Increasing Student Achievement through High-Performance Teacher Leadership

Teacher leadership has many potential benefits for colleagues and students. Unfortunately, due to unsupportive conditions and a lack of professional training, these benefits frequently do not materialize. To succeed teacher leaders require a conducive school culture, supportive school administrators, time to complete responsibilities, appropriate incentives and recognition and feedback designed to improve performance. In addition, highly effective teacher leaders participate in high quality professional learning intended to prepare them to fulfill their roles and responsibilities. This professional development prepares teacher leaders to utilize effective interpersonal skills, diagnose and manage school culture and politics, lead professional growth activities, provide instructional leadership and assist with human resources management. This book provides the reader with both strategies for creating supportive conditions and the knowledge and skills required to meet the challenges of teacher leadership.

Dr. Jennings earned an outstanding reputation as a teacher. He was able to put his extensive knowledge about teaching and learning into practice and created an engaging classroom with a focus on results. Teachers respected him and sought his advice--which he willingly shared. Fortunately, for teachers and administrators serious about school improvement, he has now put his advice into a highly readable and engaging book. In addition to serving as a handbook for school improvement, this book could easily serve as a textbook in graduate school classes or for any serious educator.--Samuel B. Stewart Ed.D, executive county superintendent, Middlesex and Mercer counties, New Jersey Department of Education, Great things happen in service to others. The leadership vision of an educational leader must include a commitment to serving, supporting, and empowering the people you need to accomplish your goals. If your goal is to see children and families thrive both now and in the future, the educational leader must get beyond mere titles and focus on serving others. Fortunately, Dr. Jennings has provided this book to show educators how to do this difficult work.--Vincent Costanza, principal, Campbell Elementary School, Metuchen, NJ, Increasing Student Achievement through High-Performance Teacher Leadership focuses on the role of teacher leaders in improving both educator practice and student learning. Dr. Jennings effectively conveys the complexity of the teacher leader role while providing concrete tools that can support both principals and teacher leaders as they build a culture of shared leadership.--Patricia Wright, former NJPSA executive director / NJPSA-FEA consultant, Monroe, New Jersey

Matthew J. Jennings is a 28 year veteran of education. He has served as a teacher, supervisor of instruction, director of student services, director of human resources, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent.