Change will not occur unless there is an alteration of power relationships among those in the system and within the classroom. Teachers cannot create and sustain the conditions for the productive development of children if those conditions do not exist for teachers. Sarason, 1990, p. xiv

 Improvements in teaching and learning are critical to school improvement and improved student success AND  Meaningful and lasting improvements in schools cannot be mandated from the top-down without parallel support from the bottom-up…. THEN We need to look to teachers as leaders in the next wave of school reform

 There have long been roles for teacher leaders – usually formal roles › Department heads › Grade-level chairs › Committee chairs › Mentors, intern supervisors, coaches….  However, every teacher impacts children directly and can take on informal leadership roles to improve schools from within.

 Isolation is the norm in schools… teachers often want to “close the door” and just teach (Lieberman & Miller, 1992, 1999; Rosenholtz, 1989)  Mandated and “teacher-proof” curriculum programs have led to the disempowerment and deprofessionalization of teachers  Teaching is viewed as a “flat” profession, requiring virtually the same performance from novices as from experts

 From individualism to PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY  From teaching at the center to LEARNING at the center  From technical and managed work to INQUIRY and LEADERSHIP Lieberman & Miller, 2004