Teacher Leadership in South African schools Tsediso Michael Makoelle D Ed, PhD Nazarbayev University

Concept of leadership leadership is regarded as influence the person has on others (Kruger 2010). It could also mean an ability to transmit or project particular values in the manner that they are influential to others (Makoelle 2011). leadership is associated with the ability of the person to be visionary and be able to direct others towards an achievement of a particular goal (Booth 2003). Booth (2003) identifies several models of leadership i.e. formal, collegial, political, subjective and ambiguity model.

Concept of Teacher Leadership The concept of teacher leadership has been described as informal leadership by teachers (Muijs & Harris 2002; Frost & Durrant 2003; Day & Harris 2003). Frost & Durrant conceive teacher leadership as non-positional( meaning it is not tight to officialdom)

Teacher Leadership and Distributed Leadership Some literatures draw parallel lines between distributed leadership and teacher leadership (Moller & Pankake 2013). Distributed leadership is regarded as a collective shared leadership role among partners in the same institution or system (Harris 2013). It departs from the premise that teachers are leaders in their own right within their sphere of influence

Background Pre 1994 South African education had a history of bureaucratic and centralised control with less involvement of teachers Teachers in black, coloured and Indian communities received inferior teacher training which militated against critical thinking Post 1994 there were attempts to change and democritise education and further enhance performances of teachers in schools especially the poorly performing disadvantaged black and coloured township schools

Context The post 1994 dispensation increased involvement of teachers in education e.g. the establishment of central bargaining chamber which is pivotal in negotiating working conditions of teachers (representative of teacher unions SADTU, NAPTOSA & SAOU The establishment of the South African Council of Education (teacher professional body) This was an indication that the department was signaling the increased involvement of teachers in education

Problem statement The increase involvement of teachers in central issues of education led to the emergence of two discourses on teacher leadership Political discourse of teacher leadership (teachers leading others in contexts of bargaining and negotiating working conditions) Professional discourse of teacher leadership ( teachers perceived as professionally knowledgeable and influential to others on teaching and learning aspects)

Research Question In the context of competing discourses of teacher leadership it was important to ask this question What influences the conceptualization of teacher leadership in South African schools?

Methodology Theoretical lens In order to magnify the phenomenon of teacher leadership Giddens Structuration Theory (1984) is used as a lens Principle of duality between agents, agency and structure is used to understand the relationship between agents (teachers) agency (exercise of leadership) and structure (educational context of South Africa) Duality means structure has constraining effect on agency and on the other hand agency may have a profound influence on the structure itself

Methodology Research approach, design & sampling The study adopted a critical interpretative qualitative case study using structuration theory as a lens employed unstructured interviews to 12 teachers with six teachers selected from two cases of highly effective secondary school ( school that got an average of 90 to 100% pass rate in matriculation from 2012 to 2014) and six teachers less effective secondary school (school that got an average of less than 60% pass rate in matriculation results from 2012 to 2014) 3 heads of departments per school, 2 deputy principals and 2 principals.

Methodology Selection of cases The two schools were selected because they profile the character and nature of typical schools in South African towns and townships i.e. teacher composition, teacher union affiliation and academic performances

Methodology Participant School A School B Total Teachers 6 12 HOD 3 Deputy Principal 1 2 Principal   22

Methodology Purposive maximum variation sampling was used to select participants Teachers were to be representative of the following criteria: 2 experienced (15years and above,) 2 mid-experienced (5 to 10 years) and 2 less experiences (less than 5 years). The criteria for selection of HODs, deputy principals and principals were that they should at least have been in their positions for not less than 3 years. The following main question framed the unstructured interviews with all participants: What do you think is teacher leadership and which factors according to you influences teacher leadership? Follow up questions were asked when necessary.

Findings The following themes emerged from data analysis Privilege or non privilege school background Teaching Experiences Union affiliation performance of the school School leadrship

Findings Enabling teacher leadership environment

Privilege or non privilege school background The study has demonstrated that there were significant differences in the way teacher leadership is conceptualised from the two school. In previously privileged school participants tended to perceive teacher leadership as purely professional while in previously disadvantaged school teacher politics formed the core of the meaning of teacher leader

Teaching Experiences The study has shown that the more experienced teacher are there likelihood of understanding teacher leadership from professional discourse while less experienced were heavily influenced from a political discourse

Union affiliation The views of teachers on teacher leadership in most cases were synonimous with their union affiliation. For instance teachers affiliated to SADTU viewed politics as inseparable from professional teaching (conception of teacher leadership from political discourse) While teachers affiliated to NAPTOSA and SAOU we mostly inclined to view teaching as apolitical and though politics were a disruption to the course of effective teaching (conception of teacher leadership from political discourse)

School Performance Teacher leadership in a highly performing school was viewed mostly as a professional while in less performing school the was evidence of political discourse There were more teachers in a highly performing school who viewed themselves teacher leaders (in the context of professional discourse) than in less performing school ( were political discourse was dominant)

School leadership Principal, deputy & HODs of in both schools were inclined to argue that teacher leadership means professional competency rather that popularity of unions shop stewards Principals, deputy and HODs of less performing schools lamented the politisation of teaching and de-professionalisation

Enabling teacher leadership environment In highly performing school the environment seemed to promote the professionalisation of teacher leadership as performance was more valued. In less performing school political teachers leaders were more revered with less emphasis on professional leadership