TEAM-Math Library

Leadership Alignment: The Challenge of Distributed Leadership

Abstract

"Drawing on case studies of schools participating in a school-university partnership to improve math and science teaching, this paper explores the configurations of distributed leadership in four schools in three districts. To examine how leadership is distributed, we examine how a set of change-related leadership tasks are accomplished, and in particular what contributions are made by district leaders, principals, formally identified teacher leaders and other teachers. This analysis suggested that principals and district office staff were more active in performing leadership tasks than teachers and teacher leaders. However, the vision or approach to improve mathematics was not always share among leaders. We describe patterns of leadership distribution looking into these two dimensions: visions and tasks. The configuration of leadership showed a typology of alignment."