Indian Leadership for Learning: c. Teacher Leadership

Keywords: leadership | distributed leadership

Schools can no longer rely on the leadership alone of the head teacher and other formal school leaders if they are to effectively meet the learning needs of all pupils. Developments such as learning communities, shared leadership practices and partnership working recognise that formal school leaders need to engage more effectively with the wide people potential available in schools. Teacher leadership is part of this process and Katzemeyer and Moller [2001, pp. 3-4] take up the theme of potential when they say:

"We can call upon the leadership of teachers - the largest group of school employees and those closest to the students - to ensure a high level of teacher quality by bringing their vast resources to bear on continuously improving the schools. By helping teachers recognize that they are leaders, by offering opportunities to develop their leadership skills ... we can awaken this sleeping giant of teacher leadership."

Definition

While there are many definitions of what exactly teacher leadership means it has at its heart teachers:

moving beyond a traditional definition of being concerned only with their pupils and their classes
committing themselves to their own and other colleagues’ learning
influencing the thinking, behaviour and teaching practice of their colleagues
developing leadership roles, formal and informal, within and/or beyond the school
actively involved in a process of change and improvement within and beyond their classroom

Examples of teacher leadership

While the concept of teacher leadership can encompass formal roles such mentoring, coaching, chairing a school committee, inducting new teachers and so on, most teacher leaders do not require formal roles in which to exercise their influence. For Leithwood [2003, p.104] informal leadership involves teachers:

'...sharing their expertise, by volunteering for new projects and by bringing new ideas to the school. They also offer such leadership by helping their colleagues to carry out their classroom duties, and by assisting in the improvement of classroom practice through the engagement of their colleagues in experimentation and the examination of more powerful instructional techniques.'

In effect different teacher leaders, in different contexts, will demonstrate their leadership in a variety of ways, both formally and informally. These include:

Involvement in a learning community or team. This is not passive membership of a group, but sees the teacher actively involved with colleagues, enquiring into the practice of learning and teaching, taking initiatives, making positive contributions, supporting group learning and exhibiting with other colleagues leadership skills in supporting the learning of the group.
Coaching and mentoring. Teacher leaders see their role as working with and supporting the learning of other staff members. Not only do they coach and/or mentor other colleagues, they demonstrate their commitment to their own learning by being coached and/or mentored themselves. This involvement can be part of a formal school process or the result of informal connections.
Active involvement in the process of school improvement. Teacher leaders are not passive recipients of the change and improvement process in schools, but are actively engaged both within it and, indeed, in shaping it. Teacher leaders take initiative and move into spaces without having to be directed.
Developing ideas and practice in their classroom. While a teacher may be involved in enquiry and action research in their own classroom - developing new ideas and more effective practice - what takes them into the realm of teacher leadership is their interactions around this with colleagues. The leadership role is in sharing these developments with others, with the teacher leader both influencing and being influenced though this iterative process.
Being a source of advice for colleagues/setting an example/being a role model. Leithwood (2003, p.107), using research from Leithwood, Jantsi and Steinbach (1999), highlights comments from Australian teachers around their perceptions of teacher leaders in their own schools. These include:
“One teacher said, ‘people turn to him for leadership in the school’. Another said, ‘I think he’s someone they would turn to if they were looking for avenues to proceed’. A desire to emulate the leader was mentioned: ‘She makes you want to put as much effort forth as she does’; ‘You’re just saying, hey, if I could be like that’.”
Serving on school committees and working parties within and beyond school.
Working closely with colleagues around such areas as analysis of data or pupil work, new units of work and shared assessments.
Taking a lead on a project or developments or initiative within a team or within or beyond the school. For example, initiating a support programme for parental involvement in children’s learning.
Taking on voluntary or representative roles within or beyond the school.
Leading a committee or working party.
Taking a defined and supported role within the school around learning and teaching.
Taking a lead or key role in professional development and staff training activities.

Teacher leadership versus teacher professionalism

There might appear to be a tension between the concept of teacher leadership and the concept of teacher professionalism. One can assume that teacher professionals will share practice, take a lead on initiatives and work collaboratively with other colleagues. All things that we would expect teacher leaders to do. However, the term 'teacher leadership' has huge advantages in encouraging school staff to think beyond their traditional role as a teacher, to wider responsibilities and rights in a leadership role that goes beyond their class. The term also encourages formal school leaders to see that supporting teacher leadership is much more than helping one or two colleagues to join or lead a working party. It is much wider than this, is open to all and develops real capacity within the school to address improvements successfully. Dempster and Logan [1998, p.90] found, in an Australian study of expectations of school leadership in 12 schools, that 99% of teachers expected the principal to ‘give staff opportunities to lead in the school’.

This enthusiasm for teacher leadership puts a healthy pressure on formal school leaders, whatever their role, to support and nurture opportunities for all teachers to lead and add value to the school and its pupils in a variety of different ways.

Definition

Examples of teacher leadership

Teacher leadership versus teacher professionalism

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