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TEACHERS ARE LEADERS

How great teachers become great teacher leaders

By Kim Richardson
Categories: Leadership, Teacher leadership
June 2025
Watching master teachers at work is a joy. Their classrooms operate like well-oiled machines: They utilize excellent instructional strategies, differentiate according to students’ needs, and create engaging learning environments. Teachers like this bring a lot of inspiration to others, and it can seem intuitive to select them for leadership positions so they can spread their good work. However, being a great teacher does not automatically make someone a great teacher leader. I recall a very strong teacher I tapped to step into a school leadership position. My initial excitement dwindled after she started in this new role, as her approach with her colleagues quickly proved disastrous. Instead of guiding others and inspiring collaboration as I had expected, she barked directions at her colleagues, dominated meetings

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References

Boyatzis, R., Liu, H., Smith, A., Zwygart, K., & Quinn, J. (2024). Competencies of coaches that predict client behavior change. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 60(1), 19-49.

Danielson, C. (2007). The many faces of leadership. Educational Leadership, 65(1), 14-19.

National Education Association. (2018). The Teacher Leadership Competencies. National Education Association Teacher Leadership Institute, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, & Center for Teaching Quality. tinyurl.com/yhrz2ruz

Vitello, S., Greatorex, J., & Shaw, S. (2021). What is competence? A shared interpretation of competence to support teaching, learning and assessment. Cambridge University Press & Assessment.


Kim Richardson
+ posts

Dr. Kim Richardson is a powerhouse in educational leadership and coaching. Dr. Kim holds a Professional Certified Coach (PCC®) designation from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and serves as Regional Engagement Director for Learning Forward Virginia. She’s also a member of the VASCD Annual Conference Planning Committee. Dr. Kim created the Radical Learners course, Coaching for Connection, Certainty, and Autonomy, for Jim Knight’s Instructional Coach Group, and she and her district’s coaching program were even spotlighted in Knight’s book, Focus on Teachers. In her current role as the Director of Induction and Development for Hampton City Schools, Dr. Kim leads professional learning for school and district leaders and teams, digging deep into instruction, coaching, and leadership development. Her work is inspired by her dissertation, where she found that great leaders, especially coaches, are enlisted and developed! Among her many roles, Dr. Kim’s all-time favorite was serving as an Instructional Coaching Coordinator, where she built and led the district’s coaching program from the ground up. This initiative has become a cornerstone of the district’s success, providing ongoing training and leadership for coaches and specialists. Her background also includes experience as an elementary school principal, technology specialist, coach, and classroom teacher. Outside the office, Dr. Kim is all about family time with her husband, three sons, daughter-in-law, and her one-year-old granddaughter. She also gets her groove on every Saturday as a Zumba® fitness instructor, dancing her way to joy and energy!


Categories: Leadership, Teacher leadership

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