Teacher Leadership

From what I understand, there is a wide variety of ways in which a teacher leader can be defined; from the very formal, comprehensive and/or broad level in which they have specific titles and tasks, to the idea that each teacher should be considered a leader. Also, the way in which a teacher leader is defined by various school districts can differ greatly.

"The Way to Find a Teacher Leader-Just Ask"
What I liked about this website is that the author talks about not just "higher level" people in the education system that presume the roles and duties specific to administration, but rather promotes the idea that every teacher should be considered a leader and should constantly strive to enact the best practices and get involved in transforming the educational experience through various mechanisms.
The author lists several programs that were designed to promote teacher leadership in several different ways. For example, the Sparks program is one that recognizes qualities in a fairly new teacher that shows promise of leadership capability, and specially train these people to realize this potential.
Also, it talks about National Board certification, and how this can help teachers feel more comfortable in taking up more leadership responsibilities. They define the expectation of leadership as "judged by the quality of evidence the teacher provides of having mentored other teachers; shared new knowledge with others; participated in or led curriculum work teams, assessment committees, or site based decision making teams; engaged in professional organizations, policy making efforts, or conference presentations." Essentially, by getting involved in the process of improving education and learning in schools.


http://www.newhorizons.org/trans/raichle.htm

Evelyn Cortez-Ford archive
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/columnists/cortez-ford/index.shtml

I really liked this woman's website because not only does she do a thorough job at talking about teacher leadership, but provides several different resources that include lesson planning, professional development, technology integration, school issues, etc.
What I found most intriguing about her ideas was the fact that she mentions the hierarchical structures that are often in place in school that create a barrier to successful implementation to teacher leadership. Additionally, she talks about treating teachers professionally, having their opinions and ideas matter, as well as giving them opportunities to develop their leadership skills. Finally, I found it particularly useful when she mentions teacher leadership being a collaboration that needs to include the input of all teachers, especially so as to not reinforce a system of hierarchy.

If we were to make it mandatory for every teacher to take leadership training and to participate in some sort of leadership activity, do you think that this could create teachers who hold themselves to higher standards and thus become more effective teachers?