Definition and Key Terms.

A teacher leader is a teacher who leads colleagues toward positive change, either
through traditional-professional development means or as part of more grass-roots
efforts. This teacher still maintains normal classroom responsibilities; however, they also
become proactive in making their school not just their class a better place. And the
good news is that schools benefit enormously when their teachers step into these
informal leadership and professional development roles.
Reference: http://www.teachhub.com/professional-development-teacher-leader
From Human Capital Strategies for Urban Schools, paper profiles school systems that
have created teacher career pathways to help transform school cultures, plus process
for developing and implementing new teacher-leadership roles and structures
Reference: http://teacherledprofessionallearning.org/steps/defining-teacher-leader-roles/
Teacher leaders assume a wide range of roles to support school and student success. Whether
these roles are assigned formally or shared informally, they build the entire school's capacity to
improve. Because teachers can lead in a variety of ways, many teachers can serve as
leaders among their peers.

Who can be a leader?

A teacher leader can have a formal or informal role in their school. Formally, teacher leaders might
be department chairs, committee members, head coaches, team leaders, union reps, or other
officially recognized positions.
But at the same time, there are always those informal leaders in any organization who have that
personal magnetism that designates them as a leader. They have no formal title, but the reputation
theyve earned and they way they conduct themselves makes them the type of teacher who others
instinctively look to.

Ultimately, any teacher can be a leader, even in a small regard. Anytime someone steps up to make
decision, implement an idea, or just share an example of making a better impact on their students,
they are a teacher leader.

Historical Context for Teacher Leadership

September 1996 -- Report by the National Commission on Teaching and
America's Future that launched the national focus on teacher quality.
April 2001 -- Report of the Task Force on Teacher Leadership. School
Leadership for the 21st Century Initiative, Institute for Educational
Leadership, April 2001.
January 2004 -- Report from The Teaching Commission, a blue-ribbon panel
of 19 leaders in government, business, philanthropy, and education led by
former IBM chairman Louis V. Gerstner.

Research on Teacher Leadership

) Teacher Leadership 2008

Though not necessarily about power, teacher leadership is about shared influence. Teacher
leadership requires teachers to have access to and an impact on decision-making structures.
2008 Institute for Educational Leadership
TLS Survey In February 2003 the Center for Teacher Leadership conducted a survey of
accomplished teachers to determine their perceptions of themselves as leaders and their
training needs.

Teacher Leadership 2005

2005 Research brief from Center for Comprehensive School Reform and Improvement. Teachers use a
variety of informal and formal channels to exert leadership, including acting as union representatives,
department heads, and mentors. Cultural norms of isolation and individualism within the teaching
profession and the worst-case scenario crab bucket culture can slow the progress of school
improvement What is clear from this study is that traditional forms of management must be modified
to be more horizontal and less hierarchical for teacher leadership to flourish.

Reference:(http://www.ctl.vcu.edu/resources/historical-context-for-teacher-leadership/

Elaboration and Explanation

The following representative examples describe a few of the
roles and responsibilities.

teacher-leader may assume in a district or school. Teacher-leaders may:

Serve on a school or district leadership team or on some other form of

governance committee, task force, or board.
Lead a specific school-improvement initiative, such as a program designed to
improve the quality of reading instruction throughout a school.
Model innovative instructional strategies for other teachers, such as
nontraditional ways of assessing what students have learned or alternative
methods of grading.
Train, supervise, and mentor new teachers or student-teachers.
Act as a learning facilitator or instructional coach who helps both new
and veteran teachers develop stronger lesson plans, improve their instruction or
classroom-management techniques, or acquire new professional skills, such
as using new learning digital and online technologies.
Act as a facilitator and coordinator of a professional learning
community or other group of teachers working together to improve their
teaching skills.
Lead efforts to modify or improve school-wide or content-area curriculum.
Guide other teachers in collecting, understanding, analyzing, and interpreting
student-achievement data, as well as using those findings to improve
instructional efficacy in a subject area or throughout the school.

