Why Teacher Leadership Matters for Lasting School Improvement

When I first stepped into the role of Math Specialist last year at Willow Brook in Oak Ridge Schools, I knew lasting instructional change would depend on trust - and trust would begin with relationships.

I spent time listening to teachers and meeting them where they were. What I didn’t fully grasp at the time was what it takes to create instructional change. It’s built through teacher leaders who can turn vision into daily practice.

At Oak Ridge Schools, I found that real transformation requires a dedicated Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) and teacher leaders who serve as the bridge between administrators and classrooms. These leaders bring credibility because they are teachers first; they can connect instructional goals to practical application. Their experience allows them to build trust with peers, making teachers more open to reflection and growth.

When teacher leaders and administrators work together with a shared vision, schools build systems that drive continuous improvement and lasting impact.

Strong teacher leadership structures help districts build instructional coherence by ensuring schoolwide priorities are implemented consistently. They model strategies, facilitate collaborative planning, and provide feedback that feels authentic and achievable. When teacher leaders and administrators work together with a shared vision, schools build systems that drive continuous improvement and lasting impact.

Before we could focus on specific strategies, we needed a way to approach improvement that felt positive and purposeful. Change can feel overwhelming when framed as criticism, but when seen as an opportunity to grow, it becomes empowering. That belief led us to create an approach that celebrates strengths while identifying areas for improvement in a supportive, collaborative way.

Creating a Culture of Growth by Supporting Instruction

Our team called our approach “Grows to Glows” because we want change to feel collaborative and positive. Our goal is to celebrate what we are already doing well, the glows, while identifying the grows, the clear pathways for growth that could improve student learning.

I wanted to build on what we were already doing with learning walks and create a process for the next steps. Learning walks gave us valuable insight into instructional practices, but we needed a way to move from observation to action.

The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching’s field testing model provided a framework for identifying research-based strategies, piloting them, and analyzing their impact before scaling them school-wide. This model ensures every step is grounded in evidence and aligned with our vision for improving student learning.

Before rolling out new practices, our team uses these guiding questions:

1. Does this approach truly impact student learning?

2. How will it look in practice?

3. What support will teachers need to succeed?

Our goal is to work out the creases now so teachers don’t have to. By refining strategies, anticipating challenges, and aligning work to student outcomes, we can provide teachers with tools that are effective and grounded in evidence.

Identifying Math Fluency as a Growth Opportunity

Effective instructional improvement must be rooted in creating consistent, high-quality learning for every student. Our journey toward improvement began with a deep dive into MATH TCAP data, paired with insights from learning walks, which highlighted strengths in conceptual understanding but also showed opportunities to strengthen math fluency across grade levels. Many relied on time-consuming methods that slowed them down, led to errors, and made complex tasks more challenging. Strengthening these strategies will help students work with greater confidence and accuracy while preparing them to tackle more complex mathematical concepts.

At the heart of every successful instructional shift is the work of teacher leaders. They are the bridge between vision and practice, connecting administrative goals to classroom realities in ways that build trust and foster collaboration. 

To deepen our understanding and strengthen this work, our Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) is engaging in a book study focused on how students develop fluency and the best ways to assess and support them. This collaborative learning is helping us design targeted strategies aligned with research-based practices, ensuring that every decision we make is grounded in evidence and aimed at building strong foundations for future success.

Teacher Leaders as the Key to Sustainable Change

At the heart of every successful instructional shift is the work of teacher leaders. They are the bridge between vision and practice, connecting administrative goals to classroom realities in ways that build trust and foster collaboration. This type of distributed leadership fosters stronger collaboration between administrators and teachers while allowing them to lead authentically and create a culture in which reflection and growth are standard.

As with all learning, growth cannot happen without change. It requires planning, deep reflection, and a shared commitment to continuous improvement. Our district values continuous improvement and excellence, and this model aligns perfectly with those priorities. As we prepare to scale these efforts, one truth remains clear: As districts navigate evolving instructional needs, teacher leaders are the key to lasting, systemic change that can sustain improvement over time. Their ability to link experience with vision, build trust, and drive purposeful action ensures that improvement is not a one-time initiative but a sustainable model that transforms teaching and learning for years to come.