The role of agency in the development of a teacher leadership stance among student teachers during the practicum experience

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the way student teachers enacted agency to facilitate the development of a teacher leadership stance during a 12-week practicum experience. Data collection included pre-and post-interviews, weekly journals, mid- and post-reflective essays, classroom observations, and multiple assignments from seven student teachers completing their final semester at the national university in Qatar. Findings revealed three patterns in student teachers’ enactment of agency during the process of developing a teacher leadership stance. By making choices and taking actions, student teachers supported their personal learning, their growth as a teacher, and their commitment to the teaching community. Accordingly, student teachers revealed three manifestations of a teacher leadership stance, namely a clear leadership stance, a developing leadership stance, and no leadership stance. Exploring the potential of a practicum experience with a focus on teacher leadership provided a nuanced understanding of possibilities and limitations, both personal and contextual. Implications for teacher education are further discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Teacher leadership stance
• teacher agency
• student teachers
• practicum experience
• Qatar

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Youmen Chaaban

Youmen Chaaban, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Education, Azm University in Lebanon. Her research interests include technology enhanced learning, teacher professional development, teacher leadership, project-based learning, and English language teaching and learning. Dr. Youmen has several research publications in international journals, including original research conducted in Lebanon and Qatar. She has also been actively involved in a number of teacher preparation programs, where she held the positions of instructional coach, head of department, and curriculum coordinator.

Rania Sawalhi

Rania Sawalhi, is a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick (UK), where she is completing her PhD in Educational Leadership. Over the past 20 years, she has worked as a teacher, deputy principal for academic affairs, and a principal of an International School. She has also worked as director of strategic planning and development of educational projects. Currently, Rania teaches undergraduate and graduate students on research skills, and trains teachers as part of QU’s National Centre for Educator Development (NCED), at the College of Education, Qatar University.