WestEd News
Teacher Leadership Works – It Builds, Energizes, Sustains
This post was written by Pamela Fong, Research Associate with the Innovation Studies program at WestEd.
Teacher leaders do something better than no others. With their boots-on-the-ground experience and credibility as teachers, these leaders can influence other teachers in positive ways. Among their colleagues, teacher leaders are trusted sounding boards, friends, mentors, collaborative partners, and leaders.
In this issue of CenterView, the Center for the Future of Teaching & Learning at WestEd reports on its recent survey of more than 500 teacher leaders and more than 2,500 teachers receiving instructional support from a teacher leader.
Below are a few key findings:
- Eighty-nine percent of teacher leaders feel prepared to support or lead professional learning for other teachers
- Ninety-five percent of teachers engaged in sustained professional learning with a teacher leader reported greatly or somewhat increased confidence in standards-aligned teaching
- Ninety-three percent of teachers reported greatly or somewhat stronger teacher collaboration at their site from their year of participating in teacher-led professional learning
For teachers who are experts at their craft, who want to remain in the classroom, and who have the capacity to lead, being a teacher leader offers overwhelmingly positive benefits for their professional growth, the instructional practices of their peers, and the improvement of school culture.
Posted on March 13, 2018