Teaching is complex. On any given day, teachers face situations that seem beyond their control. To teach well, you have to successfully juggle pedagogical theories, differentiated instructional techniques, formative and summative assessment data, and, most importantly the health and well-being of someone’s child - all before recess. Like the tightrope walker, the teacher balances these factors constantly in order to deliver quality education for all learners. It is an emotionally exhaustive experience, and yet teachers all across our country put on a brave face and continue their work. In this current political climate, we don’t often agree on ways to improve our educational system. Teaching is an extremely visible profession, often at times, a scapegoat for larger systemic problems. We can agree, however, on the fact that we need our teachers. Our teachers are with our children 1,225 hours or more each year. We want them to be truly happy and satisfied so that they can best face this daunting task of educating. Schools and districts that understand and support teachers are often credited with sharing the leadership and decision-making processes in what is known as a participatory style of leadership. This style of leadership can increase job satisfaction among teachers by allowing them to help guide the direction of the school.
The Gates Foundation has surveyed thousands of teachers over the last 5 years to determine what factors are needed to keep and retain highly effective educators. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed stated that supportive leadership was “absolutely essential” compared to the thirty-four percent who stated higher salaries were needed. Job satisfaction and teacher shortages have made headlines over the past few years, culminating in a wave of legislation designed by politicians with little to no actual experience in education. Teachers know best, and yet very rarely are they asked to contribute to the conversation.
So often schools tout mission statements that use the words “community of learners” and yet the district and school administrations lead with bureaucratic control. Participative leadership is a style of leadership that considers the knowledge and expertise that teachers have and include them in the decision-making process for the school. According to the Kentucky TELL survey, 71.6% of surveyed expressed that “Teachers have an appropriate level of influence on decision-making in this school”. Teachers are natural leaders and deserve to be heard. They have a direct connection with those they serve. Like the mighty lion roars to hold together the pride, teachers must vocalize what is best for the school.
I recently volunteered to serve as advisory coordinator for my school. My administration supported me and worked to give me time and resources in order to be successful. As a teacher of 16 years, I welcomed the challenge because it was a new way to help my students. This experience provided me with an opportunity to impact students outside my classroom. I felt as if I could be relied upon and that my opinion regarding school initiatives mattered. I felt that the work I had done for years in the classroom was appreciated and valued. Even more, I felt that the things I had learned were being considered and that my learning could assist other aspects of our school. I was suddenly a part of the conversation. I was given an opportunity to become a leader within my building while maintaining my role in the classroom, allowing me to grow professionally in ways that I had never imagined. The amazing thing is that I was able to bring many of the things that I learned back into my classroom, thus improving instruction.
My experience sheds light on the challenges that face teacher leaders. Supportive administrations often try to lessen the burden on the already overloaded teacher workload. Though they view teachers as professionals, they know what their current work entails. Asking them to serve on a hiring committee or deliver a PD seems to be yet another thing to add to the teacher's plate. There exists a great divide between what teachers need in order to teach and what they want in order to feel satisfied and relied upon as a colleague and a professional. Participative leadership requires communication from both parties: administration and teachers. What I quickly learned this year was that I appreciated being asked to contribute to the overall direction of our school. I felt valued and trusted. This trust helped me to forge better relationships with my colleagues and helped me to feel more confident as a leader in my classroom. Like a three-ring circus, at times it was difficult balancing my extra duties with my classroom duties. In a strange way, it also invigorated me. I enjoyed taking on new challenges. Teachers need change, in curriculum and instructional strategies, but also roles within their profession.
How can schools extend the professional courtesy to teachers by allowing them to become leaders in their schools and profession? And what can teachers do in their already visible careers to make a bigger impact on the education system both locally and even nationally? It is imperative that district and school administration provide opportunities for teachers to participate in the decision-making process. They must free up resources so that staff has the opportunity to collaborate on school wide projects. Time is, of course, an educator’s most valuable resource. Administration should consider this when factoring the roles a teacher must balance.
The time is upon us all to get in the conversation as to what is best for our schools. It is our calling; it is our way to impact the future. Participative leadership can happen in schools, but it can also have an impact in state and national policies. There are many ways teachers can become leaders. My yearlong professional growth journey began by stepping out of my comfort zone. I volunteered for daunting tasks, I spent an exhaustive number of hours researching both my personal initiatives and educational policies. My participation in CTEPS (Classroom Teachers Enacting Positive Solutions) curtailed my own personal teacher burnout. It allowed me to connect to other teachers around the state. We weren’t weighed down by small insignificant challenges within our individual buildings; instead we were able to tackle the bigger issues facing our schools. It was rejuvenating and I recommend the experience to all teachers. I wrote for my district, I tweeted in chats (very new and totally frightening to me) and I chronicled my CTEPS’s project work, which I am ever so proud of. (And for the curious, a sideshow bonus! See my CTEPS work by visiting the following link: http://easteradvisory.weebly.com)
In the words of the voice of the next generation, a meme states: “these are my monkeys, this is my circus.” Be the master of ceremonies. Be the expert you already are, but put yourself out there. Bravely step outside your microcosm and make the bigger impact. Ringleaders often challenge authority because they truly believe in the direction, understand the need and can see the bigger picture. Our students and our future depend on us.
