LEADERSHIP IN THE ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM: PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS SHAPING TEACHER LEADERSHIP

Abstract

This article provides a systematic analysis of psychological factors that shape teacher leadership in primary education. The study aims to substantiate a conceptual model of determinants underlying primary school teachers’ leadership potential by integrating individual and socio-psychological components. Methodologically, the paper employs an integrative literature review, content analysis, and logical mapping of relationships among core psychological constructs; empirical findings from international and national sources are adapted to the primary school context. The scientific contribution lies in reframing teacher leadership not merely as a managerial style but as an interconnected set of psychological mechanisms including reflection, self-regulation, motivational stability, emotional regulation, social sensitivity, and the capacity to build a constructive classroom climate. The results yield a set of practical indicators that can guide diagnostic procedures and the design of targeted professional development programs for primary teachers.