Lead an action-research project or engage in additional study and research

projects to grow professionally and enhance their professional contributions to
the school.
Write about teaching in professional journals, books, newspapers, magazines,
blogs, social media, or other print or online publications.

Create videos, lead online discussion forums, develop webinars, or use

technology in other ways to share their knowledge and skills with other
teachers online.

Speak at professional conferences, community meetings, or other public

forums.

Engage students in efforts to improve their school, district, or community

using community-based-learning strategies and projects.
Serve as a parent liaison or lead other efforts to help parents and community
members become more engaged in whats happening in the school.

Become involved in local, state, or national advocacy groups aimed at

improving education or social conditions for children and communities.

Write grant proposals or otherwise seek additional funds for a school, district,
or program.

Develop partnerships with nonprofits, community organizations, and local

businesses that bring in additional resources and create new learning
opportunities in a school, such as an internship program or a dual-enrollment
program.
Contact elected officials to inform them about issues affecting education or
testify in public hearings.

The Need for Teacher Leaders

Every organization needs strong leadership to function. But also, many organizations have a
stratification that separates the top-level decision makers from the ground-level workers. This is
especially true in schools, when administrators have often not taught in the classroom in years and
have questionable insights into the needs of their teachers.
And at the same time, any organization especially schools functions better when there are formal
and informal leaders taking steps to operate and improve the organization. When teachers take the
initiative to care about more than just their class and their students, big differences can be made.

The Mind of a Teacher Leader

The first difference between a teacher and a teacher leader is how they view their school. A teacher
often possesses a staunch My classroom, my students mentality. This mentality focuses on how a
teacher can best serve the students entrusted to them, and it implies a high degree of ownership
over their classroom, curriculum, and student success.
The teacher leader, on the other hand, thinks Our students, our school. This mentality embraces a
bigger picture. Instead of strictly thinking about their individual classrooms, their focus is on the entire
system that facilitates their teaching. While the teacher rightly feels ownership and responsibility for
their classroom, the teacher leader feels ownership and responsibility over the school.
This mentality inspires the teacher leader to do a few things that the ordinary teacher might not:

First, they share. When something works well in their classroom, they are willing to help lead
others to replicate that success.

Second, they collaborate with a team-oriented mindset. Teachers often feel like private
contractors who do some give and take to get what they want. But a leader understands
that when the success of the team trumps the success of the individual every time.

Third, they envision it better. When the teacher leader looks at their school, they reflect on
what problems exist or what aspects might work even better. This does not lead to
complaining complaining is the job of someone who doesnt want improvement. The
teacher leader can see how improvements can be made and then takes realistic steps to
achieve them.

Fourth, they take on responsibilities beyond just their contractual obligations. The phrase
Thats not my job doesnt come from a teacher leaders lips often. Instead, if theres an
opportunity to get behind a good cause in the school, they like to participate in that. Even
without extra pay.

How to Become a Teacher Leader

Becoming a teacher leader comes with the same challenges as any other leadership position. But
youll also experience many of the same rewards as long as youre not in it for the money.

Becoming a teacher leader is not difficult at all, but it requires a few simple behaviors:

Be as excellent a teacher as you can be. Theres no point in trying to change the world if
you pay little attention to your own primary responsibility of teaching.

Identify problems, weaknesses, or opportunities. Every school can be a little better.

Where do you see a need? Be willing to call it like it is and be a proactive part of a solution.

Create concrete, realistic plans. We can all dream big, but few can create the realistic,
step-by-step solutions necessary to make a dream into a reality. Take time to develop
specific, practical steps along a realistic, practical timeline.

Do the work. Winston Churchill said, Responsibility is the price of greatness. If you desire
to lead, be the first one to put on your work gloves and dig in.

Share your vision, and LISTEN. Youll go nowhere on your own. You, army of one, are
useless on your own. Have a vision, but listen carefully to what others think, feel, and need.

