THE TRUE MEANING OF BECOMING A TEACHER LEADER
As educators begin to discuss the knowledge, skills, challenges, and opportunities associated with teacher leadership, one question often overlooked is why teachers should aspire to become teacher l ead er s.
As I share the reason why we must become one, we must also understand who
Is a a teacher leader. He or she is someone who impacts students and teachers outside his or her classroom.
Teacher leaders are the heart of a school. We are the silent partners in decision-making. We are the ones informing administrators of the specific needs of our students and families. We are always available to offer advice, support, or simply to set an example. Through our daily commitment to students and teachers, we sustain the life and culture of a school.
Here are three reasons why we should desire to become a teacher leader: First, it will give us more opportunities to be heard. By becoming one, we can be able to voice out our opinions to the final decision makers. Whether you are an expert teacher who leads informally, or someone with formal responsibilities, teacher leaders collaborate with administrators to make decisions about curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
Second, by becoming a teacher leader, we can have an impact to students outside the classroom. I can also mention that being a mentor to other teachers and helping them grow professionally makes teacher leadership cool.
Furthermore, teacher leadership also helps us grow and learn as a professional. As teacher leaders, we can get more opportunities to learn from others and meet new people. It allows us to attend district meetings and workshops outside our school where we can collaborate and interact with teachers and administrators. Through discussions at these events, we can further build on our own knowledge, which we can pass on to teachers in our school.
In my own case, through teacher leadership, I am continually inspired to improve my own practice and to support others in improving theirs. This makes teacher leadership exciting.
So why become a teacher leader? I say that being a teacher leader is a significant and life-changing endeavor in so many ways. Not only do you broaden your impact, but you gain experience and opportunities to challenge yourself and grow as an educator.
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The author is Teacher III at San Juan Nepomuceno Elementary School