Principal Facilitation and Teacher Leadership Development: Beginning Teachers' Perspectives

• In Event: 14.044 - Roundtable Session 1
  In Roundtable Session: 14.044-11 - Leadership Development and Teaching

Abstract

Developing teacher leadership is an imperative means of empowering teachers and enhancing teacher professionalism. However, teachers’ perspectives, in particular those of beginning teachers, on developing their leadership as potential teacher leaders are often neglected. Using case study approach, this presentation aims to explore beginning teachers’ perspectives on their own teacher leadership development and how their school principal facilitation influenced such development. Results show that beginning teachers were willing to taken up the role of teacher leader in different ways. Two kinds of principal facilitation, ‘principal-delegated’ and ‘teacher-aspirated’ are identified. The findings indicate that both the teacher and principal play significant roles in fostering teacher leadership functions and developing teacher leadership capacity. Implications for school leaders and teacher educators are discussed.

Authors

• Annie Y.N. Cheng, The Education University of Hong Kong

• Elson S.Y. Szeto, The Education University of Hong Kong