Teacher Leadership: Voices of Backbone Teachers in China

• In Event: 25.068 - Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: 25.068-18 - Teacher Education

Abstract

This research drew data from a larger study that investigated the applicability of teacher leadership, a notion originated in the U.S. context, to the educational settings in China. Using a case study method, data were collected from interviews, observations, and documents. The current research focused on the Chinese lead teachers, also known as Backbone Teachers, their understanding and interpretation of teacher leadership. Some preliminary findings included the differentiation between espoused and actual roles, hesitation in claiming the teacher leader identity, and mediation effect that school contexts have on community consensus regarding teacher leadership. This study offered comparative insights that could extend contextualized knowledge of teacher leadership.

Authors

• Jia Grace Liang, Kansas State University

• Feiye Wang, East China Normal University