Be a professional, always. When unprofessional behavior like complaining, gossiping,

taking shortcuts, missing responsibilities, and just producing poor work sneak into your life,
it undercuts everything else you might be aspiring towards.

Being a leader of teachers is no easy task. But once you commit to having the mentality and
assuming the responsibility of the teacher leader, then you are offering your services for the
continual betterment of your school. And you know, as a teacher leader, that as your school
improves, so too does its overall impact on your students. So will you answer the call? Will you step
out and lead? Will you broaden your sphere of influence? We need you to lead us.

Reference: http://www.teachhub.com/professional-developmentteacher-leader

TEACHING LEARNING PROCESS

Introduction
We are passing through a great transition. The old is becoming obsolete and new is still in the
process of emergence. The old ways of learning & teaching is found to be too rigid & too outdated. A greater opportunity of psychological principle is being truly demanded. It has been
urged that the training of theyoung requires on the part of teacher a deep psychological
knowledge.

Teaching-learning process is the heart of education. On it depends the fulfillment

of the aims & objectivesof education. It is the most powerful instrument of
education to bring about desired changes in the students.Teaching learning are
related terms. In teaching - learning process, the teacher, the learner, the
curriculum& other variables are organized in a systematic way to attain some predetermined goalLet us first understand in short about learning, teaching and then
teaching-learning relation.

Learning
can be defined as the
relatively permanent change in an individual's behavior or behavior potential (or
capability) as a result of experience or practice
(i.e., an internal change inferred from overt behavior). This can be compared with
the other primary process producing relatively permanent change--

Maturation
--that results from biological growth and development. Therefore, when we see a
relatively permanent change in others, or ourselves we know that the primary cause
was either maturation (biology) or learning (experience). As educators, there is
nothing we can do to alter an individuals biology; the onlyinfluence open to use is
to provide an opportunity for students to engage in experiences that will lead
torelatively permanent change.

Teaching
then, can be thought of as the

purposeful direction and management of the learning process

. Notethat teaching is not giving knowledge or skills to students; teaching is the
process of providing opportunitiesfor students to produce relatively permanent
change through the engagement in experiences provided by theteacher.

Merits
The teacher leader is well versed in adult learning theory and uses that knowledge to
create a community of collective responsibility within his or her school. In promoting
this collaborative culture among fellow teachers, administrators, and other school

leaders, the teacher leader ensures improvement in educator instruction and,

consequently, student learning.

The ways teachers can lead are as varied as teachers themselves.

Ten Roles for Teacher Leaders

Cindy Harrison and Joellen Killion
The ways teachers can lead are as varied as teachers themselves.
Teacher leaders assume a wide range of roles to support school and student success. Whether these
roles are assigned formally or shared informally, they build the entire school's capacity to improve.
Because teachers can lead in a variety of ways, many teachers can serve as leaders among their peers.
So what are some of the leadership options available to teachers? The following 10 roles are a sampling
of the many ways teachers can contribute to their schools' success.

1. Resource Provider
Teachers help their colleagues by sharing instructional resources. These might include Web sites,
instructional materials, readings, or other resources to use with students. They might also share such
professional resources as articles, books, lesson or unit plans, and assessment tools.
Tinisha becomes a resource provider when she offers to help Carissa, a new staff member in her second
career, set up her classroom. Tinisha gives Carissa extra copies of a number line for her students to use,
signs to post on the wall that explain to students how to get help when the teacher is busy, and the gradelevel language arts pacing guide.

2. Instructional Specialist
An instructional specialist helps colleagues implement effective teaching strategies. This help might
include ideas for differentiating instruction or planning lessons in partnership with fellow teachers.
Instructional specialists might study research-based classroom strategies (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock,
2001); explore which instructional methodologies are appropriate for the school; and share findings with
colleagues.

When his fellow science teachers share their frustration with students' poorly written lab reports, Jamal
suggests that they invite several English teachers to recommend strategies for writing instruction. With
two English teachers serving as instructional specialists, the science teachers examine a number of lab
reports together and identify strengths and weaknesses. The English teachers share strategies they use
in their classes to improve students' writing.

