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5 stages on the path to equity

By Learning Forward
Categories: Teacher leadership
June 2011
Vol. 32 No. 3
 Teachers are leaders when they function in professional learning communities to effect student learning; contribute to school improvement; inspire excellence in practice; and empower stakeholders to participate in educational improvement” (Childs-Bowen, Moller, & Scrivner, 2000). From an equity perspective, teachers also lead when they serve as change agents who collaborate to use equity-based approaches to meet the needs of diverse learners and to build on the strengths of their colleagues (James-Wilson, 2007). In both definitions, teacher leadership is inseparable from empowerment as teachers need to be empowered to lead and supported to sustain their efforts.   The five-stage empowerment trajectory is a framework for sustaining teacher leadership development programs. Researchers developed the framework as a result of a study focused on the ways in which teacher

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Authors

Sonia James-Wilson and Michele Hancock

Sonia James-Wilson ([email protected]) is principal consultant of Catalyst Research and Development in Rochester, N.Y. Michele Hancock ([email protected]) is superintendent of Kenosha (Wis.) Unified School District No. 1. 

References

Acker-Hocevar, M. & Touchton, D. (1999, April). A model of power as social relationships: Teacher leaders describe the phenomena of effective agency in practice. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Buckner, K.G. & McDowelle, J.O. (2000, May). Developing teacher leaders: Providing encouragement, opportunities, and support. NASSP Bulletin, 84(616), 35-41.

Childs-Bowen, D., Moller, G., & Scrivner, J. (2000, May). Principals: Leaders of leaders. NASSP Bulletin, 84(616), 27-34.

Corallo, C. (1995). Influences on the development of informal teacher leaders (Doctoral dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1995). Dissertation Abstracts International, 56(12), 4618 A.

Garcia, S.B. & Guerra, P.L. (2004, February). Deconstructing deficit thinking: Working with educators to create more equitable learning environments. Education and Urban Society, 36(2), 150-168.

Hancock, M. (2008). Teacher leadership in urban elementary schools. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY.

Hart, A.W. (1994, November). Creating teacher leadership roles. Educational Administration Quarterly, 30(4), 472-497.

James-Wilson, S.V. (2007). Centering equity and social justice in teacher leadership. The Journal of Educational Administration and Foundations, 18(1&2), 127-146.

Roy, P. & Hord, S. (2003). Moving NSDC’s staff development standards into practice: Innovation Configurations, Volume I. Oxford, OH: NSDC.

Rubin, H. (2002). Collaborative leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Sabatini, E.M. (2002). Teacher’s perspectives on emergent teacher leadership in an elementary school (Doctoral dissertation, University of Georgia, 2002). Dissertation Abstracts International-A, 63(11), 3809.

York-Barr, J. & Duke, K. (2004, Fall). What do we know about teacher leadership? Findings from two decades of scholarship. Review of Educational Research, 74(3), 265-292.


Learning Forward is the only professional association devoted exclusively to those who work in educator professional development. We help our members plan, implement, and measure high-quality professional learning so they can achieve success with their systems, schools, and students.


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