 Teachers are leaders all day. They lead by example in the way they act, speak, and behave.

They lead their students through challenging activities and rigorous learning. Then, they take
on additional teacher leadership roles inside and outside the classroom.
 Activities, events, and extracurricular programs are what build positive school culture and
often require additional leadership support from teachers. Endless academic and social
opportunities for students within schools benefit from teacher initiative and leadership
capabilities.

Leadership Styles

In schools, there are always selfless teachers who support students at all costs. Trusted by students
and staff alike, these teachers are known to make decisions based on students’ needs. Their
dedication to improve students’ academics and social experiences is proven by their willingness to
dedicate lunches and after-school hours with students to grow their activities and programs.

According to Dr. Tiphanie Scroggins who runs the American University School of Education’s
administrative program, there are a few key leadership qualities vital to success as an educator. “The
heart of an educators work is students’ learning and well being,” says Dr. Scroggins. “They need to be
focused, strategic, innovative, and collaborative.” These qualities not only help teachers improve
learning outcomes, but also help build community, encourage inclusivity, and create a culture of
continuous improvement for themselves, their colleagues, and their students.

Of course, there are many ways educators can lead, so no two teachers will share the same
leadership style. Here are five leadership styles that teacher leaders can use inside and outside the
classroom.

1. Authoritative Leadership

Authoritative leaders push their teams to pursue common goals. They balance maintaining a high bar
and inspiring their teams to success. According to Dr. Scroggins, authoritative leaders rely heavily on
strategy, using data to set high expectations and take thoughtful risks. Authoritative leaders can also
be relentless in their pursuit of meaningful growth and demonstrate determination and resilience. In
education, this means authoritative leaders may be teachers with many years of experience or higher
degrees. The National College for Teaching and Leadership names authoritative leadership the most
effective in education.

2. Affiliative Leadership

Affiliative leaders are people who their teams can trust and feel safe going to. They validate their
colleagues and build camaraderie among their teams—qualities that promote inclusivity, equity, and
culturally responsive practices, according to Dr. Scroggins. A school’s success largely depends on
building culture and values. This requires affiliative leadership to push staff and students alike in the
same direction.

3. Democratic Leadership

Democractic leaders are the first to seek feedback and share decision-making responsibilities. In
education, this often means gathering feedback from students, staff, administrators, and families to
implement school-wide changes and policies. “Democratic leadership is about believing students,
parents, and the community have a voice,” says Dr. Scroggins. “This approach helps build community
and nurture partnerships among stakeholders.”

4. Pacesetting Leadership

Pacesetting leaders essentially focus on the practice of leading by example inside or outside the
classroom. They do it all, setting the tone of a school and inspiring other teachers by their skills,
dedication, and achievements.

5. Coaching Leadership

Coaching leaders take young or struggling teachers under their wings to mentor. This style of
leadership is usually time-consuming and requires much empathy and patience on the leader’s part.
However, it has significant benefits to teacher development and student academic success.

Leadership Opportunities

The Teacher Leadership Competencies, published by the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards, clearly states that “teacher leadership is no longer optional.” It’s part of the job. And
there’s no shortage of teacher leadership roles for educators. Teachers have endless opportunities to
lead initiatives and programs on and off campus to enhance the educational experiences of their
students. Sometimes these opportunities are formally appointed or open for applications; other
times they’re volunteer-based. Below are ideas of leadership opportunities most schools will offer.

Extracurricular Activity Sponsor

Extracurricular activities are crucial to involve students in their school communities and engage them
in topics outside of general K-12 curricula. Countless studies show that student involvement in
extracurriculars is directly beneficial to their academic success and personal perseverance. Teachers
can take the initiative by starting a club or sport and host students after school or during lunch for
meetings. Leading a club is also a way for teachers to share their personal interests or past
professional experience with students and help students think about future career choices that
interest them.

