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.

Dr Mark Dawson has been an educator for over 30 years and has worked at the University of Southern Queensland for the past 12 years. He is a researcher and consultant with an interest in the relationships between professional learning, teacher growth and development, and school revitalisation.