Sources used and referenced:
https://tellkentucky.org/results/report/309/124292
http://jae-online.org/attachments/article/1596/53.1.31%20Kitchel.pdf
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4c48/f17c9d2713ab5964fca2fca2874938101ad6.pdf
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/09/15/493808213/frustration-burnout-attrition-its-time-to-address-the-national-teacher-shortage
http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/95/05/9505.pdf
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/leading_from_the_classroom/2012/05/why_should_teachers_become_teacher_leaders.html
https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/teacher-job-satisfaction-hits-25-year-low/273383/
The Gates Foundation has surveyed thousands of teachers over the last 5 years to determine what factors are needed to keep and retain highly effective educators. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed stated that supportive leadership was “absolutely essential” compared to the thirty-four percent who stated higher salaries were needed. Job satisfaction and teacher shortages have made headlines over the past few years, culminating in a wave of legislation designed by politicians with little to no actual experience in education. Teachers know best, and yet very rarely are they asked to contribute to the conversation.
So often schools tout mission statements that use the words “community of learners” and yet the district and school administrations lead with bureaucratic control. Participative leadership is a style of leadership that considers the knowledge and expertise that teachers have and include them in the decision-making process for the school. According to the Kentucky TELL survey, 71.6% of surveyed expressed that “Teachers have an appropriate level of influence on decision-making in this school”. Teachers are natural leaders and deserve to be heard. They have a direct connection with those they serve. Like the mighty lion roars to hold together the pride, teachers must vocalize what is best for the school.
I recently volunteered to serve as advisory coordinator for my school. My administration supported me and worked to give me time and resources in order to be successful. As a teacher of 16 years, I welcomed the challenge because it was a new way to help my students. This experience provided me with an opportunity to impact students outside my classroom. I felt as if I could be relied upon and that my opinion regarding school initiatives mattered. I felt that the work I had done for years in the classroom was appreciated and valued. Even more, I felt that the things I had learned were being considered and that my learning could assist other aspects of our school. I was suddenly a part of the conversation. I was given an opportunity to become a leader within my building while maintaining my role in the classroom, allowing me to grow professionally in ways that I had never imagined. The amazing thing is that I was able to bring many of the things that I learned back into my classroom, thus improving instruction.
My experience sheds light on the challenges that face teacher leaders. Supportive administrations often try to lessen the burden on the already overloaded teacher workload. Though they view teachers as professionals, they know what their current work entails. Asking them to serve on a hiring committee or deliver a PD seems to be yet another thing to add to the teacher's plate. There exists a great divide between what teachers need in order to teach and what they want in order to feel satisfied and relied upon as a colleague and a professional. Participative leadership requires communication from both parties: administration and teachers. What I quickly learned this year was that I appreciated being asked to contribute to the overall direction of our school. I felt valued and trusted. This trust helped me to forge better relationships with my colleagues and helped me to feel more confident as a leader in my classroom. Like a three-ring circus, at times it was difficult balancing my extra duties with my classroom duties. In a strange way, it also invigorated me. I enjoyed taking on new challenges. Teachers need change, in curriculum and instructional strategies, but also roles within their profession.
How can schools extend the professional courtesy to teachers by allowing them to become leaders in their schools and profession? And what can teachers do in their already visible careers to make a bigger impact on the education system both locally and even nationally? It is imperative that district and school administration provide opportunities for teachers to participate in the decision-making process. They must free up resources so that staff has the opportunity to collaborate on school wide projects. Time is, of course, an educator’s most valuable resource. Administration should consider this when factoring the roles a teacher must balance.
The time is upon us all to get in the conversation as to what is best for our schools. It is our calling; it is our way to impact the future. Participative leadership can happen in schools, but it can also have an impact in state and national policies. There are many ways teachers can become leaders. My yearlong professional growth journey began by stepping out of my comfort zone. I volunteered for daunting tasks, I spent an exhaustive number of hours researching both my personal initiatives and educational policies. My participation in CTEPS (Classroom Teachers Enacting Positive Solutions) curtailed my own personal teacher burnout. It allowed me to connect to other teachers around the state. We weren’t weighed down by small insignificant challenges within our individual buildings; instead we were able to tackle the bigger issues facing our schools. It was rejuvenating and I recommend the experience to all teachers. I wrote for my district, I tweeted in chats (very new and totally frightening to me) and I chronicled my CTEPS’s project work, which I am ever so proud of. (And for the curious, a sideshow bonus! See my CTEPS work by visiting the following link: http://easteradvisory.weebly.com)
In the words of the voice of the next generation, a meme states: “these are my monkeys, this is my circus.” Be the master of ceremonies. Be the expert you already are, but put yourself out there. Bravely step outside your microcosm and make the bigger impact. Ringleaders often challenge authority because they truly believe in the direction, understand the need and can see the bigger picture. Our students and our future depend on us.
Sources used and referenced:
https://tellkentucky.org/results/report/309/124292
http://jae-online.org/attachments/article/1596/53.1.31%20Kitchel.pdf
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/4c48/f17c9d2713ab5964fca2fca2874938101ad6.pdf
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/09/15/493808213/frustration-burnout-attrition-its-time-to-address-the-national-teacher-shortage
http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/95/05/9505.pdf
http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/leading_from_the_classroom/2012/05/why_should_teachers_become_teacher_leaders.html
https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/teacher-job-satisfaction-hits-25-year-low/273383/
Jaime Fitch is an enthusiastic educator at Eastern High School where she coordinates the student advisory E-YOUniversity and Eagle Enrichment programs. This is her 17th year in education. A proud member of the 2016-2017 CTEPS team, Jaime looks forward to more opportunities to continue her professional learning and growth.