ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights six elementary school teacher leaders in the Eanes Independent School District in Austin, Texas, who facilitated professional development on their campuses. The curriculum focused on teacher leadership; leadership theory; and models of professional development, including professional learning community (PLC), peer coaching, teacher study groups, mentoring, and action research. PLCs are characterized by six attributes: supportive leadership, common vision, intentional collective learning, physical and structural conditions, collegial relationships, and shared practice. As the teacher leader in charge of the PLC, Sandy Crump deliberately spent time in the beginning building positive collegial relationships. Students in the schools benefited from the teacher leaders and PLCs. The teachers who participated in the PLCs reaped rewards from the teacher leaders and from the other PLC participants. The schools and district benefited from the teacher leaders and PLCs. The daily management of the PLCs provided opportunities for reflection on teaching and on the PLCs in general.
