Page 22 - R&KT Flipping Book - Issue 5, Dec 2016

our student / graduate

Yim Chi-shing, Researching Spiritual
Issue FIve
Leadership in Hong Kong Schools

“The spiritual leadership of principals is integral to
the building of values and school culture that steer
a school’s progress and change,”

His findings showed that local principals focused on connectedness
In a globalized market-oriented culture and meaning making in developing spirituality in their schools.
that gears Hong Kong’s schools towards “Cultural factors, such as the influence of Confucian education
competitiveness, there is an increasing need for ideals and caring father figures, also played a role in the
spiritual teachings to develop personal values development of spiritual leadership in the Hong Kong context.”
and positive attitudes of students. To nurture
students’ spiritual growth, however, requires His study demonstrated the significance of spiritual leadership.
spiritual leadership. “Spiritual leadership can equip teachers with the knowledge of
‘connectedness’, ‘meaning making’, ‘membership’ and ‘calling’, so
that they can build clear teaching objectives. Also, positive values
can be developed among teachers and students,” he says.
“The spiritual leadership of principals is integral to the building
of values and school culture that steer a school’s progress and Yim credits his two supervisors - Principal Supervisor Dr Yu Wai-
change,” says Yim Chi-shing, a principal who has built spirituality ming and Associate Supervisor Dr Wong Ping-ho with providing
of his students through the teachings of the Bible. him intensive guidance and quick feedback to help him complete
the study.
Graduated recently from his Doctor of Education programme at
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), Yim has been a “My two supervisors have shown profound qualities in spiritual
secondary school principal since 2006. leadership and are good spiritual leaders,” Yim says.

“As a school principal, I have tried to adopt different leadership What is his future plan after completing his doctorate? “I will
theories such as instructional leadership, moral leadership continue to be a secondary school principal and implement
and transformational leadership. However, there are still some spiritual education in my school. To God be the glory,” he says.
shortcomings within these theories,” he says.

In 2008 when he joined EdUHK to pursue his doctorate, Yim
decided to pioneer a leadership study on the spirituality of
principals in secondary schools. Interviewing three secondary
school principals, his doctoral study examined the significance,
characteristics, formation and influence of spirituality in school
leaders.

Yim received the Award for Excellence in Yim held the ‘Touching My Soul’ Lecture
Educational Administration presented by at EdUHK in 2009
the Hong Kong Council for Educational
Administration in 2013.

Yim was invited to join the gala dinner of the 4th Teenage Life Education Forum at
EdUHK in 2008.

22 R & KT News