Despite research highlighting the negative impact of ability grouping on student outcomes in mathematics, the practice seems entrenched in New Zealand schools. The Ministry of Education launched a professional development initiative with the aim that mathematics lead teachers would drive change towards teaching in mixed-ability groups using a problem-solving pedagogy. Lead teachers were seen as uniquely positioned to promote change within schools. This study examined lead teachers’ changes in their own practice and that affected in their schools following the initiative. The study used a problem-based methodology. Through careful, in-depth interviews with lead teachers from six primary schools, the researchers examined lead teachers’ theories-of-action and the extent to which they were able to affect change. Findings showed different levels of change in lead teachers’ own and their school’s practice. Only two lead teachers made considerable changes in their own practice, and only one could fully incorporate mixed-ability grouping into school-wide practices. Analyses across the six cases revealed four factors impacting lead teachers’ ability to affect change: positional authority, senior leadership support, expertise in content and pedagogy, and changing teacher beliefs to bring about change. The study concludes that while the notion of lead teachers implementing change through working closely with their colleagues seems exciting and promising, the conditions for teacher leadership to be effective need to be met. Furthermore, the case of this national initiative shows that shortcuts in professional development are ineffective, especially for a matter so disputed and entrenched as ability grouping in mathematics.

尽管研究强调了能力分组对学生数学成绩的负面影响，但这种做法似乎在新西兰学校中根深蒂固。教育部发起了一项专业发展计划，目的是让数学领导教师使用解决问题的教学法推动向混合能力小组的教学转变。首席教师被视为在促进学校变革方面具有独特的地位。这项研究调查了带头教师在他们自己的实践中的变化，以及在倡议后影响到他们学校的变化。该研究使用了基于问题的方法。通过对六所小学的带头教师进行仔细、深入的采访，研究人员检查了带头老师的行动理论以及他们能够影响变革的程度。调查结果显示，带头教师自身和学校实践的变化程度不同。只有两位首席教师在他们自己的实践中做出了相当大的改变，并且只有一位能够将混合能力分组完全融入学校范围的实践中。对六个案例的分析揭示了四个影响首席教师影响变革能力的因素：职位权威、高层领导支持、内容和教学法方面的专业知识，以及改变教师的信念以带来变革。该研究得出的结论是，虽然领导教师通过与同事密切合作来实施变革的概念似乎令人兴奋和充满希望，但教师领导才能有效的条件需要得到满足。此外，这个国家倡议的案例表明，专业发展的捷径是无效的，