleaf’s (2016) definition of servant leadership will be used in this research study. He defines servant leadership as “The servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then the conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead” (p. 52). Servant Teacher The servant teacher puts the wellbeing of the students above all other tasks in the class room. This wellbeing in associated with the emotional and social health of the students (Noland & Richards, 2015). Mission and Vision The mission of a school refers to the school’s statement of purpose and commitments to its stakeholders. Vision will refer to the school’s statement of its goals for the future and describes how it will address its mission (Deal and Peterson, 2009). 10 Delimitations This study was delimited to three private schools in the southeastern part of the United states. Thirteen high school teachers were interviewed from the three private schools in the southeast. This study was delimited to schools whose teachers had a basic understanding of servant leadership. The results of this study may not be generalized to public schools or schools outside the United States. Organization of the Study Chapter 1 has provided the research questions guiding this study that point the significance of the study by understanding how teachers perceive servant leadership within their school. Teachers’ values and beliefs of servant leadership are researched to understand how teachers believe servant leadership affects the culture and the leadership within their schools. The purpose, study significance, delimitations of this study were outlined as well as key terms defined in reference to their significance and use in this study. Chapter 2 will discuss, in more detail, teachers’ perceptions of servant leadership. Chapter 2 will provide an in-depth review of pertinent literature as it relates to teachers’ values and beliefs, school culture, and principal leadership. Chapter 3 will explain the methodology and procedures used in this qualitative study. Chapter 4 will contain a presentation of the findings. In Chapter 5, the study will conclude with a discussion of the findings and implications of the findings for future research. 11 CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW Chapter 1 provided an overview of the purpose, research questions, and the significance of this study. The purpose of this study is to explore teacher’s perceptions of servant leadership in the K-12 setting. To achieve this purpose, recent literature regarding the theory of servant leadership in the K-12 educational context must be reviewed. The following research questions guided this study: 1) How do private school teachers describe their beliefs on the value of servant leadership? 2) How do private school teachers describe the influence of servant leadership on the culture of their school? The review begins with a review of the search process, followed by an explanation of the theoretical framework that was used to guide this study. A comprehensive overview of teacher’s values and beliefs and school culture is described and examined in this literature review. Search Process Using multiple resource databases, articles and research studies were compiled from the past ten years relevant to the study research questions. Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) and Google Scholar were the two search engines used to solicit relevant articles. I conducted an initial search of key words such as servant leadership in education which yielded over 500 articles. I narrowed my search by combining key words for example, servant leadership and the high school principal, 12 servant leadership and the influence on school culture, servant leadership and teacher performance, and servant leadership and student outcomes. I conducted the same searches in Google Scholar, and I was left with under 50 articles to help guide this literature review. I set up a literature matrix to organize the articles by the type of study, the research method, and the topic studied in the article. After perusing the literature, I organized the articles into two categories: teachers’ values and beliefs and school culture. Teacher Values Teachers’ personal beliefs and what they value drive their goals and behaviors in the classroom (Barni et al., 2019). Bloom and Ellis (2009) described a value as “a deeply held view of what we believe to be important and worthwhile” (p. 1). Schwartz and Bilsky (1987) formed their own definition of the term value through five common themes: “(a) concepts or beliefs, (b) about desirable end states or behaviors, (c) that transcend specific situations, (d) guide selection or evaluation of behavior and events, and (e) are ordered by relative importance” (p. 551). A person’s values get to the core of who a person is and motivates his or her actions. Chin and Lin (2001) explained that values are “personal preferences concerning individual’s standards for considering the importance or worthwhile of something for themselves to think and act” (p. 250). These personal values impact how a teacher treats others, spends their time in the classroom, and pursues ideals and values (Bloom & Ellis 2009). Chan and Wong (2019) divided values into two different categories: espoused values and enacted values. Espoused values are those that people believe they hold and tell others they hold, but enacted values are those that are actively put into practice 13 (Chang & Wong 2019). For example, Wilkerson (2019) observed the enacted values teachers had regarding servant leadership and how those values influenced the reading achievement of at-risk minority students. Social and institutional values must also be considered in regards to teacher values. Social values are those that are consistent and resembling a community (Hannula, 2012). These values are shared and represent the culture and beliefs of an institution. Shepherd (2018) specifically observed the effect of social values in her study by researching teachers’ perception of how a school’s culture is impacted by servant leadership. Institutional values are those that are found in documents such as written mission statements, vision statements, and policies (Hannula 2012). Institutional values are found in written artifacts that distinctly express the values of the school. For example, Jeyaraj and Gandolfi (2022) investigated the influence critical pedagogy has on a servant leader. Specifically, these researchers investigated the written documents of an organization regarding critical pedagogy and correlated the impact it has on the servant leaders within organizations (Jeyaraj & Gandolfi, 2022). In this study, I will be investigating the perceptions teachers have on the social values their school regarding servant leadership. Teacher Leadership School administrators should not and cannot be the only individuals responsible for leadership within a school as the teachers consist of the largest group of employees within the school. Teachers are seen as the natural leaders within their classrooms as the basic assumption of teacher as the supplier and the student as the consumer (Matsiori et, 14 at. 2018). York-Barr and Duke (2004) described teacher leadership as “the process of influencing colleagues, school administrators, or the other school stakeholders for improving teaching and learning methods with the aim of raising the student learning level and student achievement” (p.10). A teacher should no longer just be evaluated by their teaching skills, but should be evaluated on how they lead, problem solve, and communicate. The values a teacher holds directly impacts how a teacher carries himself or herself and leads in the classroom. Historically, researchers have agreed that the teacher as a leader is a primary factor in determining student outcomes, student motivation, and the overall culture of a school, but more recently the focus of researchers have been on the effects of a teacher’s leadership style (Noland & Richards, 2015). Anderson (2017) found that the style in which a teacher leads can be espoused from a teacher’s values and beliefs. Anderson (2017) explained that the “quality of leadership styles are proven to facilitate change… and improve the overall organizational performance” (p. 1). The proposed style of leadership that Anderson (2017) believed is the most appropriate for schools today is a transformational style of leadership. Anderson (2017) explained that transformational leadership positively impacts schools by “building and strengthening new organizational norms, establishing