What does it mean to be a teacher leader? How does one become a teacher leader? What are the ways in which teachers can take leadership?
I've been contemplating these questions for a few weeks now following my brief involvement in the Teachers' Letters to Obama Project phone call with Arne Duncan. Several of my colleagues have written about this (read Heather Wolpert-Gawron's post here, and Anthony Cody's here) so I won't rehash the details. The purpose of this campaign is to provide venues through which teachers can give the U.S. Department of Education input on policy matters.
Clearly, this is one way in which teachers can play leadership roles, no only by engaging in conversations with decision-makers, but by becoming informed in these areas. In order to prepare for the phone call, I read a ton of articles on policy -- past, present, process, and key players. I learned an incredible amount. It's kind of scary how much of what goes on in a classroom is decided, either directly or indirectly, by people far away from classrooms who have never taught and may never have even attended a public school. But I also learned that I can't sustain an interest in reading, writing, or talking policy for longer than a few weeks.
Defining the Role
My passion on the topic of teacher leadership is around what happens within a school. My work includes supporting principals to develop teachers as leaders. Sometimes this happens within an instructional leadership team, sometimes it happens less formally. We look for attributes of leadership: teachers who are thinking outside of their classrooms, teachers who take risks within their classroom, teachers who aren't afraid to say that they don't know something, or who aren't afraid to share what they do know. We look for those teachers and we plan around how to develop their skills further so that they can lead their colleagues in refining practice and collaborating more effectively.
Some teachers know they want to move into leadership roles. I was not that teacher. In my first five years in the classroom I always felt like I had no idea what I was doing, but around me were experienced teachers and instructional coaches who nudged me into leadership roles. I wasn't confident in those roles either, but they kept nudging me along. I now acknowledge that I had the capacity to lead, and I did, and I'm so grateful to those who recognized that potential in me and supported me.
Accept the Calling
I know that if I hadn't had those opportunities to lead, I would have left teaching. For the first few years that I taught, every year, usually in the fall and again at the end of the school year, I always considered what was next: Graduate school? Research? Administration?
Maybe I'm just restless and enjoy new challenges every few years, but I also recognize that when I was a classroom teacher I craved the intellectual stimulation of higher education, I missed opportunities to feel like I was constantly learning, and I wanted to do something that would make a difference in education. Impacting one class of kids each year didn't feel like enough.
It's been the many opportunities I've had for leadership that have satisfied these cravings and kept me working in public schools for fifteen years. As a classroom teacher, I led my grade level or department, I supported teachers in doing classroom-based inquiry, I participated in summer professional development, and conducted workshops throughout the year.
I also mentored new teachers, and received grants, and launched programs that integrated art and music into the core curriculum. In addition, I wrote articles, presented my research and was paid to deliver workshops. Eventually I had to start saying no to leadership opportunities and getting very picky about what I did.
Now I work in leadership development with principals, teams of teachers, and organizations. I love my work. I really, really love my work. My daydreams about "what's next" have subsided and it's a relief. I'm very satisfied and know that I'm making a positive and substantial impact in education. When I look back and trace how I got here, I see that I followed all the opportunities towards leadership; there were very challenging moments, but also key people who supported me and pushed me along.
And for those who are interested in assuming leadership, my advice is to try all the opportunities presented, listen up for colleagues who are nudging you along, and don't be afraid to take risks -- that's what it's all about.
To our readers: What does it mean to you to be a teacher leader? How does one become a teacher leader? What are the ways in which teachers can take leadership?
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Comments (48)
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Teacher - Early Childhood
Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
Colin Powell
Teacher leadership is all about taking the other responsibilities beyond your teaching. In 21st century leadership is not only with the principles or the administrators, nevertheless, it also belongs to teacher and assistant teachers. Teachers decide what and how the students are going to learn and develop. I think teachers can be a leader by having a deep commitment towards the students learning and keeping themselves involve in the responsibilities beyond the classroom maybe new personal development workshop, helping other teachers in their queries, innovations inside and out of the classroom and many more.
