ABSTRACT

The functions of teacher leaders and teacher educators, what they do, are critical in teacher education. This article presents the seemingly unexamined concept that some teacher leaders’ practice includes a teacher educator dimension. Evidence that supports this claim is provided by exploring the interrelationship between teacher leader and teacher educator functions using a focused analysis of the literature and findings from qualitative research. This research investigated the impact of a professional development programme for primary science leaders. Data were collected from strategic-level informants, programme mentors and science leaders using interviews, questionnaires and a focus group. The findings are analysed to provide a critical overview of the participants’ views of the requirements for successful leadership and development of primary science and to illustrate how educator and leader functions are intertwined in science leaders’ activities. The article considers the implications of recognising the educator dimension of some teacher leaders’ practice and asserts that these implications extend beyond the primary science context of the research. Acknowledging the contribution made by ‘unrecognised’ teacher educators and enabling them to contribute to and gain from the professional knowledge of the teacher educator community has significant potential to enrich practice in teacher education internationally, nationally and locally.

摘要

教师领导者和教师教育者的职能，他们所做的，在教师教育中至关重要。本文提出了一个看似未经检验的概念，即一些教师领导的实践包括教师教育维度。支持这一主张的证据是通过对文献和定性研究结果的重点分析来探索教师领导和教师教育职能之间的相互关系。这项研究调查了专业发展计划对初级科学领导者的影响。数据是通过访谈、问卷调查和焦点小组从战略层面的线人、项目导师和科学领导者那里收集的。对调查结果进行分析，以批判性地概述参与者对成功领导和发展初级科学的要求的看法，并说明教育者和领导者的职能如何在科学领导者的活动中交织在一起。文章考虑了承认某些教师领导者实践的教育者维度的含义，并断言这些含义超出了研究的主要科学背景。承认“未被认可的”教师教育工作者所做的贡献，并使他们能够为教师教育界的专业知识做出贡献并从中获益，这对于丰富国际、国家和地方的教师教育实践具有巨大的潜力。