new meaning and ways of thinking, and its effectiveness as a tool in helping leaders break established norms and establish new norms that transform school culture” (p.5). Raza and Sikandar (2018) concluded that the situation style of leadership is the preferred form of leadership in an educational setting as the leader learns to use each leadership style as a tool that can help achieve targets, builds relationships, and 15 addresses the task at hand. The proposed leadership style in this research study as the preferred form of leadership within an educational setting is servant leadership. Servant Teaching Another form of leadership in the classroom that is pertinent to this study is servant teaching. Central to the concept of servant teaching is the teacher as a servant first. Noland and Richards (2015) explained that servant teaching occurs when a teacher emphasizes “student development above all other goals and elevating student welfare above self” (p. 17). The student-teacher relationship is a key element in the learning process for students (Sahawneh & Benuto, 2018). This relationship is started and cultivated by teachers and is in many cases a mirror of the leader-follower relationships modeled in the organization (Noland & Richards 2015; Sahawneh & Benuto 2018). The servant teacher understands and models the tenets of servant leadership listed by Spears (2005) that includes: emotional healing, creating value for community, demonstrating conceptual skills, and behaving ethically. The teacher transforms the student-teacher relationship by using these key elements of servant leadership to help students grow and succeed (Sahawneh & Benuto, 2018). The servant teacher is one who seeks to help students achieve the highest potential in the class room and as a person (Wilkerson, 2018). The idea of servant teaching goes far beyond the pedagogy of a teacher but is the ethos a teacher creates in his or her classroom (Noland & Richards, 2015). Jeyaraj and Gandolfi (2018) described the servant teacher as expressing concern for a student’s wellbeing, especially during times of struggle. This emotional healing and care can only take place if the servant 16 teacher has set a tone for the classroom that is focused on self-care and the fostering of relationships. Servant teachers understand the big picture and know that they play a key role in the lives of students to help them develop emotionally, socially, and mentally (Jeyaraj & Gandolfi 2019). Shepherd (2018) concluded that “by satisfying the needs of the whole student and not only targeting academics, servant leadership builds the capacity to succeed through emotional fulfilment” (p. 35). School Culture School culture is a topic that is commonly researched and studied to investigate its impact on educational institutions. Deal and Peterson (1991) provided seminal work on school culture and explained that “each school has its own character or ‘feel’ [that] you can sense as you approach the building” (p. 7). They (1991) defined the concept of school culture as “the character of a school as it reflects deep patterns of values, beliefs, and traditions that have been formed over the course of its history” (p. 7). Schein (1996) explained that there are three layers to culture: artifacts, espoused values, and assumptions. Artifacts are the examples of teachers and students excelling in practices that encourage learning (Schein, 1996). Myriad research studies have been conducted to find a correlation between positive school culture and the success of students and teachers (Deal & Peterson, 1991). Therefore, if teachers value servant leadership and it is modeled by principals, then growth in student success and teacher satisfaction could be expected. Goodenough (1981) developed a framework for culture theory that located culture as a construct within an individual’s mind that connects with behavior. Culture theory 17 emphasizes a teacher’s role within culture, the organization of school culture, and the location of the culture in the mind instead of the material (Martin-Chambers, 2022). School culture would then be internalized by an individual and would evolve over a lifetime by personal perceptions and interpretations of surrounding experiences (Henstrand, 2006). Geertz (1973) understood culture as “webs of individualized meaning… [and is] ethnographic through the building of knowledge and sorting of structures of significance’ (p. 9). Geertz continues to explain that culture becomes a public phenomenon that is based on common symbols and becomes a shared reality of a group. Individual morals are an important aspect within the theory of culture. These morals are based primarily on the upbringing of an individual and their life experiences (Henstrand 2006). When relating to the culture of a school, the individual morals and upbringing of teachers and administrators could greatly influence the culture of a school. Nehez and Blossing (2022) explained that “school culture can be defined as assumptions and values that school members base their actions upon and can be studied through the practices in which school members act and profess their assumptions and values” (p. 312). Teachers and principals could then have significant power to increase or decrease their influence on the culture of a school. Jones (2018) discovered five basic themes of teachers’ actions that positively affected the culture of a school: creating a welcoming environment, embracing a restorative approach to behavior and discipline, acknowledging that words and language build agency and identity, ensuring equity and inclusivity in learning for all students, and focusing on continuing improvement for 18 themselves and their school. These themes discovered by Jones (2018) are rooted in morals and values that a teacher would hold to and develop through their life experiences. Kara (2022) explained that when communication and interaction between individuals is limited, common values and goals could not be reached and serious differences on thought and ideas ensue as the culture weakens. When core values are not established and do not align within a community, the culture begins to break down and is no longer a conducive environment for progress and growth. Many terms have been given to describe negative school culture: stuck, cruise control, sinking, struggling, and toxic (Deal & Peterson, 2009; Rozenholtz 2000; Stoll & Fink, 1996). Deal and Peterson (2016) described toxic school cultures as ones where stakeholders have a lack of belief in a student’s ability to succeed, have low expectations for the school and staff, have a lack of affective leadership, and lack of support and resources for teachers. Conversely, positive school culture has been described in terms of healthy, positive, dynamic, and thriving (Deal & Peterson, 2016). Muhammad (2018) showed that positive school culture results in the sense of belonging and appreciation, holds individuals to high standards, and elevates expectations for students. Teasley (2016) also reveals that positive school culture provides opportunities for collaboration and evokes a sense of community. A myriad of factors has been studied to see their effect and contribution to the culture of a school whether positively or negatively. Theoretical Frame Greenleaf’s theory of servant leadership will be used to frame this research study. The theory of servant leadership has gained more attention from researchers in the past 19 two decades as it is becoming a more widespread form of leadership (Spears, 2005). Servant leaders are focused on the good of their followers before their own interests (Northouse, 2018). Greenleaf (2008) stated that “The servant-leader is servant first. It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then the conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead” (p. 52). Greenleaf was intrigued with how power and authority related to the individuals within an organization (Northouse, 2018). Greenleaf explained that a basis for many of his theories are developed out of Judeo-Christian principles, but his theoretical frame can be applied to any person or organizations regardless of religious beliefs (Frick, 2011). Greenleaf added that serving others would promote a social responsibility to help the “have-nots,” and would motivate a leader to shift the authority onto those who were being led (Northouse, 2018). Larry Spears, the former executive of the Robert K. Greenleaf Center in Indianapolis has developed the model of servant leadership to display the following attributes: listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growing of people, and building community (Northouse, 2018). Servant leadership as practiced by teachers and educational leaders could have a positive impact on students and the culture within their schools. When Greenleaf’s theory of servant leadership is applied to education, a positive influence could be discovered. Shepherd (2018) explained that three things need to occur for servant leadership to shape the culture of a school. First, servant leadership is reflected in a culture where there is a “norm for caring” (Shepherd, 2018). Second, servant leadership must be apparent in the organization’s leader (Shepherd 2018). Third, 20 the followers in an organization must accept servant leadership and acknowledge emotional nature of servant leadership (Shepherd 2018). Davis (2020) concluded that school leaders appreciated of how servant leadership was mirrored in the culture of their schools. Moreover, Davis (2020) found that principals reported that their schools had an increase in productivity when servant leadership principles were applied to how they lead their faculty. Research has examined the characteristics of servant leadership, both internationally as well as in the US. Liden et al. (2015) completed a study to validate a 7- item measure of global servant leadership (SL-7) and confirmed in their findings that the following characteristics remained consistent of perceived servant leaders: 1) Emotional healing, which involves the degree to which the leader cares about followers' personal problems and well-being; 2) Creating value for the community, which captures the leader's involvement in helping the community surrounding the organization as well as encouraging followers to be active in the community; 3) Conceptual skills, reflecting the leader's competency in solving work problems and understanding the organization's goals; 4) Empowering, assessing the degree to which the leader entrusts followers with responsibility, autonomy, and decision-making influence; 5) Helping subordinates grow and succeed, capturing the extent to which the leader helps followers reach their full potential and succeed in their careers; 21 6) Putting subordinates first, assessing the degree to which the leader prioritizes meeting the needs of followers before tending to his or her own needs; 7) Behaving ethically, which includes being honest, trustworthy, and serving as a model of integrity. (p. 255) These characteristics have served as both a measure of the extent of servant leadership and as goals for current leaders to achieve. Each of these characteristics will be discussed in the following section. Characteristics of Servant Leadership Jit et al. (2017) in their study concluded that: a servant leader, with reported behavioral characteristics such as empathy, compassion, and altruistic calling and healing, builds not only a mentally and emotionally healthy workforce but also inculcates a sense of cohesiveness, collaboration, and sustainable relationships among the followers by understanding and addressing their feelings and emotions. (p. 81) Servant leaders have a desire to see the emotional healing of their followers as they ease the burdens of their subordinates by nurturing their mental health, empowering them, and helping them grow professionally and personally (Wheeler, 2012). Spears (2005) defined emotional healing as the ability to help people make whole. He further explained that when the hopes and dreams of people come crashing down or relationships are broken, emotional healing can fix their broken spirits and emotional pain. Many studies have been conducted that suggest servant leadership can promote the well-being and emotional 22 health of their followers by positively effecting work culture (Black, 2010; Jit et al., 2017; Neubert et al., 2008). Spears (2005) reported that servant leaders must establish the elements of community building in conjunction with their employees. Spears (2010) stated that “much has been lost in recent human history as a result of the shift from local communities to large institutions… [but this] awareness causes the servant leader to seek to identify some means for building community among those who work within a given institution” (p. 29). Greenleaf (2002) explained that servant leaders are key in the process of rebuilding community. Greenleaf (2002) stated that this is “not by mass movements, but by each servant-leader demonstrating his or her unlimited liability for a quite specific community-related group” that community will be restored in organizations (p. 29). Liden et al. (2008) described conceptual skills as “possessing the knowledge of the organization and tasks at hand so as to be in a position to effectively support and assist others, especially immediate followers” (p. 162). Spears (2010) believed that there is a “delicate balance between conceptual thinking and a day-to-day operational approach” (p. 28). Spears (2010) understood the need for operational thinking, but he believed that a servant leader must look beyond the day-to-day realities. Spears (2010) continued to add that “a leader who wishes to be a servant leader must stretch his or her thinking to encompass broader-based conceptual thinking” (p. 29). A servant leader is willing to put the work of the subordinate over his or her own (Liden et al., 2008). A servant leader clearly shows subordinates that their work comes first and is a top priority (Liden et al., 2008). Humility is the essence of servant 23 leadership. Dennis and Bocarnea, (2005) explained that humility “is the ability to keep one’s accomplishments and talents in perspective… which means not being self-focused but rather focused on others” (p. 602). Displaying humility also means that a servant leader can show respect for his or her employees and acknowledging the contributions to the team. Greenleaf (1998) believed that the primary focus of servant leaders should be on his or her employees. He continued to explain that employees are “all too often forgotten and taken for granted… if employees receive care, training, and attention they deserve, shareholder and customer satisfaction would inevitably follow” (p. 282). “Empowerment is entrusting power to others, and for the servant leader it involves effective listening, making people feel significant, putting an emphasis on teamwork, and valuing of love and equality” (Dennis & Bocarnea, 2005 p. 604). By using the example of Jesus Christ, Russell (2000) stated that “Jesus both taught and empowered his disciples… consequently, the second phase of Jesus’ plan for the disciples was to delegate to them the work of the ministry” (p. 49). Jesus’ ministry was to expand his message by empowerment and instilling that message in his followers. Dierendonck, (2011) explained that servant leaders are self-determined people and by building strong and positive relationships they can empower their followers to develop their own self-determination. Servant leaders use the power that is given to them to empower their followers instead of themselves (Dierendonck, 2011). A servant leader is one who “demonstrates genuine concern for others’ career growth and development by providing support and mentoring” (Liden et al., 2008 p. 32). A servant leader is committed to the growth and success of followers and recognizes the 24 responsibility to nurture the professional and personal growth of subordinates (Spears, 2010). Spears (2010) provided practical examples of how a servant leader can help subordinates grow and succeed: “concrete actions such as making funds available for personal and professional development, taking a personal interest in the ideas and suggestions from everyone, encouraging worker involvement in decision-making, and actively assisting laid-off employees to find other positions” (p. 29). Ethics is a code or system determining what is right and wrong. A servant leader interacts in a way that is openly fair and honest with others (Liden et al., 2008). By behaving ethically, a servant leader establishes trust with subordinates. Dennis and Bocarnea, (2005) defined trust as “an essential characteristic of servant leadership, [and] servant leaders model truth in the way they coach, empower, and persuade.” (p. 603). This trust is a basic and essential element to building relationship in which a servant leader can thrive. Dierendonck, (2011) explained that practicing ethics is essential to building relationships with subordinates. He (2011) stated that “at the core of the relationship between the servant-leader and follower stands the