Abstract:

This interpretive study aims to understand how Egyptian teachers and senior teachers (formal leaders) define leadership and whether the length of their teaching experience has an effect on their views. Second, to explore their perspectives on the relationship between 'teacher leadership' and decision making. The research sample is a mixed group of 20 Egyptian teachers of English language, three of them are senior teachers. The length of their teaching experience varies from two to thirteen years. Two methods of data collection are used: questionnaires and interviews. The data are read interpretively. The findings show that the group defines 'teacher leadership' in terms of characteristics of leaders; styles of leadership and what teacher leaders do both inside and outside classroom. Almost all of them see a link between leadership and decision making. In general, the length of experience does not seem to have a major impact on their views. This is a key finding because it raises questions about the Ministry of Education's (MoE) selection of teachers for leadership responsibilities which is based on the length of their teaching experience. The implications of these findings are examined in relation to the proposal of the MoE for decentralizing education in Egypt.