School Improvement Coach
I'm in a major slump right now and feeling like I'm spinning my wheels at my current position. I've been a school counselor for three and a half years now and I'm definitely in leadership positions in the district. We are trying to implement RtI, get Title I rolling in our school, and trying to improve overall. The problem is, the movement is VERY slow and I'm starting to feel as though my enthusiasm for educational reform is depleting the more I hear people complain about change in my school.
I'm still a newbie, but is there a graduate program for educational leadership? Or should I pursue administrative training? The idea of coaching schools to improve because they WANT to is an exciting concept to me... Do you work for your state department of instruction? A specific district?
Thanks!
As a school administrator I
As a school administrator I find it extremely important to give leadership roles to teachers. We are a MS that operates in teams with team leaders that guide decision making for their grade level teams. A building leadership team discusses issues affecting the entire building. An RTi leadership team plans and implements RTi for the building. As a retiring administrator this year, I have also developed a consulting company to assist educators in understanding key components of MS and differentiated instruction. These PD topics are offered online to keep teachers in the classroom, where they need to be and to allow districts to get the most PD for the $$. Up to 75 teachers receive 15 hrs of PD for only 4K. Schools also receive a free "Kindle" for staff members to use while participating in the book studies. All from the convenience of the home/school computer. More info at mcqualityeducserv.com
Teacher leaders
I don't think that teachers having opportunties to be leaders on their campus means that administration gives up power. I do think that teacher leaders and administration can and should coexist. The norm may not be schools that are collaborative in nature, but the collaboration comes from the administration and the teaching staff making collaboration a requirement, making it necessary in order to improve the overall program at the classroom and campus level.
If am currently frustratetd as I am looking for opportunties to grow in my professional and on my current campus. The administration is not supporting me in these efforts and continually looks past me for opportunities. I am a teacher who steps up (repeatedly) both inside and outside of the classroom. I am looking for avenues outside of my school for these opportunties, but that is proving to be equally difficult. I fully agree with Ms. Aguilar, that teachers need to be offered leadership opportunties to continue to offer their students the best of themselves.
Quote: Can a teacher just
Can a teacher just take a leadership role without the administrator or department head granting or giving the opportunity? We cannot assume that all schools are collaborative and have administrative heads that are willing to give up "power". When we see this type of climate in schools, we see less teacher leadership. Teachers find that they are stifled and either stay under the radar and lose passion to be innovative or they move on to a more healthy professional community.
[quote]Can a teacher just take a leadership role without the administrator or department head granting or giving the opportunity? We cannot assume that all schools are collaborative and have administrative heads that are willing to give up "power". When we see this type of climate in schools, we see less teacher leadership. Teachers find that they are stifled and either stay under the radar and lose passion to be innovative or they move on to a more healthy professional community.[/quote]I don't think that giving teachers opportunties to be leaders on campus mean that administrators give up power
Leadership: taken or given by Dr. Mike Todd
Or some stay because the real reason they are there is for student achievement. Dr. Todd you brought up a common scenario within some of our schools. The climate is one of "Top Down" leadership management,
"we know who is in charged!" I think of it like this, You might have a genius running the school, but if he/she does not have an energetic staff needed to support 21 Century Learning who share the same vision, to follow the mission. The Top Down leadership style or the " Good Ole Boy system is the show boat. Maybe that is why some schools have such a large turnover.
Being a teacher leader to me means being a leader in the classroom as a role model for students, and outside of the classroom with fellow teachers. I am currently working through my master's program and am always learning new, creative ways to engage my students. A teacher leader never stops learning.
I have been placed in a
I have been placed in a position as a PLC coach. I understand the importance in building relationships among staff. Trust and focusing on student learning has been difficult to establish. What particular strategies do you recommend in creating unity among the teachers and allowing them to merge as teacher leaders?
360 Degree Feedback System
I think the teacher should focus on the leadership qualities in his students. He/she should arrange different leadership as well as personality development program to improve the skill of students.
http://protostar-uk.com/360assessments.aspx