leader’s belief in the intrinsic value of each individual” (p. 1246). By ethically understanding that all people have worth and value, a servant leader can develop genuine relationships and build trust with followers. Spears (2005) has comprised a similar list entailing the key values and traits of servant leaders. Spears (2005) determined that “servant-leadership advocates a group- oriented approach to analysis and decision making as a means of strengthening institutions and improving society” (p. 5). Yukl (2012) also explained that “servant 25 leadership… is about helping others to accomplish shared objectives by facilitating individual development, empowerment, and collective work that is consistent with the health and long-term welfare of followers” (p. 419). Now that a basic understanding of the characteristics of servant leadership has been addressed, recent research studies specific to education should be examined. By using servant leadership as my theoretical framework, I will have a clear definition of servant leadership and will be able to see how the practice of servant leadership impacts K-12 schools. I will use Liden’s seven-part measure of servant leadership to guide my interview questions in this qualitative study. This seven-part measure of servant leadership will allow me to draw out themes from my interviews with private school teachers. Conclusion Leadership plays a key role in the success of a school. Servant leadership could be a style of leadership that has a positive impact on the culture of a school, teacher satisfaction, and student achievement. In this literature review, the concepts of teachers’ beliefs and values, the principal’s influence on teacher satisfaction and student achievement, and the influence of culture on teachers and students have been addressed. I would like to add to the body of research by conducting this qualitative study on the perceptions of servant leadership by teachers. I believe that I will add a valuable perspective by studying private school teachers from Protestant-Evangelical, Catholic, and non-religious private schools. 26 CHAPTER THREE METHODS In the previous chapter, I examined the literature of teacher’s perceptions of servant leadership in a K-12 setting. How teachers describe their values and believes are important because those values guide the actions of a teacher within the classroom and build the culture of the school (Jeyaraj & Gandolfi, 2019; Noland & Richards, 2015; Wilkerson 2018). In the literature review, I also examined the importance of how teachers view the culture of their schools. The culture of a school can be influenced by all members of the institution, but primarily school leaders and teachers are the driving factor (Deal & Peterson, 2016; Jones 2018). The culture of a school affects everything from student performance to teacher satisfaction within the walls of a school (Kara, 2022; Teasley, 2016). The purpose of this study was to investigate how teachers perceive servant leadership, and the outcomes for the culture and student within their school. The following research questions guided this study: 1) How do private school teachers describe their beliefs on the value of servant leadership? 2) How do private school teachers describe the influence servant leadership has on the culture of their school? 27 Research Design and Rationale Design type I conducted qualitative case study research to understand the perceptions school teachers had for servant leadership. Merriam and Tisdell (2016) explained that the overall purpose for a qualitative study is to “understand how people make sense of their lives and experiences” (p. 24). A qualitative study relies on constructivism to guide the researcher as he or she observes how individuals contrast reality with their social worlds (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). Merriam and Tisdell (2016) continued to explain that someone interested in a qualitative study would want to discover “how people interpret their experiences, how they construct their worlds, and what meaning they attribute to their experiences” (p. 24). A qualitative study was the most appropriate design for my research because I wanted to uncover and interpret the meaning behind how school teachers in the southeast made sense of their constructed world. According to Creswell (2014), “qualitative case studies are distinguished by the size of the bounded case, such as whether the case involves an individual, a group, and entire program, or an activity” (p. 99). I used a case study approach to research the perceptions of teachers in three private schools in the southeastern United States. Hyett et al. (2014) explains that case study research is a “detailed examination of one setting, or a single subject, a single depository of documents or one particular event” (p.54). The methodology of a case study allowed me to focus on one setting: private schools in the southeast. The case study methodology also allowed me to examine a single subject group: teachers. 28 Rationale A qualitative case study worked best to answer the research questions through interviews with teachers and take field notes to observe their experiences with servant leadership in their schools. By analyzing field notes and interviews, I desired to understand how these teachers define servant leadership and discover how the school teachers believed their values influenced the culture of their school. I wanted to hear the narratives told by the teachers to better understand their beliefs of servant leadership and connection to how they perceived the impact on the culture of their schools. I did not choose a quantitative study because I wanted to have a small number of participants to delve deep into their experiences with servant leadership. Site and Participants Site I chose to interview thirteen teachers from three different religious private K-12 schools in the Southeastern part of the United States. I currently teach at a private K-12 school in the Southeast and have a gateway into the three schools where I conducted my research. I also chose to study private schools because as a private school educator, I am interested in how other private school educators perceive servant leadership. I chose two private evangelical Christian schools and a private Catholic school. I wanted to choose private schools that had different missions and religious affiliations to receive a broader understanding of teacher perceptions of servant leadership in the private schools. 29 St. James High School1 is an all-boys Catholic school serving over 400 high school boys in the US southeast. St. James is also a military school as all 9th and 10th grade students are required to participate in their Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) program. The mission of St. James High School, as stated on the school’s website, is a school that “educates young men from diverse backgrounds, supports a deeper commitment to faith, prepares them for life through a quality academic program, and instills leadership skills through a JROTC program, athletics, extra-curricular activities and community service. Through instruction and discipline, we seek to form men of virtue and integrity who are prepared for life-long learning and service to their faith and civic communities” (St James School Website, 2023) The school was founded by Benedictine Monks in 1902 and is still a part of the local Diocese. Grace Christian School is a Pk-12 Evangelical Christian school serving over 1000 students in the US southeast. Grace Christian School is not connected to a church or any other religious institution, but ties its beliefs back to the Apostles Creed. The mission of Grace Christian school is to offer “an outstanding college preparatory education grounded in Christian faith and values” (Grace Christian School Website, 2023). Grace Christian School is accredited by Cognia and the Council on Educational Standards and Accountability. Southeast Christian School is a private PK-12 college preparatory school serving over 1200 students in the US southeast. Collegiate School is stated to be a ministry of an evangelical church. The mission of the Collegiate School is to “assist parents in teaching 1 To protect the confidentiality of site and participants in this study, pseudonyms have been used 30 students to glorify Jesus Christ in the pursuit of spiritual, academic, physical, and social excellence” (Southeast School Website, 2023). Participants With the principal’s written permission from each school, I sent out a recruitment email to the