Teacher Leadership Exploration

For my Special Education Specialist course, we were asked to review several resources provided by our professor and select one link that resonated with us for deeper exploration.


Chosen Link: 

https://www.air.org/GTL-Center


The quote from the AIR - Center on Great Teachers and Leaders, “Strengthening the educator workforce to meet the needs of today’s classrooms requires a deliberate effort to prioritize and integrate evidence‑based strategies, policies, and practices,” stood out to me because it affirms my belief that teacher leadership is not accidental. Instead it is intentional, strategic, and grounded in research-informed practice. 


Resource 1: https://www.erudit.org/en/journals/ijepl/2025-v21-n3-ijepl010423/1121578ar.pdf 

To deepen my understanding, I explored an article that examined a decade of research on teacher leadership and its impact on school and system‑level change. The review highlighted that, under the right conditions, teacher leadership can contribute to the process of school and system change.

Harris and Jones (2019), found that teachers often serve as the instigators, implementers, and co‑constructors of educational change and reform. Similarly, Donohoo (2018) argued that transformative and empowering outcomes are only possible when teachers are positioned at the forefront of educational reform efforts. The article also drew on findings from Nguyen et al. (2020), who identified three essential dimensions linking teacher leadership to school and system change: first, teacher leaders exert significant influence within their roles; second, they extend their impact beyond formal responsibilities by initiating and sharing innovative practices; and third, they cultivate strong, positive pedagogical approaches that radiate outward, shaping the learning experiences of students beyond their own classrooms.

Together, these insights reinforce the idea that teacher leadership is a deliberate, evidence‑driven force capable of shaping the future of education.

Resource 2: https://atrico.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Datnow2020_Article_TheRoleOfTeachersInEducational.pdf

I found a second resource because I wanted a more personal perspective on how teacher leadership can initiate meaningful change. The article by Amanda Datnow (2020) offers exactly that, drawing on her 20 years of teaching and research experience. Datnow reflects on her early work in a restructuring school in the 1990s, where she and a group of educators examined the detracking of racially mixed schools. Their work centered on social justice, focusing particularly on Latinx students who had historically been underserved. The team’s goal was to design and deliver high‑quality, rigorous instruction for all students, ensuring that Latinx learners were no longer marginalized by structural inequities.

What began as a small research initiative involving 10 schools gradually expanded as other schools adopted the practices, and eventually policy followed. Datnow’s narrative illustrates how teacher‑led inquiry, grounded in equity, can spark broader educational reform.

This article connects directly to the AIR quote because Datnow and her colleagues made a deliberate, evidence‑informed choice to create accessible, high‑quality learning experiences for all students, regardless of socioeconomic status or ethnicity. Their work exemplifies how intentional teacher leadership, rooted in justice and research, can drive lasting systemic change.

Both resources are significant to me because they affirm and deepen my belief that teacher leadership is a deliberate, evidence‑driven, and equity‑centered practice. They reinforce the kind of educator I aspire to be; someone who leads with intention, advocates for dignity and access, and contributes to meaningful school and system change through everyday decisions.

Inquiry Question

Datnow’s story shows teachers leading detracking work rooted in social justice. How do we ensure that teacher leadership efforts today remain grounded in equity rather than efficiency or compliance?


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