Teacher leadership and organizational development

Teacher leadership is increasingly being seen as a key vehicle for school improvement and renewal. However, research on this phenomenon is limited, especially outside of the USA. This article presents findings from the empirical evidence exploring both the ways in which teacher leadership can influence school and teacher development, and what in-school factors can help or hinder the development of teacher leadership in schools. The research shows that a range of conditions need to be in place in schools for teacher leadership to be successful, including a culture of trust and support, structures that support teacher leadership but are clear and transparent, strong leadership, with the head usually being the originator of teacher leadership, and engagement in innovative forms of professional development.