Introduction

Abstract

The field of teacher leadership has evolved over time. When explaining how the field has changed, scholars often cite the classic study conducted in 2000 by Silva, Gimbert, and Nolan. These three researchers claim that teacher leadership has experienced “three different waves” (p. 779). In the first wave, schools created the managerial roles of department head, master teacher, and union representatives for teachers who were interested in serving in leadership roles. These positions focused on maintaining the effectiveness and efficiency of the school. The second wave was a time when schools narrowed their focus and tapped into teachers’ in-depth knowledge of instruction. Teacher leaders were colleagues who used their pedagogical expertise to improve the school by fulfilling roles such as team leader, curriculum developer, and staff developer. The third wave focused on ways to enhance the school’s culture. To bring about this change, teacher leaders were asked to: collaborate with other teachers; discuss common problems; share approaches to various learning situations; explore ways to overcome the structural constraints of limited time, space, resources, and restrictive policies; or investigate motivational strategies to bring students to a deeper engagement with their learning. (Silva et al., 2000, p. 781) Stated another way, teacher leaders in the third wave participated actively in the daily work of school and colleagues.