high school teachers in each school. In this recruitment email to the principal, I detailed the contents of my study and asked for a list of teachers I could contact to interview. Once I received a list from the school’s principal, I sent out an email to the teachers on the list. In this email I explained my study and ask that they fill out a demographic survey. In this survey, I asked the teachers their gender, subject taught, years of experience, and years employed at their current school. Teachers were given two weeks to volunteer. After I collected participant names, I chose a diverse sample of 5 teachers from the two evangelical schools and three teachers from the catholic school, based on years of experience, age, and gender (see Table 3.1 for the list of participants in this research study). I desired to interview a diverse group of teachers to insure I had an diverse group in years of experience as well as subject expertise for my research study. I wanted to hear from multiple viewpoints and an array of differing experiences so that my research would better reflect how servant leadership is perceived at each school. Further details of participants are outlined in the data collection section of this DAR. 31 Data Collection Instrumentation I created a list of open ended questions based on the literature and the research questions to conduct interviews. I used the global measure of servant leadership created by Liden et al. (2015) to guide the creation of my interview protocol (see Chapter 2 for an explanation of the attributes of servant leadership). I focused on the seven parts of servant leadership: emotional healing, communal values, conceptual skills, humility, empowering, helping subordinate grow and succeed, and behaving ethically (Liden et al., 2015). I developed this list of questions beforehand, but I did not determine the order in which I would ask the questions. I chose to ask these questions in a semi-structured format. This format allowed me to ask follow up questions and dive deeper into the experiences of each teacher. I asked open ended questions for the purpose of hearing stories of the experiences the teachers had with servant leadership in their schools. The protocol I used for the teachers during their interviews can be found in appendix in table 2.1. I validated the open-ended survey instrument through face validity (Edmonson & Irby, 2008). Colleagues in my doctoral cohort, who are all educational professionals, helped to validate the questions. These educational professionals were also given my research questions to insure the protocol was in line with the interview protocol. Based on the feedback received, I adjusted the protocol. This process of face validity insured the trustworthiness of the questionnaire by receiving feedback from a group of educational 32 professionals that were similar to the sample but were not a part of my study (Edmonson & Irby, 2008). Data Collection Data collected from interviews began with an email to participant volunteers to face-to-face interview at their convenience. I conducted each of these interviews on the school campus in the participants’ offices or classrooms. I recorded and transcribed all of the interviews. I conducted the interviews face to face, but I used Zoom record feature to transcribe these interviews. I listened through all of the interviews once and corrected any errors that were made through the Zoom transcription service. I did not give the protocol to these participants beforehand. I used a semi- structured style of interviewing which allowed me to ask follow up questions based on the answers given to me by the participants. Merriam and Tisdell (2017) explained that “This format allows the researcher to respond to the situation at hand, to the emerging worldview of the respondent, and to new ideas on the topic” (p. 109). By conducting a semi-structured style of interview, I was able to ask questions that would allow me to understand each of the participants’ stories and point of view. This interview style was also helpful as some of these participants have different duties and experiences at the school and therefore a different perspective on the impact of servant leadership. Pajares (1992) stated that “beliefs cannot be directly observed or measured but must be inferred from what people say, intend, and do” (p. 314). Fives and Gill (2015) suggested that researcher use “open-ended interviews, observations, and related think- aloud to determine consistencies and inconsistencies between what teachers say, intend, 33 and what they do” (p. 39). Therefore, I must use multiple means of collecting data to more accurately understand teachers’ beliefs and value of servant leadership. To do so, I conducted walk-throughs of each school as a means of verification. As I conducted walk- throughs of each school, I took field notes and wrote down my observations in a rubric. I looked for signage on the walls and behaviors of the students and faculty. These sources of data from three different perspectives allowed me to confirm the nature of teachers’ perceptions through triangulation. Data Analysis I used an interpretive-focused strategy to analyze the data of interview transcripts and field notes. Douglas (2017) explained that interpretive-focused coding “reorganizes data in order to identify themes that, while perhaps contextualized in the research setting, are decontextualized with regard to an individual’s experience” (p. 4). I used an interpretive-focused coding so I could identify the themes that aligned with the definition of servant leadership given by Greenleaf (2016) and the 7-part measure of global servant leadership created by Liden et al. (2015). By using the theoretical framework of Servant Leadership, I used an etic approach to understanding the data. Merriam and Tisdell (2016) define an etic approach as coming from an “outsider perspective” (p. 340). Using the general concepts from the definition and description of servant leadership provided by Greenleaf and Liden et al. (2015), I was able to draw specific conclusions about the experiences of the participants. I used thematic analysis to analyze my data. Maguire and Delahunt (2017) describe thematic analysis as “the process of identifying patterns or themes within 34 qualitative data” (p. 352). In analyzing my data, I used Braun and Clark’s six-phase framework for conducting thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Their six-phase process included “familiarization with the data, coding, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and writing up” (Braun & Clarke, 2006 p. 78-79). I read and re-read my manuscripts and field notes following each step of Braun and Clark’s thematic analysis framework. As I was searching for themes, I highlighted the manuscripts and field notes with significant statements and repetitive themes. Braun and Clark define a theme as a “coherent and meaningful pattern in the data relevant to the research questions” (p. 77). On the fifth set of defining and naming themes, I used Liden et al.’s (2015) list of the characteristics of servant leadership to help categorize my data. Once I finalized reviewing my themes, I wove “together the analytic narrative and data extracts to tell the reader a coherent story about the data” (Braun & Clark p. 79). Ethical Safeguards Ethical safeguards were put in place to ensure the protection of the participants and institutions in this study. Only pseudonyms were used to refer to participants and institutions in reporting findings from this research to provide confidentiality and identity protection. The only identifiers of participants were on the informed consent form presented and signed during the initial interview meeting. Participants were asked to signed the form if they were interested in participating in the study and for permission to be recorded for an interview. For meaningful research to take place, I must remain ethical by reporting my findings fully and honestly (Rossman & Rallis, 2016). I was aided in conducting my 35 research in an ethical manner throughout the research process by adhering to the guidelines provided by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The University of Tennessee requires researchers to gain approval from the IRB before conducting their research. The IRB requires researchers to comply with variety of ethical safeguards and to provide confidentiality to individuals and institutions in the collection and presentation of data. The IRB played an important role to ensure the ethical nature of this research study. Methods