This book explores how teacher leadership is an intrinsic and important part of school and classroom improvement. It investigates teacher leadership in action and considers the roles, responsibilities and influence of teachers who lead. It considers the implications of teacher leadership for teachers' professional development and focuses on ways…

This book addresses the contemporary realities of schools and teaching, focusing on both the constraints and possibilities embedded in practice. It uses the words and experiences of teachers and principals to show what growth and change look like from the inside, focusing on what change requires, how differences in context and personnel are…

A study of two new middle schools demonstrates that reform is difficult to achieve unless teachers are expert in their work, share their expertise, and seek and create new knowledge to support their work. Leading from the center, school leaders figure significantly in expanding learning and developing community even in "teacher-run"…

Principals play a key role in developing teacher leadership. To identify, develop, and support teacher leaders in their schools, principals should define teacher leadership, be comfortable with teacher leaders, encourage teachers to become leaders, help teachers develop leadership skills, and provide positive and limited constructive feedback.…

The Annenberg Institute for School Reform recently invited three distinguished educators (a superintendent, principal, and teacher leader) to Providence, Rhode Island, to reflect on the relationship between leadership and student achievement. Schools must tap into educators' training backgrounds; conversations at all levels must stress increasing…

Oakland, California's Developmental Studies Center has identified "sense of community" in school as a pivotal condition for children's ethical, social, moral, and academic development. Practices such as class meetings, collaborative learning, and buddies will not build community unless designed to meet that goal. Academic learning is…

Using the theoretical concept of equity as a measure of outcomes, this paper discusses mathematics classroom conditions and teacher behaviour that negatively affect the experiences of girl students in secondary schools. The paper draws both on the author's experiences and observations as a former high school mathematics teacher for seven years and…

In 2001, Illinois was one of 15 states across America selected and funded by the Wallace Foundation, in cooperation with the National Council for State Legislatures, National Governors' Association, Education Commission of the States, Council of Chief State School Officers, and the National Association of State Boards of Education, to plan,…

Using the photographic concept of zoom as a metaphor for the goals of leadership training as well as the personal transformation that occurs within individuals who engage in professional development to enhance their leadership capacity, this study took a focused look at 182 individuals participating in two models of early childhood leadership…

Leadership plays an important role in middle-school community members' collaborative efforts. Principals, by valuing and recognizing contributions of each teacher, staff member, student, and parent, give high visibility to the collaborative process. Principals also bolster collaboration by providing necessary support systems and helping…

Although teachers are increasingly expected to work with colleagues, administrators, and parents to achieve schoolwide reforms, the existing professional socialization of new teachers does little to encourage acquisition of collaboration skills. Preservice education must help beginning teachers develop the commitment, skills, and knowledge…

Recruitment of public school administrators is an important issue due to the shortage of qualified job applicants nationwide. The shortage of applicants requires school districts to evaluate their internal pools of potential applicants for administrative vacancies. This evaluation research addressed the recruitment of teacher-leaders to serve as…

Over the past two decades, scholars and practitioners in a variety of industries have considered work redesign among a constellation of strategies to promote employee recruitment and retention, development, motivation, and performance. Although educational policymakers in the middle to late 1990s shifted their attention to standards, systemic…

Some indicators point to a potential shortage of school administrators. The principalship has grown more complex due to increased accountability and escalating social complexities. This qualitative study sought to understand why leadership-skilled women teachers choose to remain in the classroom rather than seek administrative positions. Despite…

This study examined high school and middle school transition practices from the perspective of special education teacher leaders. Results indicated that the majority of schools offer functional curricula, social skills training, and an array of school-based functional learning opportunities. However, a significant number of schools did not provide…