Examining theoretical aspects of teachers as leaders developed as part of the GeoCapabilities teacher training course. The leadership systems and teacher involvement in participative design are considered

1. Project partners
Twycross
School
http://www.geocapabilities.orghttp://www.geocapabilities.org
GeoCapabilities
Teacher Leadership

2. Project partners
Twycross
School
http://www.geocapabilities.orghttp://www.geocapabilities.org
Teacher Leadership
• Teacher leadership is a term for high school
classroom educators who take on responsibilities
• Teachers are empowered to undertake tasks like
managing teaching, learning, and resource
allocation
• Teacher-leaders increase collaboration with peers
Kolderie, T. (2014). The Split Screen Strategy: Improvement + Innovation: How to Get
Education Changing the Way Successful Systems Change. Beaver’s Pond Press, Edina,
MN. http://www.educationevolving.org/pdf/Book-Innovation-Plus-Improvement.pdf

3. Project partners
Twycross
School
http://www.geocapabilities.orghttp://www.geocapabilities.org
Teacher Leadership
Leadership roles involve the following domains:
• Focus on Learning
• Monitoring teaching and learning
• Building nested learning communities
• Acquiring and allocating resources
• Establishing a safe and effective learning
environment (Warren, 2015)
Warren LL (2015), The Influence of Teacher Leaders in Education Policy Development, Journal of
Education and Social Polic, 2(5) 17-20, http://jespnet.com/journals/Vol_2_No_5_December_2015/3.pdf

4. Project partners
Twycross
School
http://www.geocapabilities.orghttp://www.geocapabilities.org
Teacher Leadership
• Teachers make decisions based on the work
they do directly with students and with
other teachers
Halverson, R; Kelley, C. Shaw, J. (2013). Comprehensive Assessment of Leadership for Learning:
Formative Assessment for School-Wide Improvement. Submitted as a conference paper for the 2013
Annual Conference of the University Council for Education Administration.

5. Project partners
Twycross
School
http://www.geocapabilities.orghttp://www.geocapabilities.org
Leadership Systems (1)
Four types of system have been distinguished:
1. Administration Leadership – traditional –
educational - administrative staff carries out the
majority of the leadership duties.
2. Teacher Networks - professional learning
community - community of practice – all teachers
collectively take on decision-making roles about
curriculum and school - facilitated by and supported
by an administrative leader

6. Project partners
Twycross
School
http://www.geocapabilities.orghttp://www.geocapabilities.org
Leadership Systems (2)
3. Teacher Leaders – teaching leadership - some
teachers take on individual leadership roles that
directly impact educational practices under the
leadership of a school administrator
4. Teacher Co-operative – teacher-powered schools –
teacherpreneurs - all teachers collectively take on
leadership and administrative tasks that would
traditionally be done by an administrative team
Halverson, R; Kelley, C. Shaw, J. (2013). Comprehensive Assessment of Leadership for Learning:
Formative Assessment for School-Wide Improvement. Submitted as a conference paper for the 2013
Annual Conference of the University Council for Education Administration.

7. Project partners
Twycross
School
http://www.geocapabilities.orghttp://www.geocapabilities.org
Leadership Artefacts
• Spillane et al. (2004) identify some issues
related to daily leadership activity
• They confirm ‘designed artefacts’ in leadership
practice is very important.
• Designed artefacts help in dealing with
complex issues.
Spillane, J; Halverson, R; Diamond, J. (2004). Towards a Theory of Leadership Practice: a
distributed perspective. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 36(1) 3-34,
http://ddis.wceruw.org/docs/spillanehalversondiamond2004jcs.pdf

8. Project partners
Twycross
School
http://www.geocapabilities.orghttp://www.geocapabilities.org
Collaborative design
• Teacher involvement in collaborative design of
curriculum is a form of professional development
• Based on situatedness, agency and cyclical nature of
change (Voogt et al., 2015)
• Situatedness - creation of curricular materials used for
own classroom practice
• Agency - teachers’ voice – expressing ideas
• Nature of Learning and Change – cyclical design approach
Voogt, J., Laferrière, T., Breuleux, A., Itow, R.C., Hickey, D.T. and McKenney, S., 2015. Collaborative
design as a form of professional development. Instructional science, 43(2), pp.259-282,
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11251-014-9340-7/fulltext.html .

9. Project partners
Twycross
School
http://www.geocapabilities.orghttp://www.geocapabilities.org
Participative Designers (Cober et al., 2015)
As leaders, teachers are participative designers, they
contribute from design to implementation by:
• engaging in theoretical discussion
• active participation in a design partnership
• reflection about pedagogy and practice, and
• experimentation in the classroom
In an atmosphere of trust and inclusion
Cober, R., Tan, E., Slotta, J., So, H.J. and Könings, K.D., 2015. Teachers as participatory designers: Two
case studies with technology-enhanced learning environments. Instructional Science, 43(2), pp.203-228,
http://tinyurl.com/jcuqxoe