Fostering Leadership in Educational Environments

It’s 8 a.m.

You step into the staff room and sit around a table full of peers and fellow teachers, with a cup of tea or coffee. You all seem to brainstorm about strategies on how to help a student diagnosed with ADHD to bring down his energy levels and be more focused during class time. 

For teachers, leadership begins in these quiet morning moments – long before the assembly bell rings. Whether it is creating individualized education plans (IEPs) or helping a new colleague learn the ropes, leadership is not about titles but rather about action, purpose and influence. What comes to your mind when you hear about leadership? 

Leadership is often seen as something which comes along with a position or something that is reserved for a selected few. However, especially in the field of education where hierarchy is rather scanty, it is imperative for teachers to ingrain and imbibe leadership as a daily trait. As Northouse (2021) reminds us, leadership is “a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.” That individual can be anyone! Teachers influence both within and outside classrooms. A recent survey conducted on my peers highlighted the following findings:

● 85% said flexibility and adaptability are their most important leadership traits. 

● 70% found small, teacher-led initiatives to be more impactful than large-scale programs. 

● 65% emphasized the power of collaboration and peer mentorship for professional growth. 

● 90% actively engage in self-reflection to improve their teaching and leadership skills. 

Let’s talk about the ‘How?’ 

Leadership experts Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard developed the situational leadership model in their 1969 best-selling book, “Management of Organizational Behavior: Utilizing Human Resources.” Situational Leadership® means adapting your leadership style to each unique situation or task to meet the needs of the team or team members. (Source) 

I have listed below a few strategies that facilitators have found effective in practising leadership everyday: 

1. Embrace proactiveness: Do not wait for someone to assign you a task or challenge; rather be on the lookout for the same and proactively find a solution. Example: One teacher shared that, “By playing ambient music for 2 minutes before the session, I have been able to create a calm and focused environment in the classroom.” 

2. Fostering collaboration and mentorship: Sharing best practices and engaging in team teaching and brainstorming has somewhat become a norm at schools and educational institutions. One educator explained, “Mentoring a new teacher not only supported their growth but also helped me refine my strategies.” 

3. Ensure that inclusivity is a priority: Leadership is not exerting authority but creating an environment where everyone can learn, participate and grow collectively. Whether it is differentiating assessments or celebrating cultural diversity, these small efforts can make the environment more positive. 

4. Reflection: Every day dedicate just 5 minutes to analyze What went well? and What could you do differently? 

5. Say Yes! more often: One thing I have learned from my personal experience is that one should never say no to an opportunity considering it to be an additional task, if your goal is to achieve a promotion it is essential to practice leadership at the grassroots level by taking charge of events and tasks presented. 

Teacher Leadership: Evidence-Based Insights from Empirical Research 

1. Methodology: 

○ Survey taken by 20 participants 

○ School types: 

■ International Schools: 40% (8 teachers) 

■ Private Schools: 35% (7 teachers) 

■ Government Schools: 25% (5 teachers) 

2. Key Findings: 

○ Leadership potential distribution amongst participants-

■ Strong Leadership Traits: 10% (2 teachers) 

■ Great Potential: 55% (11 teachers) 

■ Focus on Growth: 35% (7 teachers) 

○ This analysis aligns closely with Wenner and Campbell’s  (2017) framework for understanding leadership development.

3. Leadership development insights: Frost’s (2012) research on system transformation provides a critical lens for interpreting our findings. Key observations include: 

○ Collaboration: Leadership is not a fixed skill and can be honed over time. The study highlights the importance of intervention strategies at the grassroots level. 

○ Capacity to adapt: International and private schools show greater scores on adaptability. Government school teachers prefer structures. 

○ Approach towards professional development: 35% of teachers display a clear focus on growth, which highlights the need for leadership training. 

4. Practical recommendations based on the study and Katzenmeyer and Moller’s (2009) work on teacher leadership: 

○ Create a differentiated leadership development programme. 

○ Foster collaboration through mentorship programs and a common forum for discussion. 

○ Develop and share tools for self-reflection and assessment. 

○ Provide opportunities for facilitators to go beyond the classroom.

Your Morning Challenge! 

Tomorrow morning, as you sip your coffee and prepare for the day, ask yourself: 

● What’s one small leadership action I can take today? 

● How can I influence my classroom, my colleagues, or my school for the better? 

Because leadership isn’t about a title. It’s about the choices you make every single day and the situation that you are in. And sometimes, it all starts with that first bell.