The power of collective narratives to inform public policy: reconceptualizing a Principal’s Qualification Program

A narrative approach to policy development was utilized to collaboratively reconceptualize a provincial Principal’s Qualification Program. The stories, perspectives and lived experiences of teachers, parents, students and the public were included as essential voices and information sources within policy development conversations. These collective narratives of experience revealed the forms of knowledge, skills, dispositions and ethical commitments necessary for effective principals today and in the future. They also illustrated the transformative nature of narrative to enlighten, deepen understanding and alter perspectives. The policy development processes used in this publicly shared educational initiative are a model of democratic dialogue. The inclusive and dialogic methods employed to collectively reconceptualize a principal formation programme illustrate an innovative framework for developing policies governing the public good.