3. Curriculum Specialist
Understanding content standards, how various components of the curriculum link together, and how to
use the curriculum in planning instruction and assessment is essential to ensuring consistent curriculum
implementation throughout a school. Curriculum specialists lead teachers to agree on standards, follow
the adopted curriculum, use common pacing charts, and develop shared assessments.
Tracy, the world studies team leader, works with the five language arts and five social studies teachers in
her school. Using standards in English and social studies as their guides, the team members agree to
increase the consistency in their classroom curriculums and administer common assessments. Tracy
suggests that the team develop a common understanding of the standards and agrees to facilitate the
development and analysis of common quarterly assessments.

4. Classroom Supporter
Classroom supporters work inside classrooms to help teachers implement new ideas, often by
demonstrating a lesson, coteaching, or observing and giving feedback. Blase and Blase (2006) found that
consultation with peers
enhanced teachers' self-efficacy (teachers' belief in their own abilities and capacity to successfully solve
teaching and learning problems) as they reflected on practice and grew together, and it also encouraged
a bias for action (improvement through collaboration) on the part of teachers. (p. 22)
Marcia asks Yolanda for classroom support in implementing nonlinguistic representation strategies, such
as graphic organizers, manipulatives, and kinesthetic activities (Marzano et al., 2001). Yolanda agrees to
plan and teach a lesson with Marcia that integrates several relevant strategies. They ask the principal for
two half-days of professional release time, one for learning more about the strategy and planning a lesson
together, and the other for coteaching the lesson to Marcia's students and discussing it afterward.

5. Learning Facilitator
Facilitating professional learning opportunities among staff members is another role for teacher leaders.
When teachers learn with and from one another, they can focus on what most directly improves student

learning. Their professional learning becomes more relevant, focused on teachers' classroom work, and
aligned to fill gaps in student learning. Such communities of learning can break the norms of isolation
present in many schools.
Frank facilitates the school's professional development committee and serves as the committee's
language arts representative. Together, teachers plan the year's professional development program using
a backmapping model (Killion, 2001). This model begins with identifying student learning needs, teachers'
current level of knowledge and skills in the target areas, and types of learning opportunities that different
groups of teachers need. The committee can then develop and implement a professional development
plan on the basis of their findings.

6. Mentor
Serving as a mentor for novice teachers is a common role for teacher leaders. Mentors serve as role
models; acclimate new teachers to a new school; and advise new teachers about instruction, curriculum,
procedure, practices, and politics. Being a mentor takes a great deal of time and expertise and makes a
significant contribution to the development of a new professional.
Ming is a successful teacher in her own 1st grade classroom, but she has not assumed a leadership role
in the school. The principal asks her to mentor her new teammate, a brand-new teacher and a recent
immigrant from the Philippines. Ming prepares by participating in the district's three-day training on
mentoring. Her role as a mentor will not only include helping her teammate negotiate the district, school,
and classroom, but will also include acclimating her colleague to the community. Ming feels proud as she
watches her teammate develop into an accomplished teacher.

7. School Leader
Being a school leader means serving on a committee, such as a school improvement team; acting as a
grade-level or department chair; supporting school initiatives; or representing the school on community or
district task forces or committees. A school leader shares the vision of the school, aligns his or her
professional goals with those of the school and district, and shares responsibility for the success of the
school as a whole.
Joshua, staff sponsor of the student council, offers to help the principal engage students in the school
improvement planning process. The school improvement team plans to revise its nearly 10-year-old vision
and wants to ensure that students' voices are included in the process. Joshua arranges a daylong
meeting for 10 staff members and 10 students who represent various views of the school experience,
from nonattenders to grade-level presidents. Joshua works with the school improvement team facilitator

to ensure that the activities planned for the meeting are appropriate for students so that students will
actively participate.

