While the scope of activities that constitute teacher leadership has become better defined, the professional development of emerging teacher leaders is just beginning to be discussed. In this study, the teacher leadership activities of beginning English-as-a-second-language teachers in a wide variety of settings in New York City public schools were examined in terms of the professional direction, support and development that these new teachers received that set them on the path to teacher leadership. Identified were several paths to teacher leadership, which ranged from well-defined to ill-structured. This paper sheds light on the generative processes involved, and contextualizes the role of novice teacher leaders against increased attention to teacher leadership in the United States. (Contains 2 tables and 4 notes.)