Teacher Leadership: Professional Right and Responsibility

Abstract

National reports and educational reform initiatives such as professionalization and school restructuring continue to link teacher leadership with educational improvement. Longstanding obstacles to universal understanding and application of teacher leadership extend beyond conflicting views of leadership to the unwillingness and unpreparedness on the part of many teachers to effectively fulfill a leadership function, a function inherent in their role as teachers and professionals. This article explores issues related to defining teacher leadership, and discusses the implications for teacher education and schools through a synthesis of literature. The article also presents a university/school collaborative framework for the development of leadership in pre and inservice teachers.