A Vibrant and Empowering Context for Teacher Leaders

This report describes the results of a series of interviews with educators in an independent school for students with unique learning needs that is characterized by a pervasive positive school culture, clear mission, and high levels of teacher participation in decision making. Researchers noted the collective understanding among teachers and administrators of the work of teacher leaders. There was a strong sense of community interdependence and collaboration that fostered teacher leadership. Strong structural support enabled teacher leaders to exercise influence beyond their classrooms. Teachers reported a strong sense of freedom and high levels of administrator trust. Teachers felt that they needed to establish a base of school-based experience in order to emerge as leaders. Other observations included high levels of teacher professionalism, collective expectations that teachers would maintain ongoing readiness to learn on the job, contagious enthusiasm, and deep commitment to the school community. Challenges to teacher leadership included a sustainable workload, altered collegial relationships, alignment of grassroots initiatives with school priorities, and pressure to meet parent expectations. Teachers recognized the fragility of their positive school culture and celebrated their professional autonomy. Teachers and administrators understood that their school must operate in a way that led parents to want to enroll their children. Finally, the researchers considered succession planning, along with the skills and knowledge that could lead to similarly high levels of innovation and success in other schools.