Teacher leadership. It sounds nice enough, but what does it really mean? Is it something necessary or unessential? Although this may seem to be a poor question, often times it can be treated this way. Some people don't give any thought to the idea of teacher leaders. Teacher leadership is something we all need to examine, and the following two resources helped me attain a better grasp on the concept.
The first resource used was an interview conducted by Kate Reber and answered by Dr. Betsy Rogers. Dr. Rogers actually obtained her doctorate in educational leadership( http://www.teacherscount.org/topic/topic-rogers.shtml.) Essentially, teacher leadership is a phrase with a prolific definition. It can be anywhere from athletic coaches or policy making teachers. Teacher leadership not only includes being a superb instructor, but also being a leader outside of content and classroom. First and foremost, increasing and improving upon the quality is the most essential component of teacher leadership. A teacher always keeps in mind what is best for the students, not for his or her self. Dr. Rogers strongly advocates the creation of safe, and intellectually gratifying learning environments for her students.
The second resource used was an excerpt from the blog of Sheryl Beach. (http://21stcenturylearning.typepad.com/blog/2007/02/teacher_as_lead.html) Essentially a teacher leader reaches outside the four walls of the classroom and into the community. Beach talks about the link between teacher leadership and school success. She contends effective teacher leadership correlates strongly with school academic success. Beach also discusses how some teachers and administrators are being held accountable in the wake of No Child Left Behind. Beach also brings about the variegated definitions of teacher leadership by quoting some different references. First, describing it as"the ability to encourage colleagues to change, to do things they wouldn't ordinarily consider without the influence of the leader " and also as “teachers who are leaders within and beyond the classroom, identify with and contribute to a community of teacher learners and leaders, and influence others toward improved educational practice.” The resource also talks about the process of teacher leadership, contending that early leadership instruction is essential to teacher quality.
In looking at these two articles, it seems the general consensus is that there is no strict, definitive nature to being a teacher leader. But essentially it furthers the growth of educational development inside and outside me classroom. Personally, I concur that effective teachers try their hardest to be good teachers and participate in their community. Personally, I plan on obtaining a doctorate in curriculum and instruction so I can further the implementation of educational success. I believe there is a great deal of reform in education, and we musty begin with the teachers. What better way then have our instructors become more qualified? That being said, teachers need to be recognized and financially rewarded for such advances. Without the proper rewards and financial backing expanding teacher leadership could continue to move at a snail's pace.
Both resources talked heavily about participation outside the classroom and in the community. To play Devil's advocate, what are some of the potential pitfalls to teacher leadership? Are there any potential power abuse problems? Should all teachers be required to become qualified "leaders?" If so, how should this be implemented?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I think in some instances there can be pitfalls when teachers take on too many responsibilities and begin to slack on certain areas because they are overwhelmed. This can also be the same when other teachers just throw their hands up and expect everything to be taken care of by the teacher leader instead of taking initiative for themselves. Potential power abuse problems come into play when teachers that take leadership positions use it to push their own agenda instead of considering what may be best for the school and its students. In a way Florida is kind of making all teachers become qualified, by 2012 if you wish to teach in Florida you must have a master's degree or be nationally board certified. To a certain degree I believe all teachers should be qualified leaders in order to be as effective and helpful in the system as possible. I'm really not quite sure how I would implement this just yet.
ReplyDeleteI think its fair to say that there are some abuse problems with teachers trying to control things around the school. Sometimes a teacher might engage in the teacher leadership role in an effort to gain a promotion or move into the role of the administration. I know from experience that a teacher can easily spread themselves too thin in an effort to put as much as they can on a resume (I didn't learn anything in my 10th grade English class...apparently she was working on her dissertation).
ReplyDeletePitfalls of teacher leadership could include a range of things. A possibility that exists in most leadership situations is that someone could raised to the leader position and not be prepared or trained, adequately for the job. Also many people who have aggressive personalities are thought to be leaders when they may not be up for the job. Dependence on a teacher leader can also be a big problem.
ReplyDelete