An Exploration of How Teacher Leaders Perceive Their Influence on Student Learning: A Transcendental Phenomenology of the Experiences of Teacher Leaders

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenology was to describe how teacher leaders perceive their influence on student learning at the primary and secondary levels at a K-12 charter school system. The theory guiding this study was social cognitive theory. The interpretive framework was social constructivism. The central research question was: How do teacher leaders describe how students learn under the leadership of teacher leaders? A qualitative transcendental phenomenology research design was employed, and the setting was the primary and secondary K-12 school levels. The sample size of 16 participants included both informal and formal teacher leaders at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels. Candidates qualified for participation via a screening survey (see Appendix D). Eligibility required a self-report score between 124-155 meaning the candidate qualified as a teacher leader. Data were triangulated through interviews, physical artifact discussions, and observations. Data analysis included Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six phases of thematic analysis and Moustakas’ (1994) epochè, transcendental phenomenological reduction, and imaginative variation. Results found that teacher leaders perceive their influence on student learning through transformative learning connections produced by connections and trust impacting student learning and changing student minds and behaviors.