Teacher leadership development in principal-delegated learning activities in schools: A cross-case study

Teacher leadership is rooted in distributed perspectives of principals’ delegation of leadership roles to teachers for broader school improvement and enhancement of student learning. Teacher learning involves developmental processes through which teachers can professionally grow. This process is yet to be explored in relation to teacher leadership development in the schools with a culturally hierarchical structure. This paper aims to explore the role of principal-delegated teacher learning and its effects on shaping teacher leadership in schools. A cross-case study approach was adopted to examine four teachers’ development experiences after graduation and their perceptions of principals’ delegation of teacher learning activities in the contexts of Chinese schools. Starting from the first day of teaching in the schools, the teachers have gradually developed to aspire, understand and perform teacher leader roles through various types of learning activities. After teaching for 5 years in the schools, the teachers’ leadership are reflected in their functional leadership roles, membership, and promotion in the school as approved by the principals. Implications of principals’ delegation of teacher learning for distribution of leadership to teachers are also discussed. Copyright © 2019 All Academic, Inc.