Toward Intentional Teaching: The Need For Educator Agency
The Power of Teacher Agency
Leading from the Classroom
Amy Schmidtke, Mary Beth Pistillo, and Greta Morris
Leadership in early childhood education does not just come from front offices or district buildings. It comes from classroom teachers too( Douglass 2017; Cooper 2022). Every day, early childhood educators in prekindergarten-to-grade-3 settings lead through the relationships they build, the decisions they make, and the ways they collaborate with colleagues and families. This kind of leadership is not about titles or positions; it is about influence.
Research shows that teacher leadership rooted in daily practice and grounded in professional judgment can strengthen instruction, build professional collaboration, and improve outcomes across early grades( Nicholson et al. 2020; Schmidtke 2020; Cooper 2022). Teachers who are leaders act with agency to make thoughtful decisions, learn with others, and shape everyday practices in ways that support children and their colleagues( Schmidtke 2020; Cooper 2022). They engage in continuous, collaborative learning to inform their professional growth and development.
30 Young Children
Summer 2026