The Transformative Nature of Boundary-Spanning Roles in Developing Teacher Leaders: The Case of a Hybrid Teacher Educator in a Professional Development School Context

ABSTRACT

Hybrid teacher educators are school- and university-based teacher educators who work across the boundaries of schools and universities to facilitate the professional learning of teachers in the third space of school-university partnerships. This case study of ‘Sofia” examined how a reassigned classroom teacher was transformed from her four-year experience as a hybrid teacher educator in an exemplary professional development school (PDS). The findings identified four transformations: (1) deepening reflection, (2) preserving relationships, (3) prioritizing students, and (4) distributing leadership. This study has implications for clinically-based teacher education suggesting that hybrid teacher educator roles in PDSs have powerful transformative qualities and the potential for developing teacher leaders.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.