of Verification When collecting data in a qualitative research study, the issues of trustworthiness and dependability should be discussed. Merriam and Tisdell (2017) explains that research should be concerned with “providing valid and reliable knowledge in an ethical manner” (p.209). Creswell (2014) believes that validation is a strength of qualitative research and that through description “findings can transport readers to the setting and give the discussion an element of shared experiences” (p. 202). I demonstrate the validity of this study through the triangulation of data, a multi-site case study, and member checks. Triangulation of Data Lincoln and Guba (1985) established that the truth value of a qualitative study should be determined by the credibility. Lincoln and Guba (1985) continue to describe credibility as factors of truth values, applicability, consistency, and neutrality. One method to ensure this credibility is through triangulation (Lincoln & Guba 1985). Denzin (1978) and Patton (2015) have identified four types of triangulation, one of which is the triangulation of sources (Patton, 2015). A key component of the triangulation of sources 36 is comparing people with differ viewpoints. I accomplished this triangulation of sources by interviewing a diverse group of individuals from multiple private school in Savannah, GA. A second form of triangulation is using different methods to collect data (Patton, 1999). I conducted interviews and performed walk-throughs of each school to have a diverse group of data. Multi-Site Case Study I used a multi-site case study in my qualitative research study to protect against bias in my analysis. Since I was the only researcher in this study, there was a heightened risk for bias, and this multi-site case study provided multiple indicators for confidence in the validity of measure (Yin, 2016). Conducting interviews and performing walk- throughs in three different private schools in the Southeastern part of the United States ensured my findings were more detailed and the study was strengthened in precision and validity (Miles & Huberman, 1994). Member checks After performing interviews and having them transcribed, I gave each participant a copy of the transcript from the interview to review. I allowed each participant a chance to give feedback on the transcript to ensure that I did not misrepresent anything communicated in the interview. I kept all the interviews in electronic form on a password protected computer where only I had access to the files. Maxwell (2023) states that member checks are an “important way for ruling out the possibility of misinterpreting the meaning of what participants say and do” (p. 111). 37 Role of the Researcher Working in education as a teacher and as an administrator, I bring my own bias and perspective to this study. I personally believe that servant leadership is the best style of leadership to employ as a leader. I am a Caucasian male who holds to aspects of a Judeo-Christian faith. In Greenleaf’s theoretical frame of servant leadership, many aspects of the Judeo-Christian faith are present as he draws examples from this belief system as the basis for his theoretical frame (Greenleaf & Spears, 2014). These aspects of my faith could have an impact on the importance that I place on servant leadership as the best form and style of leadership. I teach at a private, college preparatory school in southeast part of the United States. I currently serve on the school’s executive leadership team as the Director of Campus Life. In this role I attempt to model qualities of servant leadership as I lead in different areas of the school. I also work with many student leadership and diversity teams at my school. While working with these teams, I attempt to teach and instill servant leadership qualities within my students. The individuals I interview also work and teach at similar schools in the US southeast. I have professional relationships with these colleagues and have an understanding of the culture and dynamics of their schools. Conclusion Merriam and Tisdell (2017) state that a basic qualitative study is “the analysis of the data [by]… identifying recurring patterns that characterize the data” (p. 24). Merriam and Tisdell (2017) continued to explain that “findings are these recurring patterns or 38 themes supported by the data from which they were derived, [and] the overall interpretation will be the researcher's understanding of the participants' understanding of the phenomenon of interest” (p. 24). By analyzing the data, I am able to understand how these teachers defined their experiences with servant leadership, explore how the servant leadership of the principals impacts subordinates, and discover how the teachers believed servant leadership influenced the culture of the school. The data methods used in this research study are credible and are free from research bias. 39 CHAPTER FOUR ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS Teachers’ values and beliefs have a major impact on pedagogy, students’ educational experience, and the culture of a school (Dwyer, 2015). Teachers do not always act on their values and beliefs but sometimes conform to the pressures of the institution and fall into a cycle of habit as they perform their daily duties (Fives & Gill, 2015). It is the teachers, leaders, and students who are constantly shaping and defining the culture of a school (Bolman & Deal, 2021). The culture of a school plays an integral role in the achievement of students, the morale of teachers, and the impact a school has on the community (Davis, 2018; Deal & Peterson, 1991; Finley, 2016; Piotrowsky, 2016). By researching teachers’ values and beliefs on a specific topic, such as servant leadership, a better understanding of how teachers act on their values and beliefs and how culture is formed could be discovered. The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers’ beliefs on the value of servant leadership, and the outcomes it has for the culture within their school. The following research questions guided this study: 1) How do private school teachers describe their beliefs on the value of servant leadership? 2) How do private school teachers describe the influence servant leadership has on the culture of their school? The research findings of this qualitative case study are based on the analysis of thirteen private high school teachers who teach at three different schools in the southeast. Opened ended interviews were conducted with each of these private school teachers to better understand their values and beliefs of servant leadership and how they believe 40 servant leadership impacted the culture of their school. These thirteen teachers provide a diverse sample of gender, subjects taught, years of experience, and years at their current school, as depicted in Table 3.1. Data collection also took place in the form of “walk- throughs” and document collection of each school to provide a clearer understanding of the culture of each school and to support the data given in the interviews. The data were then used to develop three major themes which will guide the findings of this study. Data Coding Using an interpretive-focused strategy, I analyzed my interview transcripts and field notes by searching for common themes. I used Braun and Clark’s (2006) six-phase framework for conducting my thematic analysis by familiarizing myself with the data, coding, searching for themes, reviewing the themes, defining and naming the themes, and creating a code map. I familiarized myself with the data by listening to the interviews multiple times and cleaning up my transcripts. I then re-read each transcript and searched for common themes. As I read each transcript, I highlighted common themes and created a key by indicating themes with a specific color. My initial coding produced 51 themes from my manuscripts and walk-through observations. I then reviewed my initial 51 themes and categorized them into 8 broader themes. Finally, I reviewed my 8 themes and categorized them into 3 themes that represented my initial 51 themes. I created a code map (Table 4.1) to demonstrate the process I used to discover my 3 main themes that will guide the findings in this chapter. 