Promoting and Supporting Teacher Leaders: The Potential of Targeted Professional Development

Samuel Fancera; Heejung An

doi:10.30828/real.1758556

Promoting and Supporting Teacher Leaders: The Potential of Targeted Professional Development

Abstract

This exploratory sequential mixed-methods study investigated strategies to promote and support teacher leadership by integrating the concepts of teacher leadership, self-leadership, and principal support. Drawing on qualitative data collected from 25 educators across four schools during interviews (n = 25) and observations (n = 20), three key themes emerged: the diversity of teacher leadership tasks, the importance of supportive and collaborative school environments, and the challenges and motivations to influence teacher engagement. Teachers assumed both formal and informal leadership roles, often driven by intrinsic motivation and a commitment to student success, but constrained by systemic barriers such as time, workload, and lack of adequate compensation. Professional development modules for school leaders and teacher leaders were developed and tested after a four-week implementation period using the Teacher Leadership Scale and the Abbreviated Self-Leadership Questionnaire. Quantitative analyses revealed no changes in scores on either instrument. The study’s overall findings suggest while short-term interventions may raise awareness about teacher leadership and self-leadership, sustained and school-wide efforts are necessary to meaningfully enhance teacher leadership. This study contributes to the literature by integrating teacher leadership, self-leadership, and principal leadership within a unified framework, demonstrating how self-leadership serves as a foundation for sustainable teacher leadership development. The findings underscore the need for school leaders to foster cultures of trust, autonomy, and collaboration, and to provide structural supports that enable teachers to lead for positive influence in a sustainable manner.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Leadership in Education

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Samuel Fancera ^*
0000-0001-9153-5980
United States

Heejung An
0000-0002-5783-2129
United States

Publication Date

December 24, 2025

Submission Date

August 5, 2025

Acceptance Date

November 20, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 10 Number: 4

DOI

https://doi.org/10.30828/real.1758556

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA67YA35CC

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Fancera, S., & An, H. (2025). Promoting and Supporting Teacher Leaders: The Potential of Targeted Professional Development. Research in Educational Administration and Leadership, 10(4), 946-981. https://doi.org/10.30828/real.1758556

AMA

1.Fancera S, An H. Promoting and Supporting Teacher Leaders: The Potential of Targeted Professional Development. REAL. 2025;10(4):946-981. doi:10.30828/real.1758556

Chicago

Fancera, Samuel, and Heejung An. 2025. “Promoting and Supporting Teacher Leaders: The Potential of Targeted Professional Development”. Research in Educational Administration and Leadership 10 (4): 946-81. https://doi.org/10.30828/real.1758556.

EndNote

Fancera S, An H (December 1, 2025) Promoting and Supporting Teacher Leaders: The Potential of Targeted Professional Development. Research in Educational Administration and Leadership 10 4 946–981.

IEEE

[1]S. Fancera and H. An, “Promoting and Supporting Teacher Leaders: The Potential of Targeted Professional Development”, REAL, vol. 10, no. 4, pp. 946–981, Dec. 2025, doi: 10.30828/real.1758556.

ISNAD

Fancera, Samuel - An, Heejung. “Promoting and Supporting Teacher Leaders: The Potential of Targeted Professional Development”. Research in Educational Administration and Leadership 10/4 (December 1, 2025): 946-981. https://doi.org/10.30828/real.1758556.

JAMA

1.Fancera S, An H. Promoting and Supporting Teacher Leaders: The Potential of Targeted Professional Development. REAL. 2025;10:946–981.

MLA

Fancera, Samuel, and Heejung An. “Promoting and Supporting Teacher Leaders: The Potential of Targeted Professional Development”. Research in Educational Administration and Leadership, vol. 10, no. 4, Dec. 2025, pp. 946-81, doi:10.30828/real.1758556.

Vancouver

1.Samuel Fancera, Heejung An. Promoting and Supporting Teacher Leaders: The Potential of Targeted Professional Development. REAL. 2025 Dec. 1;10(4):946-81. doi:10.30828/real.1758556