Teacher Leadership

RESEARCH ARTICLES

THE MANY FACES OF LEADERSHIP BY CHARLOTTLE DANIELSON

In the article, The Many Faces of Leadership, Danielson describes how

new and veteran teachers can feel frustration due to the lack of
leadership opportunities. Danielson defines two types of teacher
leadership roles formal and informal.
This literature is related to CSTP 2 in that it pushes teachers to create
and maintain positive and effective classroom and school wide
environments by promoting a sense of ownership and using best
practices. As a teacher leader, this article reminds me that I should
invest time into developing new skills as a professional leader and tak
on new responsibilities that will contribute to a better schoolwide
culture.

FORMAL VS INFORMAL
Formal Leadership Examples: Department chair,
curriculum coordinator, instructional coach,
“Pseudo-administrators”

Informal Leadership examples:

Teachers who address a problem or initiate new
programs, hold no positional authority but have
earned and command respect

POSITION PAPER ON TEACHER LEADERSHIP BY

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL
PRINCIPALS
THE NAASP POSITION PAPER EXPLORED THE IMPORTANCE ON HOW TEACHER
LEADERSHIP DRIVES PROGRESS AND CHANGES IN EDUCATION. DATA FROM A 2012
METLIFE SURVEY ON THE AMERICAN TEACHER SUGGESTED THAT 3/4TH OF
PRINCIPALS WERE OVERWHELMED BY THEIR CURRENT DUTIES, AND 70 PERCENT OF
TEACHERS SAID THEY HAD NO INTEREST IN TAKING ON A POSITION AS A PRINCIPAL.
HOWEVER 50 PERCENT OF TEACHERS WOULD TAKE ON MORE RESPONSIBILITIES OR
LEADERSHIP ROLES IF THEY COULD TEACH PART TIME. NASSP SUGGESTED THAT
POLICY MAKERS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL SHOULD FULLY FUND TITLE II
PART A, ENACT LEGISTLATION THAT STRENGTHEN EDUCATOR PREP PROGRAMS, AND
ADOPT TEACHER LEADERSHIP STANDARDS . THIS LITERATURE IS RELATED TO CSTP 6
IN THAT IT PROMOTES SPECIFIC AREAS THAT TEACHERS CAN GROW AS A
PROFESSIONAL. AS A TEACHER LEADER, THIS REPORT REMINDS ME THAT I SHOULD BE
FOCUSING ON COLLABORATING WITH MY ADMINISTRATORS AND PUSING FOR
OPPORTUNITIES THAT WOULD HELP ME GROW AS AN EDUCATOR.

COMPARISONS
These two articles suggest that it is crucial to foster and grow teacher
leadership within school systems. However, whereas Danielson’s
recommends that a broad range of informal and formal teacher
leadership can impact school climate , the NASSP article recommends more
specific collaborative structures such as PLCs, systematic approaches
for change, and advocating for specific policy changes. As a teacher
leader, these articles push me to become both a formal and informal
teacher leader. By using my personal strengths as a teacher I can help
inform and create necessary changes to my schools community.