Why Teachers Participate in Decision-making and The Third Continuum

Abstract

The question of why management, or administrative leaders, share decision-making has found answers in a combination of factors. These factors range from attempts to co-op workers into better compliance to a genuine desire to reach higher productivity through a more informed and wiser decision-making process as a result of empowered workers. The question of why workers, or in this case, teachers, participate in decision-making is more problematic. This article explores two parts of this question. First, the literature on shared decision-making from a historical perspective identifying ‘factors’ affecting teacher participation in decision-making. Second, these factors are discussed as ‘continuums’ of decision-making of which a third continuum is seen to involve greater influence by teachers as leaders in schools. In this regard I attempt to provide a better answer the question of why teachers participate in decision-making in schools.