8. Data Coach
Although teachers have access to a great deal of data, they do not often use that data to drive classroom
instruction. Teacher leaders can lead conversations that engage their peers in analyzing and using this
information to strengthen instruction.
Carol, the 10th grade language arts team leader, facilitates a team of her colleagues as they look at the
results of the most recent writing sample, a teacher-designed assessment given to all incoming 10th
grade students. Carol guides teachers as they discuss strengths and weaknesses of students' writing
performance as a group, as individuals, by classrooms, and in disaggregated clusters by race, gender,
and previous school. They then plan instruction on the basis of this data.

9. Catalyst for Change

Teacher leaders can also be catalysts for change, visionaries who are never content with the status quo
but rather always looking for a better way (Larner, 2004, p. 32). Teachers who take on the catalyst role
feel secure in their own work and have a strong commitment to continual improvement. They pose
questions to generate analysis of student learning.
In a faculty meeting, Larry expresses a concern that teachers may be treating some students differently
from others. Students who come to him for extra assistance have shared their perspectives, and Larry
wants teachers to know what students are saying. As his colleagues discuss reasons for low student
achievement, Larry challenges them to explore data about the relationship between race and discipline
referrals in the school. When teachers begin to point fingers at students, he encourages them to examine
how they can change their instructional practices to improve student engagement and achievement.

10. Learner
Among the most important roles teacher leaders assume is that of learner. Learners model continual
improvement, demonstrate lifelong learning, and use what they learn to help all students achieve.
Manuela, the school's new bilingual teacher, is a voracious learner. At every team or faculty meeting, she
identifies something new that she is trying in her classroom. Her willingness to explore new strategies is
infectious. Other teachers, encouraged by her willingness to discuss what works and what doesn't, begin
to talk about their teaching and how it influences student learning. Faculty and team meetings become a

forum in which teachers learn from one another. Manuela's commitment to and willingness to talk about
learning break down barriers of isolation that existed among teachers.

Roles for All

Teachers exhibit leadership in multiple, sometimes overlapping, ways. Some leadership roles are formal
with designated responsibilities. Other more informal roles emerge as teachers interact with their peers.
The variety of roles ensures that teachers can find ways to lead that fit their talents and interests.
Regardless of the roles they assume, teacher leaders shape the culture of their schools, improve student
learning, and influence practice among their peers.

Reference: http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept07/vol65/num01/TenRoles-for-Teacher-Leaders.aspx

Teachers have various levels of school leadership qualities. Some are learned and some are part of
their personality. Great teachers possess a combination of leadership qualities that are respected by
the students, parents, peers and the community. They can accomplish important tasks because of
this connection they have with their profession and the people they touch through it.

Commitment to the students and educators

When one talks about a persons commitment to teaching, they are speaking of a deep connection
with many people throughout the organization.

They are dedicated to providing each student the best possible environment and tools for learning.
They work with the parents to understand what challenges the students may have to learning and
what approaches might work best with them individually.
They engage their coworkers for input on how to structure their lesson plans and teaching style to be
the best educator.
Great teachers are also highly involved with the institution to create the highest quality educational
opportunities for the students attending.
A few areas in which a teacher can get involved outside of the classroom include:

Committees to determine the optimum amount of time students should spend in different
subjects

Student teacher mentoring programs to orient and coach new teachers

Projects to review and recommend new approaches to homework

Passionate about teaching and learning

As a leader, teachers are always practicing their art and learning how to improve their techniques.
They listen in class for opportunities to teach. One students question can drive an entire lesson plan
from which all students will benefit. Teachers are not looking for short answers. They look for
explanations that present several concepts and perspectives to the students.
These teachers watch their peers and learn from their teaching styles. They ask to be observed and
for feedback on how to reach the students in their classroom. They are open to suggestions and to
trying new things. They know how to quickly adjust their style.
They will be involved in activities that improve teaching within the organization:

Lead a group to review and comment on the adopted approaches to teaching various topics

Deliver presentations to student teachers on best practices within the classroom

Research alternative classroom assessment methods and present to the administration

