Developing the Potential for Collaborative School Leadership

Role interactions among teams from five schools and one university team are discussed within the context of a collaborative project entitled “Time for Reflection: A Project in Collaborative Leadership for Working More Effectively in Multicultural Settings.” Interactions were coded into the categories of role ambiguity; negotiation; conflict; overload; and consensus among teachers, principals, and university staff members. Although no dramatic changes in role definition were documented, a general progression from ambiguity to consensus on the value of teacher participation in school-wide decision making was noted across all five schools. Rate and character of change were affected by district policies, administrative support within each building, and negotiations with the university team.