Indicators of Teacher Leadership: Comparing Illinois Teachers’ Perceptions

By Jana Lynn Hunzicker

Even if educators cannot articulate or agree on what teacher leadership is and is not, they “know it when they see it.” This article reports the findings of a statewide study conducted to better understand which indicators of teacher leadership Illinois teachers consider strong and which indicators they consider weak. The article compares teachers’ perceptions across three demographics: region of the state, school setting, and percentage of low-income students. 

Teacher leadership has alternately been described in terms of influence, roles and responsibilities, functions, competencies, skill sets, worldviews, and social networks. Different perspectives offer valuable contributions, yet varying notions of teacher leadership create ambiguity. 
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