The document discusses how distributing leadership roles throughout a school organization can foster teacher leadership. It provides an example of how Edison Schools restructured their traditional top-down leadership model by implementing leadership teams, academy directors, lead teachers, and senior teachers to give more teachers leadership responsibilities. This distributed structure allowed for inclusive decision-making, collaborative teams, and internal professional development opportunities. The results were improved student achievement and the school becoming popular with a waiting list. The conclusion is that organizational structures facilitating teacher leadership can change the nature and scope of teacher leadership while also fostering school success.

1. A Starring Role for Teachers: Dr. Camille Rutherford Faculty of Education Brock University Using Organizational Structure to Foster Teacher Leadership

2. Traditional School Leadership

3. Distributed School Leadership

4. Distributed Perspective The authority to lead is not exclusively located in formal positions, but is distributed throughout the organization (Muijs & Harris, 2003) Leadership is “stretched over people and place.” (Spillane & Sherer, 2004) Leadership = those activities that influence the knowledge, practice and motivation of others in the service of the organization’s core work (Spillane, 2006).

5. Edison Schools For-profit corporation District partnerships Charter schools Achievement management systems After school & summer school programing 76 Publicly funded, autonomous or semi-autonomous charter schools

6. Typical School Leadership Structure Principal Vice Principal Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers

7. Edison School Leadership Structure Leadership Team Senior Teacher Senior Teacher Senior Teacher Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Teachers Academy House House House Lead Teacher Academy House House House Lead Teacher Academy House House House Lead Teacher

8. Thomas Edison Elementary School Minutes from the U.S./Mexico border High student mobility +1,000 students 80% poor +48% ESL Ranked last in district

9. Broadening the Spotlight: Creating New Leadership Roles Academy Director

10. Broadening the Spotlight: Creating New Leadership Roles Academy Director Lead Teachers

11. Broadening the Spotlight: Creating New Leadership Roles Academy Director Lead Teachers Senior Teachers

12. Directing the Production: Shared Decision-Making Inclusive decision-making process Leadership team Committee system “ T he most important aspect of our school is the leadership team and how the power is distributed throughout. Not just one person but a whole group .”

13. Honing the Craft Professional Development Daily and weekly PD sessions. PD sessions designed and delivered by i nternal experts. Fostered the creation of a community of practice where teachers could learn and grow together.

14. Improved student achievement. “Armpit” school became a popular, overflowing school with a waiting list. Teacher leadership can foster school success Conclusions

15. Conclusions Fostered leadership by giving “a lot of different people the opportunity to be in a leading position.” Created leadership redundancies Three key structural elements are needed to facilitate teacher leadership Teacher leadership can foster school success

16. Facilitating Teacher Leadership Decision-Making

17. Facilitating Teacher Leadership Decision-Making Collaboration “Work together as teams to try and make sure that we are meeting those needs for the kids.”

18. Facilitating Teacher Leadership Decision-Making Collaboration “Work together as teams to try and make sure that we are meeting those needs for the kids. ” Professional Development

19. Conclusions Organizational structures that facilitate teacher leadership also have the potential to change the nature & scope of teacher leadership Nature Scope

20. The Nature of Teacher Leadership Pedagogy Curriculum Mentoring Data Analysis Budgets Administration

21. The Scope of Teacher Leadership

22. The Scope of Teacher Leadership

23. Classroom Centred Leadership

24. Starring Role in School Leadership