What is a Teacher Leader?
God only knows....And the most hilarious (or sad depending upon
how you look at it) part is that I am in a graduate program to get a Teacher
Leader endorsement on my teaching certificate. WHAT??
Imagine this scenario - a year ago, one friend says to another,
"Hey, I'm not going to move on the pay scale and if I don't start taking
some graduate courses."
The other friend
says, "Me too!"
Friend #1 makes
this grand statement, "Why don't we go to Elmhurst College
"Ok, but do
you know what the program is all about?...How much work is it?...I'm not really
sure it is for me...you know I'm not a leader!!"
"It will be
just fine. We can do it together."
One year later and three courses under our belts (currently in the
4th class...Issues in Teacher Leadership)...and the one friend (ahem, me --
wink, wink, nudge, nudge) says to the other,
"This teacher leader endorsement thing is not ok!"
So why isn't it ok?
Well, quite honestly, I don't like my eyes opened for me! Let me explain...I like trudging along in my
classroom, doing my own thing, planning lessons and working my magic in MY
classroom. It's worked just fine for me
for a long time. And then when I hear
myself say those words..."it's worked just fine for ME" - I stop dead
in my tracks. Am I one of those teachers
I used to look at and think wow, times have changed and that poor teacher
really needs to get with the program - there is so much new in education and
they are just so old school. Don't they know that education is not about them? Am I
one of those? Am I taking points off of
papers for not heading it properly? Am I
taking a point off because the student is not using a grading pen when grading? And why don't they have supplies? A red pen was one of the supplies listed on
the supply list at the start of the year....
Do you know people like that?
I do. Do you know those teachers
who will not change what they are doing because that is what they have always
done? I do. Do you know of teachers who if you ask if
they want to join you and plan a lesson together they are just too busy; they
can't seem to find the time to plan? I
do. I'm not saying these teachers are
bad but maybe they could be better.
And yes, that is me...I rant and rave about kids not having their
school supplies. I am SO busy I can't
possibly find the time to plan with others (hey, why would I...what I've been
doing has been working great for ME!)
In the courses I've taken at Elmhurst College
But here is the thing...it is so hard to change. Do I have it in me?
This blog is going to be my rantings and ravings on what teacher
leadership really is...it's not only going to be what I learn, but how it
applies to the classroom...it's going to be truthful and honest.
#ican'tbelievei'mreallydoingthis :)
I loved reading your post....especially your truthfulness about how you are feeling and your humor sprinkled in. You are putting yourself out there and being vulnerable and that is what teacher leaders do. I have felt the same as well...about only thinking about my own classroom because I don't have time to think beyond that, but I have taken a shift lately. It started with a 3 day PLC training I attended this summer and also with taking this class. I now see the huge benefit to our students and each other when we collaborate and think of our students collectively as all of our responsibilities not just mine.
ReplyDeleteJulia, you are so right! I have collaborated more than I ever have in the past year (because of all I've been learning) and it has made a difference in my classroom. Now, when people collaborate without me I feel left out. What a huge shift, right?
ReplyDeleteThis was an exemplar of an honest (and yes, vulnerable) blog post. Your "conversation" drew me in and your willingness to critically reflect on your thinking and actions, and then to change is inspiring. One of the important points your post highlighted for me is that being a teacher leader is always hard work, but it is satisfying because we see the positive results. As the song goes, "the right thing and the hard thing are usually the same thing" (or something like that).
ReplyDeleteHmm... I wonder who that "friend" was?!
ReplyDeleteKelly, I know these classes have changed your thinking. I hear you during team meetings, during lunch, and "unofficial" team meetings in the hallway. You and I were more apt to silently sit through team meetings and then gripe to ourselves about changes that were occurring. I think these classes have forced a new perspective on us; one that has forced us to look at our passive habits and embrace the leaders hiding underneath the surface.
Hmm... I wonder who that "friend" was?!
ReplyDeleteKelly, I know these classes have changed your thinking. I hear you during team meetings, during lunch, and "unofficial" team meetings in the hallway. You and I were more apt to silently sit through team meetings and then gripe to ourselves about changes that were occurring. I think these classes have forced a new perspective on us; one that has forced us to look at our passive habits and embrace the leaders hiding underneath the surface.
Kelly,
ReplyDeleteI love how honest you were in your post. It can be very difficult, even if we are just blogging, to express how they are really feeling. But it is great to see that these classes are changing your way of thinking. Taking this opportunity to change your thinking and trying to reach all children and not just "my" children is a great step in the direction of a teacher leader. Can't wait to read more.
I felt like I could have been reading this post as if I or some of my colleagues could have written it. After taking this course, I too feel like my eyes have been opened. I am just in the beginning of my teacher leadership journey and am questioning whether I have it in me to go through it all. Things have changed so much since I have formally stepped into the classroom as a student vs. the teacher. I need to keep telling myself how much I have learned, and how much I have yet to learn. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI felt like I could have been reading this post as if I or some of my colleagues could have written it. After taking this course, I too feel like my eyes have been opened. I am just in the beginning of my teacher leadership journey and am questioning whether I have it in me to go through it all. Things have changed so much since I have formally stepped into the classroom as a student vs. the teacher. I need to keep telling myself how much I have learned, and how much I have yet to learn. Great post!
ReplyDelete