Examining Teacher Leader Advocacy as Supported by a Professional Development Network

• In Event: Seeking Social Justice: Teacher Leadership for Equity, Inclusion, and Advocacy

Abstract

There is a need to learn more about teacher advocacy on behalf of students who are disadvantaged. The literature presents teachers as activists whose primary goal is advocating on behalf of students. Picower (2012) identified teachers who organized their classrooms to be both democratic and caring learning spaces, utilizing place-based and culturally-relevant instructional approaches to empower students. Such teacher-activists are motivated because they share similar cultural backgrounds or educational experiences with their students (Collay, 2010). Additionally, they seek solidarity with other teachers through collective struggle on behalf of their students rather than themselves (Stern & Brown, 2016, p. 351). Yet, advocacy is difficult for many teachers, especially when the student groups who need advocates have been marginalized from the community. Larrabee and Morehead (2010) found that only six of 18 teachers were comfortable advocating for marginalized students. Common explanations for participants’ resistance to advocacy included that administrators would not support them and/or that advocacy was not their primary responsibility (Larrabee & Morehead, 2010). Thus, it is important to continue to study teacher advocacy for students who are marginalized within schools and communities.

Using a critical ethnographic approach to examine the “nature of social structure, power, culture, and human agency” in the pursuit of social change (Carspecken, 1996, p. 3), researchers examined these research questions: (a) In what ways do teacher leaders advocate for students who are disadvantaged in their schools? (c) How do the structures of a regional network support teachers to advocate individually or collectively?

Conceptual framework. Theories of ethical or moral leadership provide a context for examining teachers as agents of change and advocates for students toward social justice. Advocacy includes questioning the dehumanizing effect of the “use of power to achieve an individual’s ends only,” and working toward a new social vision (Foster, 1989, p. 55). These school leaders take an interest in social issues as they relate to the school, community, and world, and they work for change at all levels. They are ethical because they surpass their limitations, constantly challenging themselves to do what is right instead of what is uncomplicated (Cunningham & Cordeiro, 2000; Starratt, 1986).

Site profile. The HertsCam Network in England will be the site for the study. The Network supports teacher development within schools with a focus on teachers learning leadership practice through a school-based program and/or master’s degree. Teachers who participate learn how to become “change agents” and to advocate for highly effective teaching with a “moral purpose” in mind (HertsCam Network, 2017).

Methods and analysis. The researcher interviewed participants to explore their school-based leadership practice, and the ways that the Network supported this work (Carspecken, 1996). This is an opportunity to co-create data with participants through dialogue. The researcher conducted in-depth interviews with teachers, administrators, and professional staff. The dialogic process is cyclical in that the researcher engaged in multiple interview cycles in order to fully explore the possible meanings present in participants’ words and actions.

Authors

• Jill Bradley-Levine, Ball State University

• Sarah Lightfoot, University of Cambridge