Educational Leadership - Teachers as Leaders

This issue of Educational Leadership has a variety of articles about teacher leadership. Here are a few I found helpful:

http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept07/vol65/num01/Overcoming-the-Obstacles-to-Leadership.aspx

In “Overcoming the Obstacles to Leadership,” Johnson and Donaldson analyze the role of second-stage teachers (4 to 10 years experience) as leaders. Many teacher leaders face difficulty in implementing true change in schools due to undefined roles and colleagues who are unwelcome to help from teacher leaders due to age, less experience, and perceived special treatment. Teacher leaders coped with these difficulties (and marginalized their impact) by waiting to be recruited rather than volunteering, working with only those teachers expressing a willingness to accept help, and acting as a peer rather than an expert. Johnson and Donaldson stress that the principal must support and define the role of teacher leaders in order to improve schools.


http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept07/vol65/num01/The-Many-Faces-of-Leadership.aspx

Danielson outlines the various roles and opportunities for teacher leaders in “The Many Faces of Leadership.” Leaders can be formal, informal, within a department, school-wide, or community liaisons. Whatever their role,  “Teacher leaders must enlist colleagues to support their vision, build consensus among diverse groups of educators, and convince others of the importance of what they are proposing and the feasibility of their general plan for improvement” (p. 16). A school culture of collaboration and risk-taking can support these leaders.



http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept07/vol65/num01/Ten-Roles-for-Teacher-Leaders.aspx

How are you leading? Ten different ways to lead.


http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept07/vol65/num01/How-to-Talk-So-Teachers-Listen.aspx

In order for teacher leaders to be effective, colleagues must be willing and open to accept advice. Lipton and Wellman suggest a means for conducting effective conversations in “How to Talk So Teachers Listen.” Leaders should begin by focusing the conversation on a specific aspect of practice and student work. Coaching, consultative, and collaborative conversations should be interwoven with an emphasis on coaching. Using these three approaches empowers teachers and increases willingness to improve practice. 

Link to the whole issue here: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept07/vol65/num01/toc.aspx