41 Presentation of the Findings The open-ended interview protocol, provided in Appendix A, provided reflections from each participant during the course of each interview which yielded three broad themes. The first major theme was the effects of leadership which was supported by the sub themes: presence of administration, undervalued teachers, and lack of support. The second major theme was the nature of the community which was supported by the sub themes: professional relationships and profession comradery. The third major theme was school culture and pedagogy which was supported by the broad themes: acts of physical service, community values, and pedagogy. Each of these major themes answered the two research questions that guided this study. In this chapter, the two research questions will guide the presentation of the findings and the major themes will support the evidence from the research. Research Question: Number One The first research question in this study is how do private school teachers describe their beliefs on the value of servant leadership? This research question provides understanding to the problem presented in Chapter 1 as to why teachers act or do not act on their values and beliefs. Each of the three major themes answered this question by providing evidence from the data collected from teacher interviews and school walk- throughs. The Nature of Community The nature of community was a major theme that recurred in the answers of all 13 teachers as they described their values and beliefs of servant leadership. In the 7-item 42 measure of global leadership, Linden et al. (2015) confirmed that creating community value is a characteristic of servant leadership. Greenleaf (2002) believed that servant leaders play a key role in establishing a sense of community. When community is broken or not established, a servant leader will begin the process of “building a community- related group… that will restore an organization” (Greenleaf, 2002 p. 29). Spears (2005) also explained that servant leaders will “seek some means for building community among those who work within a given institution” (p. 29). Based on the previous researched discussed in the Chapter 2, it is not a surprise that the theme of community and relationships would be discovered in this research study. When asked about teacher beliefs and values of servant leadership and how servant leadership influenced the culture of their school, teachers described the importance of community. Nine out of the 13 teachers interviewed described the importance of community and relationships when asked to define servant leadership. Teacher 10 from Southeast Christian School (TSE10) described a servant leader as someone who desires to “strengthen the relationship and have a tight bond with their entire team.” Teacher 1 from Grace Christian School (TG1) also describes a servant leader as someone who has the ability to “create a team where everyone is on the same side.” TG1 continued to explain that in this team everyone should have a sense that “we are all in this together.” Teacher 11 from St. Andrews School (TSA11) described a teacher in his school that he believed best modeled servant leadership. TSA11 explained that this teacher is able to build relationships with students by “meeting them where they are at and approach them in ways that they understand instead of staying on an abstract level.” TSA11 gave the 43 example of a teacher working out with the students in the Saint Andrews’ weight room during this teacher’s planning periods. The value that these teachers put on community is evident in how they describe and define servant leadership. These teachers not only describe servant leadership in terms of community and relationship building, but all 13 teachers described the value of a positive and cohesive community within their school. From the perspective of a musician, TSE10 described a school in terms of an orchestra. He explained that just as each instrument has a role and value in the group, the same is true within the members of a school. TSE10 stated that “no matter how big or small your role is everyone should contribute and play a critical part in the education of students at our school.” TG1 valued community by stating that she “leans heavily on her group [, and she] knows that her history department is always there for her.” TG1 gave a story from her own personal experience that also demonstrated her value of community. She lost the opportunity to teach a class even though she was more qualified than the individual who was currently teaching the class. TG1 described that other teachers in her department displayed the values of servant leadership when they went to the administration of her school to support her and challenged the decision of the administrators. She said that Some of the best people I know in life I work with. Some of my closest friends are the people that I daily teach with and that is the best part of my job. Sometimes I will go over to the head of the history department and will bounce ideas off him, and he will give me a clear answer. It is the ability to make each 44 other better by lovingly giving criticism that has helped me significantly as a teacher. TG1 demonstrated that she valued servant leadership because of the importance that she placed on her community of teachers supporting her. TSE7 showed his value of community by describing his career at his previous company Hewlett Packard. He stated that “he went to work there because [he] wanted to work for servant leaders, and [he] always admired Mr. Hewlett and Mr. Packard.” TSE7 described his previous company as being successful because they “valued the principles of teamwork.” Once new leadership took over, the company began to decline because those values were no long acted on and believed to be important. TSE7 used that example of his previous company to describe that it is difficult to work in an environment that is not working together. He explains that in his current school he has to work very hard at home getting ready for class the next day or throughout the next week. I mean, it takes me hours late at night, and yet we still have teachers that will not do what is asked of them. We have to have our lesson plans filled out by 8:00am on Monday mornings, and there are teachers that just do not care. They just do not do it. We have teachers that cut corners in all sorts of ways, and I call that selfishness. Through this example, TS7 is demonstrating his value for teamwork and community through his frustrations when those values of servant leadership are not upheld by his coworkers. These teachers express that they value a school community that emphasizes relationships and teamwork. 45 Teachers also demonstrated that they value building community and relationships within their classroom. TG5 shared how he has evolved as a classroom teacher over the years to be more of a servant leader. He explained that “he is more aware now of the other than academic needs that students have.” TG5 stated that he now “focuses on developing relationships with students and is able to recognize their needs more clearly.” He shared an example of building relationships with students by attending a German Christmas Festival in which many of his students were involved. He said: my family had planned some Christmas activities to get into the Christmas season. And so I thought maybe we should go up to the German Christmas festival, and we did. It was good to see some of the students there and develop a rapport and a relationship with them, so they know that I care. Sometimes teachers need to pause and take the time to say explicitly that they are available, and that they are there to meet the student’s needs… That tends to resonate in my experience really profoundly with students. When they see that you are available and that you are a listening ear and want to develop a relationship with them, the students will understand that you care more about them than the grade they produce at the end of the class. TSE6 also gave an example of how, as a servant leader, she values building community and relationships within her classroom. She said that she Tries to be an encourager. I also like building relationships with students that I don’t find particularly easy to like. To me, maybe being a servant leader is like 46 making an effort with those kids, too. One of my personal goals is to make sure every kid that comes in my room feels like I know who they are. TG4 also desired to build a community and relationships with the students in his classroom. He explained that he goes about building relationships by being “authentic with them as [he] teaches.” TG4 said that “I try to be as much of myself in the classroom as I am outside the classroom.” He believed by teaching in an authentic way he will be able to build community and gain the trust of his students in his classroom. TSE9 