From Following to Leading: Growing Teacher Leaders

Dr. Carter studied the process of seven teachers engaged experiencing, growing, and becoming teacher leaders. Teacher leadership, for the most part, is an informal part of public education. Research shows that school leadership and classroom teachers have the largest effect on student achievement. The process of becoming a teacher leader is a complex and nuanced experience. Dr. Carter took a qualitative, phenomenological approach to study what teacher experience as they become teacher leaders within their schools. The findings from this study may help school leaders and communities identify how they can raise teacher leaders with support, theory, professional development, and activities. The promise is that well trained teacher leaders within schools can help transform school culture and raise student achievement.