5 Ways Classroom Teaching Prepares You for Leadership

I can honestly say I never intended to pursue a role in leadership. As someone who entered the field of education later in life, I envisioned being in the classroom forever. I was very happy and found great success as a teacher.

However, after 16 years in the classroom, my path took a turn. I accepted a position as a literacy coach in my building, supporting colleagues through the implementation of a new curriculum. This was hands-on, teacher-facing, and result- oriented work that left me feeling successful. From there, I transitioned to the role of director at the district level. This position not only broadened my duties, but gave me a bird’s-eye view from the top. As I settled in, I began to reflect on how I got to where I was and how my past experiences, good and bad, played a role in shaping the leader I was becoming. There are five ways that my experience in the classroom prepared me for my leadership role.

5 Ways Classroom Teaching Prepares Future Leaders

1. Being involved in multiple projects. Having been actively involved in multiple projects throughout my time in the classroom was an asset. Whether it was planning and facilitating training for school staff, participating in a fellowship on education policy, or reviewing high-quality curriculum materials for the state, these experiences were crucial to my development. 

For an aspiring leader, becoming actively involved in local and state initiatives will keep you up-to-date and informed of current events in education, give you experience collaborating with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, expand your network, and connect you to key stakeholders—all which can lead to potential new opportunities.

2. Learning what kind of leader you do (and don’t) want to be. Next, I realized that there is as much to learn from an ineffective leader as there is from an effective one. This may sound backwards, but from my personal experience, I have discovered more about the type of leader I do not want to be from being on the receiving end of practices that were ineffective. For example, I witnessed firsthand how a leader’s avoidance of the willingness to engage in difficult conversations led to a common practice of punishing the whole at the expense of a few. I realized the importance of addressing issues that may arise, immediately and directly with the source, regardless of how difficult the conversation may be.

Aspiring leaders should not discount ineffective or negative experiences. Rather, they should make a mental note and use this knowledge to help shape their own values and practice as they continue to move forward in their journey toward leadership.

3. Setting—and tracking—achievable goals. Another discovery I made upon reflection was that as I moved up the leadership ladder, my responsibilities broadened, and with that came a loss of control that I hadn’t anticipated. For example, at the district level, there are many moving parts and multiple layers to go through to get approval for practices that you may want to implement. As a result, things tend to take longer to come to fruition—much different from the coaching, teacher-facing role, where results were almost immediate. This meant I needed to shift my practice and mindset to focus on things in my circle of control and to break down each project into chunks that felt manageable.  

For aspiring leaders, one strategy to implement is journaling. Every few weeks, identify a few short-term goals to work toward (e.g., complete a data report) as well as the long-term vision (e.g., more inclusion). Focusing on the small wins will ground the work but keep the momentum going. The journal also serves as a record of accomplishments, which is helpful to browse through and uplift you during times of uncertainty and self-doubt.

4. Understanding the pace of learning. Another realization is that leadership is selfless. It's not about you or me: It’s about the students. This is hard and something I am continuously learning. For example, at times, you or others will disagree with decisions made. However, you learn to put aside your own beliefs while validating others, for the majority. 

For aspiring leaders, honing the skills to pause and reflect to consider all options when faced with difficult decisions will be helpful as you progress on your journey. In addition, acknowledging the voices of educators is important, even if you are moving in a different direction. There will be times when you feel a sense of urgency, but other stakeholders may not see it that way. Being a level-headed, nonreactive team player is key. It’s important to remember to remind yourself to “go slow to go fast.”

5. Being prepared for coaching leadership roles. In reflecting on the leadership path I took, it was extremely helpful to have had the opportunity to begin with coaching educators. It was a good first step into leadership, as it was on a smaller scale, making it feel manageable. It was also good practice at building the capacity of educators. Aspiring leaders should welcome the opportunity to coach teachers as a first step into leadership, should the situation present itself.

In closing, I defer to John F. Kennedy: “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” For me, effective leadership is grounded in a commitment to continuous learning—a path that classroom teachers have already embarked upon.