explained that “high school kids can sniff out whether someone is authentic and real or is a faker.” TSA13 explained that she is “big on building relationships inside the classroom.” She also emphasized authenticity as a way to build relationships with students. She said that she tries not to “teach with a haughty attitude.” She explained that she “wants to bring [her] experiences to them, but not in a way where they feel like [she] thinks [she] is better than them. [She] desires that the classroom is a comfortable place.” By giving examples of their own experiences within education, these teachers are demonstrating that they value the nature of community within their classroom and school. Even though these teachers describe their beliefs and value of community and relationships, they readily explained that they do not always act on those values. Teachers in the study described that there is a disconnect from valuing the characteristic of community and relationships that are found in the practice of servant leadership and acting on those values. TSE6 explained that even though she values community and relationship within her classroom, she does not always act on those values because it takes “sacrifice on her part.” She admits that “I am not perfect. There 47 are times when I do not do a good job at it (relationship building) because the papers that are piling up get my attention verses making an effort to see them (the students).” TSA12 supports TSE6 frustration by explaining that as a theology teacher he is glad that he has “the ability to share his stories with people. We (the theology department) are not set to a certain curriculum or standard which lends us the opportunity to reach out to kids… and to have the availability to be there for them.” TS6 does not feel the same flexibility as an English teacher to have the ability to take time to build relationships with the students. This prevents her from building the strong community that TSA12 experiences in his classroom. TSE7 also pointed to a lack of time and the pressure of getting through his curriculum as a reason why he does not always act on what he values about relationship building and team work. He explained that as teacher you have to make 10,000 decisions on the go every day and out of 10,000 they are not all going to be right. I do not always rightly respond to students when they come in my classroom or when I’m busy working on something else. Sometimes I do not stop what I’m doing in the moment and answer their question. When I am teaching a math concept and a student asks a question that has already been asked two minutes ago, do I answer with a sigh of exasperation or do I just jump back into it again? I don’t do it perfectly all the time. The same goes for how I interact with my colleagues. I don’t do it perfectly all the time either. TSE6 also describes reasons why her colleagues do not act on their values of relationship building found in servant leadership. She said that some of her colleagues “believe that their primary role is to educate. They have so much love for the content that 48 they sometimes lose sight of the student.” TG4 expressed that there is a lack of training in the ability to build relationships with students. When talking about building relationships, he said “how do you do that? And when do you do that? There’s not a class you take in college on [relationship building] that I am aware of.” TG4 later described that he hears the issues that students are dealing with, and he “feel like someone has punched [him] in the gut.” He explains that he is unsure what to do for these students but usually resorts to praying for them. TG3 describes her frustrations with her inability to always act on her values of building relationship with students in the class by explaining that “there’s so many areas I can improve in the aspect of supporting my students.” After recently listening to a podcast on leadership, TG3 describes that she does not always feel like she is acting on her values. She says that this podcast made her “think of aspects that [she] wanted to focus on more as a servant leader in [her] classroom.” She questioned herself by saying do I provide the support to my students to accomplish the overall goals that we need to accomplish in class? Do I know what they individually need to get out of the class for their own personal life and how to put it together for all of them? TG3 points to a lack of student effort as a probable cause to why she does not always act on her values of relationship building with the students. She explains that it is difficult to make it a personal investment for them (her students). This is really challenging when you’re teaching geometry. They really do not care about angles and signs. So I don’t feel like I think of myself as a servant leader in my classroom. I feel like there is more work to be done… and I feel like in some aspects I am trying to 49 be a leader without serving. Like how am I serving them and supporting them when sometimes they don’t want to be served and supported. The teachers in this study expressed a clear value of community and relationship building as a servant leader, but some of them explained that there are outside factors that prevent them from acting on these values. The previous data points to the factors of time, lack of resources and education, and student motivation as potential reasons teachers feel that they are unable to act on their values and beliefs of servant leadership. The Influence of Leadership A major theme that was revealed through the data was the influence of leadership with-in a school. When teachers described their values and beliefs of servant leadership, they used the leaders of their school as a reference to describe the positive or negative influence of servant leadership. TSE6 expressed that she values the servant leadership qualities found in her high school principal. She stated that her high school principal is “the definition of servant leadership.” TSE6 explained that she values the servant leadership approach that her principal takes to leading the high school because her principal is “willing to get her hands dirty.” She gave an example of how her principal personally helped her after an event. TSE6 explained that she is in charge of running homecoming. At the end of the night my husband and I were there to break down the event. Well, she (TS6’s principal) was there, and she said ‘you all just go home. I can stay!’ At first, I refused, but she said, ‘no, really you all have done enough. Go home, and I can take it from here.’ So in that moment I felt very supported. She is always willing to go the extra mile with things that do 50 not always fall under her job description. We know that she cares about us and is willing to make all our lives easier. TG4 also described that he values the qualities of support when his head of school leads like a servant. TG4 said that he has “never seen a man who is more willing to just pitch in and help” than his head of school. He explained that it does not matter what time of the day it is his head of school “is there for you.” TSE9 was appreciative that her head of school was willing to do the little things to support the school staff. She recalled a time at a student overnight retreat when her head of school was willing to wake up early and make coffee for all the teachers. TSE9 believed that her head of school was making sure the teachers were taken care over, even in a small way. TSA12 felt like he was supported by the amount of freedom the administrative team at his school gave him. He said “I feel like they trust me to do my job, and I am not constantly having to look over my shoulder to see if they are checking up on me.” The teachers from this study also valued the influence that servant leadership had on the students. TG5 explained that as a servant leader a school administrator should display the quality of “meeting the needs of the students.” TG5 believed that the leaders at his school do a “fair job” displaying the traits of a servant leader, and he sees that “there is a significant amount of improvement that can be done in meeting students’ needs.” TG5 explained the tension he sees within the leadership at his school by explaining that the school leaders tend to ask really good questions. They have done questionnaires in the past to ask our student body and our families what their needs are, and how they can best 51 meet those needs. They then tend to not like the answers that they receive… [our school leaders] need to meet those needs even w