Transformational Leadership and PLCs: Preparing Teachers as Leaders for Organisational Change through Innovative Teacher Education Practices
Keywords:
Transformational Leadership, Teacher Leadership, Professional Learning Communities, Organisational Change, School Culture, Initial Teacher Education, South AfricaAbstract
This paper explores how transformational teacher leadership and Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) can support meaningful and lasting change in schools. It focuses on how the key traits of transformational leadership influence school culture by promoting collaboration, innovation, and professional growth. While school leadership is often associated with principals, this paper argues that teachers also play a critical role as leaders within their schools, especially when trusted and supported.
This paper is set within a South African context, where many schools continue to face the legacy of inequality, under-resourcing, and top-down structures, the paper highlights the need for leadership that is inclusive, people- centred, and responsive to local realities. PLCs are examined as practical spaces where teachers can reflect, share knowledge, and lead change through collaborative action.
Using a systematic literature review, the paper draws on recent research and national policy to show how Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes can better prepare pre-service teachers to take on leadership roles. It recom- mends embedding leadership development and collaborative practice into the curriculum so that future teachers are equipped to lead transformation from the start of their careers.
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