Emerging Gender Issues between Mentors and Protégés in a Principal Preparation Program

In an effort to improve administrator mentoring programs, this study explored emerging gender issues between mentors and protégés enrolled in a university principal preparation program. Sixty-nine students (31 male and 38 female) were surveyed regarding gender considerations in selecting a preferred mentor, as well as the effect of gender on protégé discussions with mentors regarding school issues. Findings indicated that generally females preferred female mentors and males preferred male mentors. Other findings suggested that gender has an effect on educational issues that protégés discuss with their mentors. Educational administration is a “traditionally male-identified educational domain ” (Blount, 1998, p. 3). While women hold nearly 36 % of elementary principal positions (Natale, 1992; Saks, 1992), only about 12 % of secondary principals and superintendents are women (Futrell, 2002). Ironically, this “male-identified domain ” emerges largely from the pool of classroom teachers even though over 75 % are women (Shakeshaft, 1998). One might believe this occurs because men complete state certification requirements for administrative positions in greater numbers than women. This is not the case, however, as most university administrator preparation programs enroll more women than men (Shakeshaft, 1998). At the same time, a nationwide survey by Educational Research Service (ERS, 1998) indicated that school districts are experiencing difficulty finding qualified candidates to fill principal vacancies. Likewise, a study by Harris, Arnold, Lowery, and Crocker (2000) suggested that the complexities and demands of the principalship frequently influence students in principal preparation programs to not even apply for these positions. This has exacerbated the challenge for administrator preparation programs to focus not only on effectively preparing future principals, whether male or female, but also to find ways to encourage them to assume campus leadership positions (Brown, 2005; Murphy, 2002). Thus, several organizations, including the Danforth Foundation