Today the relationship between teacher and principal is under scrutiny. The top-down model is ineffective and too unprofessional. Problems are frequently too big and too numerous for one person to address alone. Schools need to recognize and develop leadership among many different kinds of people to replace the top-down model. School leadership can come from principals who empower teachers to become leaders and from teachers who collectively take responsibility for the well-being of the school (Barth, 1990). Just as we have high expectations that all children can learn, principals must have high expectations that all teachers can lead. If teachers and principals are to effectively lead together, then there must be a substantial change made in the ways we think and feel about our personal and shared leadership responsibilities in the school. Most importantly a school isn't going anywhere that all of us together, teachers, staff, students, and administrators, don't want it to go (Pellicer, 1999). Teachers have to work collaboratively. We cannot have teachers working on their own agenda. If we do not empower teachers to become leaders then we are missing out on a great opportunity to improve our schools, our students, and our community.
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