Distributed but Undefined: New Teacher Leader Roles to Change Schools

Abstract

This article examines teacher leader role development and definition by looking at one emergent model of distributed leadership: the hybrid teacher leader (HTL). HTLs are teachers whose official schedule includes both teaching K–12 students and leading teachers in some capacity. Participants included six HTLs across four school districts over 2 years, as well as their administrators. Extensive qualitative data were collected and subsequently analyzed, including interviews, on-site observations, and artifacts. Findings included a pervasive lack of role definition for the HTLs amid heightened organizational complexity, leading to numerous de facto definitions emerging. Conflicting de facto definitions led to diminished success for the HTLs, relationship deterioration, a reversion to professional development removed from the classroom, and a lack of capacity to account for HTL efficacy. The study concludes that for new teacher leaders to be successful, states and districts will need to much more clearly define roles and priorities and be specific about how budget-compensated teacher leader time is used.

Beyond Good Teaching Practices: Language Teacher Leadership From the Learners’ Perspective

“…Killion and Harrison (2006) suggest additional roles such as instructional and curriculum specialist, resource provider, learning facilitator, school leader, and catalyst for change, among others. Some scholars have suggested that it entails even more intensive roles, such as being involved in policy matters (Margolis & Huggins, 2012;Muijs & Harris, 2003) and being partly responsible for change in the whole school organization (Carpenter & Sherretz, 2012;Vernon-Dotson & Floyd, 2012).…”

Distributed Leadership in Schools

“…Identifying and categorizing the teacher leader positions helps to once again validate the leadership already taking place in schools community members other than administrators. Margolis and Huggins' (2012) work underscores the fact that much of the transformation to a distributed model is more importantly a validation and legitimization of leadership that is already happening. Firestone and Distributed Leadership 13 Martinez's (2007) work has focused on how teacher leaders can influence teaching practice and the relationship between teacher leaders and districts in educational change.…”

“…Most importantly, Barth (2001) continues the conversation about what teachers gain by leading: "[Teachers] experience a reduction in isolation; …satisfaction that comes from improving their schools; a sense of instrumentality, investment, and membership in the school community; and new learning about schools, about the process of change, and about themselves" (Barth, 2001, p. 449) Powerful and transformative things can happen when leadership is shared across a school. Margolis and Huggins (2012) and Firestone and Martinez (2007) continued to show how leadership distribution is already happening. Margolis and Huggins (2012) documented "Hybrid teacher leaders" who have formalized schedules that include both teaching students and leading teachers.…”

“…Margolis and Huggins (2012) and Firestone and Martinez (2007) continued to show how leadership distribution is already happening. Margolis and Huggins (2012) documented "Hybrid teacher leaders" who have formalized schedules that include both teaching students and leading teachers. Their study attempted to define and categorize hybrid teachers' job descriptions, where funding for these positions came from, and other aspects of this particular model.…”

“…Another notable study by Margolis and Huggins (2012) identifies the importance of clarity and accountability in defining distributed leadership roles for teachers. In a rigorous quantitative study, the researchers found that teacher leaders working in a distributed leadership model faced challenges that emerged from conflicting or non-existent job descriptions and relational deterioration among co-workers.…”