Abstract
The purpose of this study is to reveal the perceptions of school administrators, teachers, students and parents on characteristics as well as attitudes and behaviours of teacher leaders. Phenomenological research design from qualitative rmethods was employed in this study. The participants were selected from school administrators, teachers, students and parents through maximum diversity sampling method. Data analyses relied on content analyses technique. The findings of the study showed that school administrators and teachers attribute some traits, such as being knowledgeable and leader to teacher leaders, whereas students attach more importance to being reliable, fair and egalitarian. Parents, on the other hand, consider teachers who are friendly and impressive as leaders. It was found in the study that teacher leaders enhance the student learning, become role models and advocate strong collaboration with colleagues. As a result, it can be said that teacher leaders are those having the potential to attract others to follow him / her.
Highlights
Teachers have been considered as employees of school administrators due to an autocratic management style for a long history
It can be said that school administrators cannot take the responsibility to take decisions or to make policy on their owns since different stakeholders who have authority, status and power on school administration have a voice in educational processes (Cranston & Kusanovich, 2016)
When we examine the studies about teacher leadership, it can be seen that the studies on the identity of teacher leaders are relatively much more than any other related themes about teacher leadership
Summary
Teachers have been considered as employees of school administrators due to an autocratic management style for a long history From this perspective, it can be argued that teachers, since regarded as employees, have been performing their professions in a silence way without interfering anything outside the classroom because they don‘t have the authority to question their seniors in school organizations. With a contemporary management philosophy, current school leaders, have been in effort to seek for supports of all stakeholders, especially teachers (Gabriel, 2005) Within this context, it can be said that school administrators cannot take the responsibility to take decisions or to make policy on their owns since different stakeholders who have authority, status and power on school administration have a voice in educational processes (Cranston & Kusanovich, 2016). School principals who want to reveal strong leadership skills in the organization must consider the power in a different way rather than the traditional perspective and must be willing to share the stage with others (Murphy, 2005)
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