Collaboration with others

Teachers know that the best way to be successful is to work with others to create a quality teaching
environment. They will look for those with similar passions and solicit support from people at all
levels within the school system. They maintain the respect from others for their high quality of
teaching standards, and they give recognition to others for their approaches. They know that they
cant do it all by themselves so the teacher looks for others with the right skills to help and support.
They also dont take all of the credit for success. They share it throughout the team with which they
work.
They may choose to work on a number of projects with others in the school system:

Gather information about the best professional development opportunities for teachers

Create an in-service program to team teach alternative classroom techniques

Review current school recognition policies and make recommendations on additional ways to
reward teachers

Communication and rapport

Great teachers are great communicators. They know the best ways to interact with students, parents,
faculty and coworkers. They are skilled at listening and respect the opinions and ideas of others.
Teachers know how to communicate their own ideas so others will understand. They look for
different ways to communicate knowing that people are receptive to various techniques:

Create a classroom or department newsletter

Research approaches to holding parent/teacher conferences

Present different speaking styles to teachers to try in the classroom

Embracing change
Throughout every teachers career a number of changes will occur. The class profile can be different
from year to year. The materials used in the classroom changes. Administration and policies change.
A great teacher knows this and anticipates change. They are courageous about trying new things
and arent hesitant to make adjustments until they are as effective as they can be.

Change gives teachers the opportunity to perform their roles even better. So rather than waiting until
they are directed, they seek out ways to improve. They know this not only benefits themselves, but
also the students and faculty with which they work. Some proactive approaches to change they
might use include:

Personal and professional development classes

Substitute teaching in other types of school settings

Observing the changes made by other teachers and facilities

Refernce: http://education.cu-portland.edu/blog/ed-leadership/5-school-leadership-qualitiesevery-teacher-possess/

Conclusion
In this age of high accountability, teacher quality is receiving more attention than ever before.
Research that investigates ways to increase teacher quality is much needed, making this study a
timely addition to the literature. Although increases in student achievement related to teacher
quality have yet to be adequately documented, the research is promising. The purpose of the
research presented in the study is twofold: (1) to summarize findings through a comprehensive
review of the teacher leadership literature and (2) to develop a conceptual framework based on
that summary that can guide both current practice and future inquiry about teacher leadership.

Teachers who are committed to their profession have similar qualities to leaders in other areas. They
are not just thinking about themselves, but how their efforts will produce successes for all of those
who are a part of their profession.
Reference: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/what-does-research-tell-us-about-teacherleadership
A teacher leader has a passion for both teaching students and assisting learners of all ages as well.
Peer teachers have the greatest influence on other teachers in impacting school-wide change and
driving improvements in the classrooms. The teacher leadership structure may be formalized or
teachers might informally evolve into a supportive role. This role includes providing individual or
group assistance in a number of areas: curriculum, instruction, classroom management, professional
development, mentoring, data coaching, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Assume you are a teacher who transferred from Autocratic High School to Empowerment High
School. You meet several veteran teachers that welcome you to the school and offer assistance. At
Autocratic High School there was a formal structure where one teacher with administrative
certification was appointed as a Curriculum Supervisor. She worked with the administration and
provided professional development workshops for teachers. You discover that Empowerment High
School does not have this supportive position. Instead, it has several teacher leaders who share their
expertise and talents in an informal structure.
Principal Strong introduces the teachers and praises their collective leadership and assistive roles,
which result in increased student achievement. Mr. Cash is successful in acquiring grant funding,
training on technology instructional resources, and analyzing student performance data. Mrs. Wise
work with teachers on curriculum, instructional strategies, and assessment techniques. One teacher
tells you, 'Mr. Steady really helped me improve my classroom management skills last year.' You

notice that these teachers also facilitate professional development sessions. You are impressed by
how involved the teachers are outside of their own classrooms.
During the school year, you notice that teacher leaders have certain quality characteristics.

Reference: http://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-a-teacherleader-definition-characteristics.html