Developing teacher leadership and its impact in schools

Leadership of teachers is considered as one of the key factors for innovation and quality improvement in schools. However, as leadership qualities are not a standard element in initial teacher education programs, arrangements for professional development of teachers in schools needs to address the development of teacher leadership qualities.
This book focuses on two questions: what learning arrangements are effective in supporting teachers in developing their leadership qualities? And to what extent and under what conditions can development of the leadership qualities impact practices in school?
Based on an analysis of trends and developments in post-initial teacher education, three possible learning arrangements for developing teacher leadership are identified, a school-centered arrangement (in an academic development school), an institutional-centered arrangement (through a formal university-driven Master's program), and a partnership arrangement (through a partnership-driven Master's program).
These three arrangement are the context for three empirical case studies which show the impact of the learning arrangements on leadership qualities of teachers and the impact on working practices and leadership practices in schools. In the analysis of the case studies, theories on transfer and boundary crossing are used. The case studies show that introducing and strengthening teacher leadership in schools requires learning arrangements that combine a focus on individual professional development and on school development. Learning arrangements like a Master's program can be considered as boundary zones, linking the school context and university context. In such a boundary zone, contexts are created in which Master's students, their head teachers from the school and teachers from the university are engaged in a meaningful dialogue on providing the best possible learning context for pupils.