Grade Team or Content Team Lead

Schools often organize by grade or content when dividing into specialty groups. Each group, or
department, is facilitated by a team lead who’s responsible for meetings, action items, and data
review. When teams are organized by grade, a leader is responsible for creating interventions for
struggling students, incentivizing specific behavior or achievements, and planning grade-wide events
or trips. When teams are organized by department, the lead oversees developmentally appropriate,
rigorous content for multiple grade levels, along with academic standard growth and proficiency
analysis. Team leads dedicate many extra hours to ensure communication and cooperation in their
departments.
Academic Coach

Many schools look to veteran teachers to coach teachers on behavior management or content
specialty. Coaches observe teachers in practice and then set goals, plan lessons, and review data.
Academic coaches can give in-the-moment feedback to teachers during class through nonverbal
cues, ask students about what they learned that day, or record class to review with the practicing
educator. Coaches also write plans for each teacher to outline specific benchmarks and student
outcomes as goals. This leadership role is focused on staff development but impacts students directly
and requires a veteran teacher’s experience and expertise.

New Teacher Mentor

Whether a first-year teacher or an experienced educator new to a school, a new staff member
requires special attention and onboarding. Getting to know a new school involves many details that
are essential for all teachers. Having a go-to person for general questions makes the transition to a
new school much smoother. Being a new teacher mentor is a leadership opportunity for veterans
who know the ins and outs of the school, as well as teachers who recently transitioned to the school
and have a fresh perspective on information necessary at the beginning of the school year. A new
teacher mentor should be honest, understanding, and patient to best support a new teacher and
strengthen teacher retention.

Community Outreach Coordinator

A transformative outside-the-classroom leadership opportunity is the school community outreach

coordinator, who arranges after-hours or weekend events that involve students and their families
and community members. An event like a fundraiser is an impactful way for schools to raise money
for special supplies, field trips, and scholarships. Teachers who can gather resources to manage
events like this are how schools and communities intertwine and benefit each other. This teacher
leader is a go-getter who can access resources, motivate volunteers, and ultimately support students
and their families.

Expanding Leadership

For teachers with advanced leadership skills, there are many opportunities in education that require
visionaries with the ability to lead. Teacher leadership roles go beyond the classroom, as many school
administrators and nonprofit organization leaders are former teachers or were previously involved in
education.

School Administrator Roles

School administrators not only manage the day-to-day functions of a school but also are the driving
force behind its mission and vision. Administrators are the leaders who inspire teachers, staff, and
students to create a strong culture and a love for learning. Strong administrators influence teachers
to take leadership roles and make their schools encouraging, safe, empowering places for students to
be. School administrators additionally have a larger role in managing school budgets, evaluating
teachers, and collaborating with school districts.
Nonprofit Leadership Positions

Depending on how a nonprofit organization is structured, a board of directors supervises various

executive, management, and administrative roles. The different leadership roles include overseeing
finance, operations, marketing, community affairs, and human resources departments. Educational
nonprofit organizations often benefit both teachers and students in the classroom. Many specifically
focus on training teachers and school administration. Others raise funds or supplies for teachers,
who are able to better lead when classroom funding is sufficient. Educators who choose to take a
leadership role at a nonprofit organization can maintain their connection to schools outside the
classroom.

Take the Lead in Education

Teachers who strive to lead should be strong educators with an understanding of how to best serve
students. Graduate programs strengthen students’ understanding of leadership and prepare future
educators to be future leaders. American University’s Online Master of Arts in Teaching and Master
of Education in Educational Policy and Leadership equip students with the knowledge, experience,
and practice to develop into compassionate, effective school leaders. Learn more and apply today.

Recommended Readings

Six Highly Effective Leadership Styles

How to Be a Better Teacher: Reaching Students in the 21st Century

How To Become A Principal: Five Skills To Start Building Now

Sources

Character Lab, “Grit: Perseverance and Passion for Long-Term Goals”

Education Week, “6 Qualities Every Teacher Leader Should Have”

Forbes, “The (Underrated) Leadership Qualities of Teachers”

KQED, “7 Qualities that Promote Teacher Leadership in Schools”

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, “The Teacher Leadership Competencies”

Reading Rockets, “What Does the Research Tell Us About Teacher Leadership?”

The Edvocate, “4 Major Types of Educational Leadership”

The University of Southern Mississippi, “The Impact of Extracurricular Activities on Student

Achievement at the High School Level”