This book extends the understanding of the concept of safety as an
environmental factor which enhances the development of teacher
leadership. Through a grounded theory methodology, it provides a career
development perspective on teacher leadership. The "through the eyes of
the participants" approach of the study represents an alternative to the
dominant positivistic, normative paradigm most commonly associated with
research into teacher leadership. Thus, through participant-based
exploration of the core category of Experiencing Leading and Learning in
a Safe Environment, the research enables the identification of three
interrelated concepts - leading, learning, and safety, which are deemed
to be essential to the process of teacher leadership development. The
theory that has emerged from this research should prove useful to the
teachers and principals. It should prove useful to experienced teachers
and principals who wish to deepen their understandings of teacher
leadership development.