What is teacher leadership

Teacher leaders step outside their classroom doors and accept the challenges to improve their practice through working with colleagues, school administration and professional staff—as well as students and their families.

Teacher leaders exemplify certain defining characteristics. While all teachers possess several of these traits, only teacher leaders consistently and simultaneously integrate them into teacher leadership. Teacher leaders share their expertise. Expertise may come in the form of knowledge and skills about specific content e.

Their expertise may also come in the form of leadership skills e. At the same time they are sharing their expertise, teacher leaders are acquiring expertise as they pursue professional development to help them solve problems their teams have identified.

They seek to learn from their colleagues—believing that the collective knowledge of the group is essential to successful teaching and student learning—further building on their knowledge and skills. Expert teachers are not always teacher leaders. However, building expertise is essential to becoming a teacher leader. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards supports teachers working to improve their instructional prowess. For many teachers, National Board certification is an important step in becoming a teacher leader.

Teacher leaders are excellent communicators. A key teacher leadership skill is the ability to prioritize listening over speaking and seeking to understand different perspectives. Teacher leaders clarify, probe and synthesize ideas and questions to understand the concerns and leverage the expertise of others. They also strive to establish open communication, where all ideas are heard and all possibilities explored. Teacher leaders want to solve problems by getting a group to think outside of the box.

One of the essential qualities of their communication is honesty. They acknowledge where mistakes have occurred and where changes are needed rather than avoid difficult conversations. ASCD dedicated an entire recent issue of its flagship magazine, Educational Leadership , to communications skills for leaders, which I recommend exploring. Note: Some of the articles can only be read with a subscription. In some cases, teacher-leaders have formal, officially recognized positions that entail specific responsibilities and assignments; in others, teachers may study new teaching ideas and methodologies, test these approaches in the classroom, acquire a specialized expertise, and then share what they have learned with colleagues.

Teacher-leaders may continue to teach full-time, part-time, or not all, depending on the extent of their other responsibilities, and they may or may not receive additional financial compensation, benefits, a new title, or other incentives and recognition. In other words, the role and definition of a teacher-leader may vary widely from school to school.

The following representative examples describe a few of the roles and responsibilities that a teacher-leader may assume in a district or school. Teacher-leaders may:. Reform Traditionally, experienced teachers seeking to advance their careers, increase their income, or acquire new skills or professional roles could consider becoming a department chair e.

Teacher-leaders may: Serve on a school or district leadership team or on some other form of governance committee, task force, or board.

Hold the teacher-leader accountable for student outcomes of other teachers? Expect the teacher-leader to observe and provide job-embedded feedback to other teachers? Allow the teacher-leader to have direct classroom responsibilities and continue teaching for part of the workday? Expect the teacher-leader to be a liaison between teachers and administration? Expect the teacher-leader to develop a culture of collaborative professional practice? Include a formal expectation of the teacher-leader to improve the instructional practice of other teachers?

Require that the teacher-leader contribute to evaluation of teachers on their team, possibly to play a role in hiring and dismissal decisions? Require additional training or advanced degree? Opportunity Culture Impact.

Click here to see the complete Opportunity Culture Data Dashboard. Sign up to receive the Opportunity Culture Newsletter and other e-news! A new teacher mentor should be honest, understanding, and patient to best support a new teacher and strengthen teacher retention.

A transformative outside-the-classroom leadership opportunity is the school community outreach coordinator, who arranges after-hours or weekend events that involve students and their families and community members.

An event like a fundraiser is an impactful way for schools to raise money for special supplies, field trips, and scholarships. Teachers who can gather resources to manage events like this are how schools and communities intertwine and benefit each other.

This teacher leader is a go-getter who can access resources, motivate volunteers, and ultimately support students and their families. For teachers with advanced leadership skills, there are many opportunities in education that require visionaries with the ability to lead. Teacher leadership roles go beyond the classroom, as many school administrators and nonprofit organization leaders are former teachers or were previously involved in education.

School administrators not only manage the day-to-day functions of a school but also are the driving force behind its mission and vision. Administrators are the leaders who inspire teachers, staff, and students to create a strong culture and a love for learning.

Strong administrators influence teachers to take leadership roles and make their schools encouraging, safe, empowering places for students to be. School administrators additionally have a larger role in managing school budgets, evaluating teachers, and collaborating with school districts.

Depending on how a nonprofit organization is structured, a board of directors supervises various executive, management, and administrative roles. The different leadership roles include overseeing finance, operations, marketing, community affairs, and human resources departments.

Educational nonprofit organizations often benefit both teachers and students in the classroom. Many specifically focus on training teachers and school administration. Others raise funds or supplies for teachers, who are able to better lead when classroom funding is sufficient. Educators who choose to take a leadership role at a nonprofit organization can maintain their connection to schools outside the classroom.

Teachers who strive to lead should be strong educators with an understanding of how to best serve students.