A View of Teacher Leadership and Conditions of Support in Jewish Day Schools

Abstract

This study focuses on the conditions that support teacher leadership in Jewish day schools. The literature suggests that there are five conditions that support teacher leadership in general education: role definition, trust, adult learning community, professional learning, and time. Based on surveys from 53 teachers and school leaders in Jewish day schools, this study measured the frequency of teacher leadership behaviors in Jewish day schools. The study also examined which of these five conditions were significant in promoting teacher leadership behaviors in Jewish day schools. Some of the most frequent teacher leadership behaviors in Jewish day schools such as: consulting with your colleagues about students, leading conversations about curriculum, observing your colleagues teaching were noted in this study. In addition, the conditions that support teacher leaders in general education were in some cases the same as the conditions which support teacher leadership in Jewish day schools. Much of the teacher leadership behavior that was seen in Jewish day schools can be directly attributed to these conditions of support. This study highlights the significance of teacher leadership behaviors and delineates the measures that schools can enact to sustain these behaviors.