Examining Effective Teacher Leadership

This book examines the work of elementary-level, nonsupervisory, school-embedded, instructional teacher leader roles using research-based case studies. Instructional teacher leaders aim to help teachers develop the skills and knowledge necessary for continued instructional improvement and, ultimately, enhanced student learning. The authors use research to identify the fundamental components of instructional teacher leadership, which they present using actual school cases. For each case, the authors provide theoretical frameworks and activities to deepen understandings.

This research-based instructional resource:

• Illustrates the work of teacher leaders, the dilemmas they face, and the contexts within which they work.
• Facilitates the examination of teacher leadership from a variety of conceptual, theoretical, and analytical perspectives.
• Provides high-quality instructional materials for use in formal courses, professional development workshops, and by individuals engaged in teacher leadership.

Sara Ray Stoelinga is a senior research analyst at the Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago. Melinda M. Mangin is an assistant professor in educational administration at Michigan State University. Together the authors co-edited the recently published book Effective Teacher Leadership: Using Research to Inform and Reform.

“Sara Stoelinga and Melinda Mangin were among the first to recognize both the potential and the challenges of teacher leadership. . . . In their new book, they take the next important step to ensure that teacher leadership can succeed.”
—From the Foreword by Susan Moore Johnson, Harvard Graduate School of Education

“Clear. Authentic. Informative. Compelling. The authors capture many and varied realities of teachers who step into positions of leadership among their peers to advance teaching and learning. Most importantly, frameworks and strategies to support teacher leaders in this work also are offered. Required reading for teachers venturing into the realm of formal leadership positions.”
—Jennifer York-Barr, University of Minnesota

“It is rare in education literature to find a volume that succeeds, as this one does, in combining realistic portraits of professional practice with the analytical insights of academic research. This is an invaluable resource for improving our understanding of the role of instructional teacher leaders in education improvement.”
—Brian Lord, Education Development Center, Newton, MA