ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a conceptual model and rich narratives that describe the contexts in which teacher leadership emerges and the many ways that leadership is enacted. Teachers often began with a focus on their own learning and classroom teaching and later moved into other leadership spheres. The broader literature on teacher leadership posits the notion that school leadership involves the interaction of all participants working toward a shared vision of quality learning for all students. Some teachers focused on improving teaching and learning within their own classrooms, while others moved beyond their classrooms to influence broader change in their schools. Teachers working in isolation were often taking courses, reading informally on a topic to improve their instructional repertoire or experimenting with new practices. While examples of formal leadership existed less often in our case studies, the school-wide improvement efforts and leadership teams sometimes produced formal leadership activity.
