Conceptualization and Enactment of Teacher Leadership Practice in Rural Schools

Abstract

Teacher leadership has emerged as a prominent element of school reform over the last three decades. Researchers have concluded that teacher leadership has the potential to improve teaching and learning and, ultimately, increase student achievement. Though a great deal is written about teacher leadership, a need for empirical research exists, specifically in rural schools. Rural schools, due to their many distinctive characteristics, circumstances, and challenges, offer a unique opportunity to explore the concept of teacher leadership. Although rural schools have fewer formal leadership roles, they can be a rich source of unique and more teacher-initiated forms of teacher leadership. This chapter shares the findings of a qualitative case study in which the conceptualization and enactment of teacher leadership in a rural school were examined. Key to this study were the identification and the participation of certified educators who were working in a rural school district with a positive school climate and culture that could support teacher leadership.