Growing Leaders Within

A Process toward Teacher Leadership

By (author) Michael Coquyt, Brian K. Creasman

Publication date:

27 July 2017

Length of book:

160 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781475838046

Growing Leaders Within: A Process toward Teacher Leadership will aid school administrators in the task of growing and empowering teacher leaders. The goal of growing teacher leaders is to grow a school culture of shared decision-making and collaborative leadership. It is through this transformation that teacher leaders help school administrators to create a laser focus on student success. The underpinnings of the book are based on academic research resulting in a seven-step process to growing teacher leaders, which is distinctive from other books about teacher leadership. Schools may have several teacher leader candidates, but it is the responsibility of the school administration to ensure that the right individuals are chosen to become part of the school’s leadership team. The role of teacher leadership can be diminished if the wrong individuals are selected. In response to this, the book offers school administrators a research-based, pragmatic growth process that ensures the right teachers are chosen to enter the leadership ranks at any school. Growing and empowering teachers to be leaders is now critical in all schools.

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Phase 1: Realize Teacher Leadership is Essential
Phase 2: Recognize Teacher Leadership as a Teachable Skill
Phase 3: Recruit Teachers to become Teacher Leaders
Phase 4: Grow Leadership Capabilities among Teachers
Phase 5: Nurture Leadership Qualities in Teachers
Phase 6: Empower Teacher Leaders
Phase 7: Provide Ongoing Professional Growth Opportunities to Teacher Leaders
Final Thoughts about Growing Teacher Leaders
About the Authors

Empowering teachers is one of the most important concepts in Education today. In their book, Growing Leaders Within, Coquyt and Creasman offer compelling thoughts about teacher leadership. They establish the importance of teacher leadership followed by practical steps for implementation. They offer characteristics for effective leadership that applies not only to Teacher Leaders but Leadership in general. As a 45-year educator who has served as a Superintendent of schools in schools ranging in size from 1100 to 41,000, the Executive Director of a State School Boards Association, and finally as a University Professor I have come to believe that Teacher Leadership is one of the most important initiatives in Education. I strongly endorse Growing Leaders Within as it is easy to read and would benefit any school administrator in their journey to growing teacher leaders.