We invite all educators to contribute to the conversation of preparing preservice teachers as well as practicing teachers for the realities of the 21st-century classroom. This includes principals, in-service teachers, university supervisors of student teachers, education professors, higher education administration, instructional technology specialists, and so on. Anyone with a vested interest in supporting our teachers in preparation for teaching the diverse K-12 student population is invited to participate.
Welcome teacher leaders! I'm Brian Kulak, your guest moderator and author of #levelupleadbook.
Tonight, we'll flip the script on our chat. I asked two aspiring leaders to contribute to tonight's discussion prompts! Thanks to @MrsMues & @floyd4edu! #teacheredchat
Hello! My name is Bobbie Sue and I'm a future teacher! I'm currently a music education major at Siena Heights University, and I start student teaching next year! #teacheredchat
A1. I see teacher leadership often as more curriculum/ instruction based, from "in the trenches" rather than an evaluative stand point, so walking alongside & guiding #teacheredchat
A1: The difference between the two--teacher leadership & administrative leadership--varies with context, but a teacher leader steps up to the plate voluntarily in many cases #teacheredchat
A1: For me T leaders are often more authentic and student-centered. Too often, admin leaders are doing what they have to do, not necessarily what they want to do. #teacheredchat
A1. I see teacher leadership often as more curriculum/ instruction based, from "in the trenches" rather than an evaluative stand point, so walking alongside & guiding #teacheredchat
A1 teachers are working towards learning and growth of students and administrators are the support behind them. They are a team that must work together! #teacheredchat
This is an interesting question - but an important one. Leadership is all about empowerment. A #teacherleader empowers his/her students and colleagues, but a #adminleader who can truly empower his/her teachers to enact a vision- that's opening a whole new world. #teacheredchat
A1: I appreciate leadership from someone who's in it right there with me. Admins can easily lose that connection to the classroom, but a teacher leader knows exactly what their colleagues are going through. #teacheredchat
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A1: Teacher leaders have the opportunity to lead by example, by always "practicing what you teach" they can often provide a positive "buy in" for staff members by providing authentic examples
A1: Teacher Leadership is less formal and more fluid—and firmly based in influence. While good administrative leadership is comprised of influence, specific, defined structures are in place that are designed to support components of that type of leadership. #teacheredchat
Love the emphasis on authentic examples & "practicing what you teach" -- I think teacher educators can model this in their preservice classes too! #Teacheredchat
A1: I believe that it's a very situational position, however I would say administrations job is to work as a support system for the teachers. However, some if some adminstration have never been in a teachers shoes, there could be some conflict between the two. #teacheredchat
A1: I believe that it's a very situational position, however I would say administrations job is to work as a support system for the teachers. However, if some adminstration have never been in a teachers shoes, there could be some conflict between the two. #teacheredchat
I would argue a difference between a leader and an evaluator. A leader gives feedback with support. An evaluator gives a decision without description. #teacheredchat
I think that you can lead and evaluate, but I think there's extra pressure with evaluation, but I see your point. When I evaluate, I naturally describe, give feedback & support, but evaluation can have really negative connotations more generally #teacheredchat
A2: Encourage students to lead learning opportunities for colleagues. It’s harder for them to say no to amazing students than to their peers ;) #TeacherEdChat
Three ways ANY educator can be a LEADER:
1. Curate, create, and share valuable resources with faculty and staff.
2. Invite colleagues into your classroom to see awesome instructional practices.
3. Start a PD book study chat at your school or on Voxer.
#teacheredchat
A2. There's something to be said for learning along side (collegially and bi-directionally, rather than in a hierarchal relationship, esp. with colleagues). Buy in can be created through honoring what everyone brings to the table #Teacheredchat
I completely agree. I think there's a misconception of the #admin solely as the #evaluator - but, I would hope, that the admin is there to lead and guide - and evaluate a little. #teacheredchat
Just discovered the #teacheredchat & #edumatch hashtags. Both seem to pertain to professional development, but I’m not 100% sure. Wish there was some kind of directory for hashtags out there!
YES! We have to challenge that notion of administrators as distant evaluators, and support them to be more instructional leaders who also evaluate. Great point :) #Teacheredchat
A3. Having administrative support is crucial to the success of teacher leaders. We all should be working as a community to support student success, teachers, teacher leaders, admin, families, communities & students themselves #teacheredchat
A3: Sometimes blossoming teacher leaders need a tap on the shoulder to encourage them to realize their potential. (I did—both from an admin and a teacher leader.) #teacheredchat
A3: A HUGE role! The first is just to make teachers feel heard and valued by TELLING them that you view them as leaders. Provide them with opportunities to grow, and LISTEN to them! #teacheredchat
A3: Again, the role an administrator would play in supporting teacher leaders will vary with context and the admin's leadership style, so hard to generalize #teacheredchat
A3: administrators are looked at as role models from the jump, so they must serve as that great leader in order to identify their own pack of great teacher leaders and supporting staff. #teacheredchat#GEN2108
A3: When I was in high school our principal used to come down just to listen to the band and ask students about their music. I think that hands-on approach to administration is important.
