"Marsha, Marsha, Marsha" (thanks Brady Bunch!)

What I really want to say is "Standards, Standards, Standards!"  Wow are there a lot of standards out there.  Common Core State Standards, Social-Emotional Learning Standards, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) Standards and Teacher Leader Standards.  What's a girl to do?  With so many standards how can you keep them straight?

By now, we are all familiar with the Common Core State Standards and using them to help us make sure our curriculum meets the requirements imposed by the federal government.  It was a bumpy road, but many of us are there.  And how did we jump on this bandwagon - well, we used the standards almost daily in our planning.  When you use something so much it becomes second nature. 

I'm not sure where your school is at with the Social-Emotional Learning standards or the Technology Standards.  The SEL Standards are being addressed at my school, but not anywhere near where they should be.  And after going 1:1 with Chrome books this year, our technology coach has brought up the ISTE standards in a very casual way.   But by no means are we as well versed in those standards as we are in Common Core.

But how about Teacher Leader Standards.  Did you know they existed? (You do if your in a graduate program at Elmhurst College!)  Me?  I never knew they were even out there.  And quite frankly I never even cared.  But upon examining myself and my ability to be a teacher leader I keep referring to those standards.  They represent what a teacher leader looks like.  I've made myself a cheat sheet of the standards and hung it on the bulletin board by my desk.  Do I look at them daily?  No.  But I bet I glance at them more than once a week.  And why?  Well, they make me remember what I'm at my school to do.

So:

1. Foster Collaboration (be a part of and promote it)
2. Use Research to Improve Your Practice
3. Promote Professional Learning
4. Help Others Improve Their Practice
5. Use Assessment Data
6. Contact Families
7. Advocate for Students and Teachers

I realize these are bare bones.  But sometimes bare bones are all you need (or can handle).  Hang them up.  Look at them often.  You will find yourself changing.  I know I am!

#bealeaderdaily

A Teacher Leader's Roles

(Why You Can Be a Teacher Leader!)

Educational Leadership's Sept 2007 issue has an article authored by Cindy Harrison and Joellen Killion that highlights ten roles for teacher leaders.  This was an eye-opener.  I really had no idea what a teacher leader was.  When I started the Elmhurst College program, I started in an awkward place - a class on assessments.  Now, don't get me wrong, this was the ONE class I wanted to take more than any other one.  I knew I needed to write better assessments.  I knew that was one of my major weaknesses I knew my district was starting to talk about PERA (don't get me started on that one...so many of you are already drinking the PERA juice.  My district is still trying to buy the juice maker.)  A huge dilemma: Common Core State Standards + NWEA's MAP test + PERA + district common assessments + my ability to write good assessments = a huge headache and stomachache.  I was not ready.  I needed this class.  It was a huge horse pill I was going to need to swallow, but just what the doctor ordered. 

It wasn't that pill.  It wasn't a class on how I could write better assessments.  It was a class chock full of information for the future teacher leader to stand up and speak intelligently on assessments. 

I was bummed.  I was confused.  I was totally disappointed.  I didn't understand.  I wanted more.  I wanted something else.  I was not a leader.  But...the plethora of information I learned in that class got me thinking...Maybe I was interested in finding out more on the role of a teacher leader. 

Does PERA cause your eyes to roll back into your head?  Does the MAP test make you want to jump off of a bridge?    Maybe you too want to know more about that elusive role of teacher leader...so that you can lead the brigade against....(oh, wait...I'm getting a little ahead of myself.)

Then came along this article by Harrison and Killion, Ten Roles for Teacher Leaders.  These two talk about a teacher leader being: 

1. a resource provider
2. an instructional specialist
3. a curriculum specialist
4. a classroom supporter
5. a learning facilitator
6. a mentor
7. a school leader
8. a data coach,
9. a catalyst for change
10. a learner.

Ohhhh, I think I am beginning to get it...

A teacher leader is a LEARNER (#10) who gathers all she can about NWEA's MAP test (its data, its benefits, its flaws, its ability to aid in designing instruction, its ability to provide student data) and she becomes a DATA COACH (# 8) helping her fellow teachers understand the data and a RESOURCE PROVIDER (#1) and an INSTRUCTINAL SPECIALIST (#2) for her fellow colleagues - showing them just how that test can help their craft. 

She is a LEARNER (#10) learning new techniques that she can share with her colleagues to help those kids become successful. And in doing so she is also a  CLASSROOM SUPPORTER (#4) by helping other teachers implement these new ideas - ideas that will help kids learn. 

I am that.  And I think, dear reader, you are too.  I may need to hone my skills and polish myself (and maybe you do to), but I can do it.  Maybe I can be a teacher leader.  Maybe you can too!

#IthinkIcandothis