Authority and Leadership

"Leadership is a process, not a position" (Savage, 1999, p.23).  Leaders don't use power to control, but use it to enable others to act.  Teachers must earn leadership in the classroom and establish a positive leadeship style by the way they use power and establish authority.  There are different types of authority that contributes to your leadership in the classroom.  These types of authority are: legitimate authority, reward authority, coercive authority, expert authority, and referent authority.  To be a good teacher one must possess a little of each type.

Watch the video clips below and see if you can determine which style(s) of authority are being portrayed.  Can you see how the different types of authority has different influences on how the students behave and how they learn? 


Reward Authority

"Reward power comes to individuals as a result of their ability to provide something that another person wants" (Armstrong, et. al, 2005, p. 240).  This type of authority is based on the power to give out rewards.


Legitimate Authority

"Legitimate power derives from the particular position a person holds" (Armstrong, Henson, Savage, 2005, p. 239).  Problems with this type of authority can result from students not knowing the teacher.  It is most helpful at the beginning of the school year.  "Legitimate power can be used to establish teacher leadership that is built around earned authority and respect" (Savage, 1999, p. 28-9).  This type of authority begins to be replaced by other types as the school year passes.


Coercive Authority

Coercive power is power that people wield because of their authority to administer punishment" (Armstong, et al., 2005, p. 240).  This position gives the teacher the authority to administer punishment.  It is useful for putting an immediate stop to an unwanted behavior.


Expert Authority

"Expert power is power that comes to a person as a result of possessing specialized knowledge" (Armstrong, et al., 2005, p. 239).  If the students in a classroom perceive the teacher as an expert they will yield that teacher authority over the classroom.


Referent Authority

"Referent power is power that results from a warm, positive relationship" (Armstrong, et al., 2005, p. 239).  These individuals are well liked and respected.


Savage (1999) says that "the beginning point for developing authority and power in the classroom is for the teacher to demonstrate expertise and concern for the needs of students.  Building your leadership around the concepts of expert and referent authority actually increases the legitimate authority of the teacher and increases the impact of reward and coercive authority." (p. 33)

Romans 12:8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (NIV)

I believe this scripture describes a variety of the authority types.

HOME; management and discipline defined; visual instruction plans; the physical environment; authority and leadership; proximity and mobility; praise, promt, and leave; say, see, do teaching; calm and consistency; time management; preferred activity time; references