Teacher Leadership That Transforms: Taking Ideas into Action
Facilitators
Jennifer Barnett – Technology Integration Specialist, Childersburg High School Talladega, AL
The 75-minute workshop will be divided into two segments: 1) Sharing and analyzing stories to identify keys to transformative teacher leadership. Jennifer and co-presenting teachers will open the session with a short presentation and full-group discussion about teacher leadership. What is it? What defines it? How and why is it important to serve our students, innovate collaboratively and effectively, and transform the teaching profession? Participants will then be divided into small groups to view brief (3-5 minute) videos in which CTQ teacher leaders tell their leadership stories, explaining how they’ve used research, built networks for support and advocacy, accessed opportunities to grow, etc. Small groups will discuss and unpack these stories to identify key strategies, guided by facilitators and the use of a graphic organizer on which to record what they discover. 2) Sharpening teacher leadership goals and creating an action plan. Next, teachers will reflect on challenges they see for students and schools in their home communities. These focuses might relate to implementation of the Common Core, addressing issues around student assessment or teacher evaluation, engaging parents and community members, resolving tensions between local associations and management, etc. How might they lead solutions to these challenges? Individually or with colleagues from their districts (if present), teachers will be led through activities to help them sharpen their goals and questions using a graphic planner. The session will end with an introduction to CTQ’s online com- munity platform, where they can continue their work aided by CTQ teachers and staff.
Welcome and Introductions (3 minutes)
1. Keys to Transformative Teacher Leadership
· Whole Group Discussion
o What is it? Why is it important?
· Teacher Leader Stories
o Protocol for Processing the Stories
The questions answered in the stories
1. What does teacher leadership mean to you?
2. Tell us your leadership story. What sort of leadership role do you have?
3. How have the following impacted your leadership effectiveness? Research, Networks for support and advocacy, Accessing opportunities for growth
This activity needs should take 25 minutes. Visit 2 stories for 10 minutes each. 5 minutes for sharing back out their reflections from the stories.
2. Sharpen Teacher Leadership Goals and Create an Action Plan
Use the graphic organizer from the stories section to reflect on your own skills, passions, and potential plans for teacher leadership.
· My Skills (graphic organizer)
· My Passions (graphic organizer)
· My Action Plan (Use the Grove template)
Source: http://www.kenblanchard.com/img/pub/pdf_critical_leadership_skills.pdf
Transition into their passions after the stories.
Have a graphic organizer for listing their passions/desires/dreams/etc. Give them time to write a bit on that. Maybe have them do a table share, giving each person 1 minute to present the GIST of their #1 passion. (4 minutes for reflection, 5 minutes share. Total time= 9 minutes)
On the back of that sheet, have a graphic organizer of leadership skills. Maybe write one line for each of the critical leadership skills and leave room for them to write others. Give them some time for self-reflection on these. Have table facilitator lead a 5-minute discussion of leadership skills. Question: What skill(s) do you need to work on the most? (3 minute reflection, 5 minute discussion: Total = 8 minutes)
The remaining time will be for working on the Action Plan. (25 minutes)
Begin by reviewing the Action Plan template - 2 minutes
Allow them time for filling in their plan - 10 minutes
As they fill these out the facilitators will circulate the room, supporting and answering questions but also pairing people by type of leadership plan.
Sort by type of plan - 1 minutes
Have them pair share with one other person with similar plans and receive feedback on their plan - 10 minutes
Wrap up the session - 5 minutes