Middle leaders in the schools

Forde, C. and Kerrigan, K. (2022) Middle leaders in the schools. In: Menter, I. (ed.) The Palgrave Handbook of Teacher Education Research. Palgrave Macmillan: Cham, pp. 1-22. ISBN 9783030595333 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-59533-3_26-1)

Abstract

There is increasing recognition of the contribution of middle leadership to the improvement of learning outcomes of diverse groups of learners. Consequently, middle leadership development is a significant element of teacher education. This interest in the development of middle leadership is reflected in a gradually expanding body of research internationally. The chapter begins with an overview of the research. One of the challenges evident in conducting research is the lack of clarity about the purpose and role of middle leadership. The context in which “leading in the middle” is exercised is significant and can include informal and formal leadership roles. The focus of this chapter is on formal roles where middle leadership is a component of the school’s leadership architecture. The chapter moves on to discuss the several reviews of the literature undertaken to build a more coherent body of knowledge. The chapter then discusses studies which explore the tensions of the role and the contribution of middle leadership to whole school improvement. This body of work tends to relate to middle leadership in the secondary sector but there are the beginnings of research in the primary context. Two areas of research are then explored: the practice of middle leading and middle leadership professional learning. Approaches adopted in studies of middle leadership from Scotland and the Republic of Ireland are then discussed. The chapter concludes by considering the future development of research into middle leaders in school.

• Item Type: Book Sections
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Kerrigan, Mrs Kathleen and Forde, Prof Christine
• Authors: Forde, C., and Kerrigan, K.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Education; College of Social Sciences > School of Education > Educational Leadership & Policy
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
• ISBN: 9783030595333