ERIC Number: EJ1084832
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1354-0602
EISSN: N/A
The Resourceful Facilitator: Teacher Leaders Constructing Identities as Facilitators of Teacher Peer Groups
Allen, David
Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, v22 n1 p70-83 2016
The use of teacher peer groups is a prevalent strategy for school-based professional development and instructional improvement. Facilitation of such groups is an increasingly vital dimension of teacher leadership as a component of school improvement efforts. Drawing on a qualitative study of facilitation of teacher peer groups, the article investigates how teacher leaders integrate experiences from different domains of life in constructing a unique facilitator identity. Focusing on portraits of three teacher leaders, it demonstrates how teachers relate experiences outside of teaching, including academic experiences, other professional experiences, and social experiences, to the skills and orientation necessary for effective facilitation. The article argues for attention to reflexive practices of identity formation in the preparation of teacher leaders as facilitators and in the ongoing development of teacher leaders who already function as facilitators.
Descriptors: Teacher Leadership, Facilitators (Individuals), Faculty Development, Professional Identity, Qualitative Research, Experience, Teacher Collaboration, Communities of Practice, Semi Structured Interviews, Secondary School Teachers, Elementary School Teachers, High Schools
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education; Elementary Education; High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: New York
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A