Abstract
School leaders, no matter how effective they are, cannot function without teachers. Although describing school leaders as the “drivers” of an education system, Miller (2016, Exploring School Leadership in England and the Caribbean: New Insights from a Comparative Approach. London: Bloomsbury) describes teachers as the “mechanics”. This metaphor points to the important role of teachers in helping school leaders, and therefore schools and society, to support the learning of students to the best of their abilities. The important role played by teachers in the success of a school/school leader has not always been acknowledged. However, the main finding of this chapter is that, teachers are highly valued by school leaders who describe them as the wheel and hub of a school. Furthermore, and despite issues of teacher quality and numbers (shortage), school leaders regard teachers as change agents, and leaders with whom they jointly share responsibility for leading learning and for the overall success of their school and each student.
Teachers are the wheel of a school. Without them, it is not possible to run a school. (Pakistan, 4F)
Teachers are the most valuable resource we have. What they do in the classroom, day after day, is to be marvelled at and respected. The best teachers are again those with strong moral purpose—fortunately this is most. (England, 7F)
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Miller, P.W. (2018). School Leadership Is Teacher Dependent. In: The Nature of School Leadership. Intercultural Studies in Education. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70105-9_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-70105-9_5
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