How Teacher Leaders Influence Instruction

ABSTRACT

This study focuses on the impacts of programs designed to develop and support teacher leaders to improve instruction in their schools. Using surveys of teachers in 45 schools in four districts and interview data, we found that the frequency of teachers’ work with a teacher leader on professional growth, instructional planning, and observations/feedback were all significantly related to teacher leader influence. Higher levels of teacher leader influence were also associated with teacher reports of change in practice. The study provides evidence of what types of teacher leader activity are perceived as influential by teachers and how teacher leadership influences instruction.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Twelve of 28 schools in district 1 agreed to participate, and 15 of 20 schools in district 4 agreed to participate.

2. Researchers have modeled school culture variables at the individual and school levels (using aggregates of individual responses). We chose to include them at the individual level because individuals can have different perceptions of the same phenomenon within an organization.

3. Due to missing achievement data for pre-kindergarten schools, we did not include achievement in our models.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Nellie Mae Education Foundation [10063639].