How teachers lead teachers

Teacher professionalism overtaking teacher individualism.

The number of teacher leaders and teaching coaches is on the rise.  The value of developing a culture of shared decision making has finally been recognized.  Opportunities for teacher collaboration and participation in decision-making, aids in the development of a culture for change.

Higher Teacher Self-Efficacy is a side affect of developing a culture of shared decision making.  Higher teacher self-efficacy has been found to increase student achievement levels, motivation, and their own self-efficacy.  With a sense of high-self-efficacy teachers are more likely to see difficult tasks as a challenge, rather than a threat.

Creating a professional learning community will support teacher change.  The promotion of professional development can also promote teacher self-efficacy.  Teacher collaboration in the form of formally sharing successing, and co-planning can be professional development.  Influential teachers can give feedback and share experiences that will impact teachers resistant to change.

A commitment to change will meet the needs of all the students.  This change will come from teachers shifting their focus from teaching to the embracement of learning.



Reflections on Practice

"What we need are cultures which are established on the premise that current and future leaders learn in context. When you learn in context two things happen. One is that, by definition, the learning is specific to the contexts which you are experiencing. The other is that because you are learning in context you are doing so with others. Thus, shared ideas and commitment are simultaneously being cultivated."  Michael Fullan

If you are female teacher in Ontario interested in developing your leadership skills, you need to attend Reflections on Practice. Reflections on Practice is a Women's Leadership Institute which is put on by ETFO each year.  Teachers are guided through an action research project based on their own area of interest. The program lasts for one year and involves three face to face sessions and monthly online sessions. It is definitely 'learning in context' as described in the quotation above.

I completed Reflections on Practice as a participant this past year and have now returned as a facilitator. It is the best professional development that I have ever been a part of, because of the fact that I was learning in context.

The process of reflecting on practice is definitely an agent of change. Teachers cannot help but be empowered to change and improve their teaching practices. If you are interested, I blogged the reflections of my journey through the action research project.  The pebble in my shoe...reflections on my journey through an action research project.

My action research focused on using the iBooks applicationon iPads in place of traditional books in a middle school reading intervention program. I had very positive results:  iBOOKS: iNNOVATIVE READING iNTERVENTION

Thinking about increasing your level of reflection?

Challenging conversations -

If you are new to a teacher leader role, you may be wondering how to approach change with different types of people.

"For many people challenging or difficult conversations are a bit like the common cold: we all get them, they can be a real nuisance, but there seems to be no cure. Unlike the common cold, these conversations should not be avoided." 

A quick look at what works and what doesn't work borrowed from:  

How teachers lead teachers by Jason Margolis

 

What works

1. Use humor. 
2. Include all teachers and content areas. 
3. Explain strategies briefly and then give participants a chance to practice or observe them.
4. Frame new approaches as easy and adaptable. 
5. Build from teachers' existing work. 
6. Present yourself as a continual learner. 
7. Include samples of student work. 

 

What doesn't work

1. Talking too much. 
2. Talking and then asking, "Any questions?" 
3. Presenting too many strategies. 
4. Focusing solely on the leader's own classroom. 

The danger of a single story

 

As you are developing... expanding... changing... your school reading programs...  This video will provide you with invaluable insights into the impact of your book choices.

Link to TedTalks Video:  The danger of a single story

“I know that change is difficult, and comes slowly, and that it is the work of many days strung together in a long line until the origin of them is forgotten.”

Excerpt From: Roth, Veronica. “Allegiant.” Divergent Series, 2013-10-iBooks. 

In an effort to improve my educational leadership skills, I watched the videos:  Changing Education Paradigms. (Shown above) and Educational Change and Leadership.  My head is spinning with thoughts of divergent thinking and the diversity of learners.

The videos left me thinking that we need to reframe how we define reading.  Reading is no longer paper and print.  It is that, but it is a lot more as well.  It is multi-modal, and multi-media.  Frontline educators are pioneering methods of teaching these new literacies. Educational leaders need to guide these educators through this massive change.

We need to ensure that students are exposed to all types of reading and available  texts.   They need to be presented as of equal value.  Educators must now be tasked to teach the skills to read traditional texts and e-texts, and access the built-in supports available with e-texts.  This does not mean abandoning traditional texts, it just means that it isn't everything anymore.

To support the needed educational change, leaders need to guide teachers through the needed change. Educators must make available all types of reading materials that are specifically geared to the abilities and interests of the students in the class.   They also need to ensure that the texts students are reading represent all the principles of social justice.   Educators can learn alongside students, trying new strategies, covering new topics and reading in a new way.