Page 1 of 16

408

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol.7, No.12

Publication Date: December 25, 2020

DOI:10.14738/assrj.712.7549. Shimekit, T., & Tizazu, G. (2020). The Role of Teacher Leaders in School Improvement Program: The Case of Atse Naod Primary School.

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(12) 408-423.

The Role of Teacher Leaders in School Improvement Program: The

Case of Atse Naod Primary School.

Tesfamariam Shimekit

PhD fellow at Addis Ababa University

Getnet Tizazu

Assistant professor, College of Education and Behavioral Studies

Addis Ababa University

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to understand teacher leaders’ role in

school improvement program. More specifically, examined how teacher

leaders formally or informally lead school improvement; what potential

challenges they face when attempting to lead school improvement; and

what strategies /mechanisms they employ to improve teacher

leadership role in school improvement process were the basic questions

of the study. In-depth interviews with five teacher leaders and field

notes were used to collect data. The data were tape recorded and then

transcribed. Categories themes and patterns from data i.e. inductive

analysis were used for data analysis. The findings revealed that, teacher

leaders lead school improvement by different methods like

collaboration, effective planning, and experience sharing, influencing

others by their hardworking habit and, communicating with school

community. Besides, teacher leaders face different challenges in leading

school improvement such as lack of leadership and management skill,

time constraints and absence of recognition and incentive. In sum, the

school improvement process is not being led by teacher leaders due to

different challenges. Therefore, education leaders should enhance

teacher leadership by promoting and supporting teacher leadership

role and Policy makers should develop a platform for teacher leadership

to enhance teacher leaders’ role in school improvement program.

Keywords: School improvement, Teacher leaders’ role, Teacher leadership

INTRODUCTION

Even though the concept and practice of teacher leadership has gained focus in the past three

decades, “it becomes a frequently used concept, especially since 1990s”( Kiranh, 2013,p.179). “The

concept of teacher leadership stems from the idea of organizational development and leadership

that suggests active involvement of all individuals at all levels within all domains of an organization

is necessary if change to take hold.” (York-Barr & Duke, 2004, p.255). Therefore, the concept of

teacher leadership changes the practice of traditional leadership approach (one person-leadership)

to modern leadership approaches in which more people (teachers) take the leadership role.