Issues in Teacher Leadership Review

First Article (Teacher Leaders Creating Cultures of School Renewal and Transformation)
Beachum, F. and Dentith, A. (2004) conducted a study about the presence of and support for
teachers as leaders. The participants were/the setting was an ethnographic study of 25 teacher
leaders in five schools within a large midwestern city school district. Data was collected through
unstructured interviews and observations of teachers. The findings were that three central
themes appeared repeatedly, including: (1) specific school structures and organizational
patterns; (2) particular processes and identities; and (3) a deliberate use of outside resources
with consistent, strong community relationships. The authors suggested that their conclusions
assert the possibility of teacher leadership as a model and theory of leadership for school
renewal.

Second Article (Overcoming the Obstacles to Leadership)

Johnson, S. & Donaldson, M. (2007) conducted a study about second-stage teachers taking on
leadership roles, and the obstacles they face. The participants were teachers in the second
stage of their career (with 4-10 years of experience) who were interviewed about their
experiences in taking on more leadership as their older colleagues retired. The findings were
that these teachers had often struggled because their schools did not provide a professional
framework or established a formal set of responsibilities to provide legitimacy to their leadership
roles. The authors suggested that schools create stronger supports to help teacher leaders
overcome the obstacles caused by the norms of school culture-teacher autonomy,
egalitarianism, and deference to seniority.

Third Article ( Effective Teacher Professional Development)

Darling-Hammond, Hyler, and Gardner, (2017) conducted a study about what makes
professional development for teachers effective. The setting was that they reviewed 35 studies
which met their methodological criteria: They featured a careful experimental or comparison
group design, or they analyzed student outcomes with statistical controls for context variables
and student characteristics. The findings were that professional development is most effective
when it is content focused, incorporates active learning utilizing adult learning theory, supports
collaboration, typically in job-embedded contexts, uses models and modeling of effective
practice, provides coaching and expert support, offers opportunities for feedback and reflection,
and is of sustained duration. The authors suggested that to ensure a coherent system that
supports teachers across the entire professional continuum, professional learning should link to
their experiences in preparation and induction, as well as to teaching standards and evaluation.
It should also bridge to leadership opportunities to ensure a comprehensive system focused on
the growth and development of teachers.

Compare/Contrast Articles:
These three articles suggest that teacher leadership is a key factor in maintaining an effective
learning environment and a strong school. The first article highlights the importance of these
teacher leaders in renewing and revitalizing their school sites. Whereas in the second article,
Johnson and Donaldson point out the struggles many teachers face in adopting those
leadership roles, the third article provides suggestions for how to make professional
development for teachers more effective and how to create more confidence and intrinsic
motivation in teacher leaders.

How Articles Inform Your Teaching Practice:

While I have been aware for a while of just how effective great teacher leaders can be, these
articles made me realize that the struggles I've faced as a fairly new teacher are not unique, and
that I have the tools to overcome them. I believe my school site has really stepped up when it
comes to our on-site professional development days, and is striving to provide its teachers with
the most effective development and leadership opportunities possible. I am continuing to try to
influence change at my school site and in my department as I pursue more leadership roles,
such as the department chair position I have recently applied for.