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A4: A teacher leader who majorly has influenced me brought a robust vision of mentoring new teachers many years ago, long before the current requirements. To this day, I love supporting new teachers! #teacheredchat
A2: Teacher leaders need to establish authentic relationships in order to gain trust, listen to their colleagues, and embrace their ideas! #teacheredchat
I couldn't agree more! For example, as a music educator, I would love to be able to teach my students songs that went along with what they're learning in history! #teacheredchat
I have been shadowing at a local elementary school & the teachers there are all about cultural diversity! Many of the classes have signs up saying “hello” in different languages. Love the idea & hope to do it in my own class one day. #teacheredchat#GEN2108
A4: A former teacher in our district started a program called Teacher to Teacher, where you can sign up to visit classrooms of colleagues and learn from what you see. You can also invite teachers to visit your room. It's AWESOME. #teacheredchat
A4: I ask my students to host a tech tools showcase for our College of Education - my Ss get to be experts; my colleagues get to discover new ways to teach with technology #TeacherEdChathttps://t.co/on3Juab3Ex
That is a wonderful idea. Who creates the signs that read "hello" in varied languages and how do students react? Do they try the greetings aloud? #TeacherEdChat
A4 my favorite teacher leader created a sign language only zone in the cafeteria of the deaf school to create a community of inclusion. She’s my goal model. #teacheredchat
A5. Now that I'm in teacher education, I want my credential candidates & masters students to think of themselves as teacher leaders (w/ much to learn, always, of course) from the start. When we look through the lens of leadership, it shifts our focus #Teacheredchat
I couldn't agree more! I think that some teachers need to be open to differentiated teaching styles as well. Sometimes I think the veteran teachers can forget that new ways to learn are emerging all the time! #teacheredchat
YES! I love this! Music educators can so powerfully work across content areas to support students' understandings and connections & music is its own powerful form of literacy #Teacheredchat
A3: Administrators can offer time to discuss a teacher’s future goals and opportunities for leadership roles within the school/district. #teacheredchat
Thanks so much for joining the #teacheredchat tonight and thanks to @JudyArzt for allowing me to guest moderate!
Teacher leadership isn't a fad; it's a way of life. Check out my book: Level Up Leadership for more tips and tricks. https://t.co/5eorKMfIKS
A5: From a music education perspective, I think that we will just need to be willing to make the connections with those in leadership and administrative positions. #teacheredchat
A5: By learning as much as I can to support the amazing teachers I get to work with—and by meeting them where they are and walking with them as they continue their journey. #teacheredchat
A5: as a future educator, I would like my students to know that they are capable of anything! I hope to inspire them to appreciate where they come from and to take on their goals with courage. #teacheredchat#gen2108
A5 I always want to remember why I wanted to become an educator in the first place. Having that reminder will keep me focused as a move on in my own teacher leadership. #teacheredchat
A5: I hope to one day allow a comfortable and safe environment for all my students! I also would like them to know that they can do whatever they put their minds to and can talk to me about anything! 🤗 #GEN2108#TeacherEdChat
I love how Twitter can connect us with teachers across the country! In one of my Education classes, we are looking deeper into the differences in education systems from state to state. #teacheredchat#ed285
As an aspiring teacher, and continuing with administrators, I imagine it is hard as a teacher leader or administrator to choose between leading students in the direction that is expected or the direction which you consider to be best. #teacheredchat#ed285
A4: Trying to reinvigorate mindfulness time for both staff and students! There are so many academic, emotional, and physical benefits of unwinding for a few minutes during the day. #teacheredchat
Thanks! Re: T lship, I am wondering how to find a job where school admin understand the diff btw ed tech integration vs being the IT guy. Gone through 2 schools now that’ve changed my role completely & taken me out of the MS/HS classroom. Been super frustrating. #teacheredchat
A5: Leading a book club for new preschool teachers, seeking out more PD opportunities, and hopefully expanding that incredible teacher2teacher program to our school ☺️#teacheredchat
I absolutely agree! I think for the most part good administrators have experience in the classroom. Just like policy makers! Decisions and evaluations cannot be made if one does not know what it is like to be teach. #teacheredchat#ed285
This is something we need more of for sure! Students have unique learning styles and needs and collaborating can help us help them. Cross-content literacy is something that is becoming more and more prominent in the SS world! #teacheredchat#ed285
