Fostering Teacher Leadership in K-12 Schools: A Review of the Literature

Teachers are in classrooms with students every day, and therefore it is essential that they be involved in school leadership. Teacher leadership has been shown to improve school culture, benefit teachers, improve student achievement, and improve the greater learning community. Teachers lead by getting involved in school-level decision making, improvement planning, action research, or leading new initiatives. They also lead professional development activities and play the important role of acting as mentors and coaches for their colleagues. In order for teacher leader-ship to be successful, schools need to develop a culture of collaboration and trust while promoting a shared vision and goals for the school. Shared leadership is a model that can enable the benefits of teacher leadership in schools. Administrators need to value teacher leadership and solicit the input of teachers in school matters. Administrators can promote teacher leadership by encouraging teachers to lead initiatives and creating teams to handle various aspects of running the school. Time must also be available for teacher leaders to carry out their regular duties and for creating opportunities for professional development. Administrators also must reward the efforts of teacher leaders and potentially partner with teacher leadership programs or organizations. In order for shared leadership to thrive, school leaders must create the conditions that allow teachers to share the responsibilities of leading the school. The research shows that when the necessary antecedents and enablers are in place, teacher leadership can grow and lead to positive outcomes for students, teachers, and the greater school community. Through a review of the relevant literature, this article will add to the relevant field of knowledge by analyzing what can be done to strengthen teacher leadership in K-12 schools.