Strategies for enhancing teacher leadership

Strategy 6: Build Professional Learning Communities
Resource 41: Learning-Centered Leadership
Murphy, J., Elliott, S. N., Goldring, E., & Porter, A. (2007, August). Learning-centered
leadership: A conceptual foundation. Nashville, TN: Learning Sciences Institute,
Vanderbilt University. Retrieved November 1, 2007, from
http://www.wallacefoundation.org/wallace/learning.pdf
This article describes strategies used by learning-centered leaders, including building
professional learning communities. For example, learning-centered leaders of effective schools
“actively promote the formation of a learning organization, the development of staff cohesion
and support, and the growth of communities of professional practice” (Berman, 1984; Little,
1982; Newmann, 1997 as cited in Murphy, Elliott, Goldring & Porter, 2007, p. 18)

Resource 42: Attributes of School Professional Learning Communities
Childs-Bowen, D., Moller, G., & Scrivner, J. (2000, May). Principals: Leaders of leaders.
National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Bulletin, 84(616), 27–34.
In addition to a congenial atmosphere and sense of camaraderie, professional learning
communities are characterized by open communication, trust and support, and continuous
inquiry and improvement of work. Building professional learning communities is important
because they create opportunities for teachers to take on leadership roles and narrow the gap
between principals and teachers.

Strategy 7: Support Teacher Leaders
To support teacher leaders, schools should practice the following:
• Provide access to human and financial resources.
• Promote better understanding of teacher leadership roles.
• Help teacher leaders maintain balance and avoid overload.

Resource 43: The Principal’s Influence on Teacher Leadership
Barth, R. S. (2001). Teacher leader. Phi Delta Kappan, 82(6), 443–449.
The principal has a disproportionate influence on teacher leadership. Even though some
principals find it risky to share leadership, many do find ways to inspire a culture of teacher
leadership within their schools. This piece offers actions for how principals can support and
influence the success of teacher leaders.

Strategy 8: Promote Principal Support
To enhance instructional teacher leadership, promote principal support in the following ways:
• Build principals’ knowledge of teacher leadership
• Foster principal-teacher leader interaction

Resource 44: Facilitating Principals’ Support for Teacher Leadership
Mangin, M. M. (2007, August). Facilitating elementary principals’ support for instructional
teacher leadership. Educational Administration Quarterly, 43, 3.
Teacher leaders need support from principals. The evidence from this study of the conditions that
lead elementary principals to support the work of teacher leaders suggests that “districts can
influence principals’ level of support for teacher leaders by increasing communication about the
role.” The research findings suggest that through better communication, districts can build
knowledge of teacher leadership and foster principal-teacher leader interaction as a way to
promote support of teacher leaders.

Resource 45: Principal Support of Teacher Leaders
Pankake, A., & Moller, G. (2007). What the teacher leader needs from the principal. Journal of
Staff Development, 28(1).
This resource offers eight strategies for how principals can encourage and support teacher
leaders and school-based coaches.

Strategy 9: Encourage the Development of Teacher Leaders
Create a climate that encourages the development of teacher leaders. The first step is to reculture the schools.

Resource 46: Supportive School Culture
Anthes, K. (2005). What’s happening in school and district leadership? (Leadership Initiative
Report). Denver, CO: Education Commission of the States.
One way to address underlying problems in a school culture in which teachers do not perceive
their principals as good listeners is to create a decision-making team that includes teachers in the school leadership process.

The MetLife Survey of the American Teacher: An Examination of School Leadership and other
research on effective leadership indicate the need for leaders to create a culture that does the
following:
• Engages teacher in meaningful ways.
• Engages the community and parents in meaningful ways.
• Focuses and aligns school improvement strategies that create a culture of learning for
every member of the school community—students, parents, teachers, and principals.

Resource 47: Cultural Conditions That Facilitate Teacher Leadership
York-Barr, J., & Duke, K. (2004). What do we know about teacher leadership? Findings from
two decades of scholarship. Review of Educational Research, 74(3), 255–316.
Research has found that the following school cultural conditions facilitate teacher leadership:
• Schoolwide focus on learning, inquiry, and reflective practice.
• Encouragement for taking initiative.
• Expectation for teamwork and for sharing responsibility, decision making, and
leadership.
• Teacher leaders viewed and valued as positive examples for teaching profession.
• Strong teacher communities that foster professionalism. (p. 270)