Stephanie Krive

MATC TE 872 FS15

Paper III School & Community Leadership Project

What, Exactly, Classifies Someone as a Leader?

Motivated people do not go into their career hoping to remain stagnant, unchallenged,
and fixed at the same rate of pay as when they were hired in. Motivated people work hard to
triumph at assigned tasks while seeking growth and thorough understanding. They usually feel
good for accomplishing goals, and even better for succeeding at the challenging ones. When
they have mastered something, they feel ready to take things a step further. Motivated people
are the natural born leaders all around us, though the form that these leaders take may not
always look the same to all observing eyes.
Thankfully for the students of our state, country, and even the world, the people who
decide to become teachers are traditionally some of the most motivated citizens there are.
Teacher leaders often display skills such as, Building trust and developing rapport, diagnosing
organizational conditions, dealing with processes, managing the work, and building skills and
confidence in others (Boyd-Dimock, 1995). Over the course of their time working in schools,
classroom teachers may play a large variety of leadership roles. Instinctively, teachers are the
leaders and role models of their students, in both curriculum and in life skills. Much of what
teachers pass on to their students is actually not academic, but is more along the lines of
becoming good citizens of their community and beyond. When teachers feel ready to take
things a step further they may seek leadership roles within their buildings or their district.
Some of these roles have official titles, such as __________(insert content area) Department
Chair or Teacher in Charge. One could also be a member of a committee that meets

regularly, or someone who has been trained in a curriculum the building uses. Leaders may
even come in a less official form, for example a teacher who lends out their personal materials
for use by other teachers is helping to lead, or a teacher who writes a grant, hoping to inspire
real change in the building (Harrison, 2007).
All of these people are fulfilling leadership roles, even if they are doing so to a widely
varying degree. Together, they all share one goal: to better the school environment by providing
support and knowledge, to keep everything organized and flowing properly, and to give the
students the very best education possible. Teachers who are constantly trying to improve their
practice work hard and work together. Collaboration among colleagues is incredibly influential
to the climate of the school. Teachers should be leading each other. One of the most significant
ways to establish this type of system is to foster strong mentor/mentee relationships between
veteran and new teachers of the staff. During the first few years of teaching, countless questions
will arise, from What is the best way to present our objectives? to How do I use the copy
machine? Mentor teachers do so much to lead and guide, further inspiring a love for lifelong
learning, which in turn stimulates their mentees to do the same (Harrison, 2007).
At some point in their time teaching, all teachers will very likely spend some time in at
least one leadership role, but I would be willing to bet that the large majority of them will
execute multiple forms of leadership, possibly causing them to lose much of the little (and
precious) free time they had left after planning lessons and grading papers. In general, teachers
do not teach to gain a wealthy lifestyle, for fame, or to move on up the way one would in a
corporation. They teach because they care about children, with consideration to their expansion
of knowledge and their development of social skills. Teachers are motivated to do their best and
to motivate students to do theirs. And as a result of the lack of opportunities to move up and

remain in the classroom, these motivated individuals naturally seek out leadership
opportunities. Leadership to teachers is a natural solution and next step.
Now, what happens to leadership in teaching when the task at hand is not as simple as
delivering the curriculum in a manner that the students can reach? What if working together to
improve student instruction is just the first layer of tasks a staff must overcome? I dont believe
any one teacher has it easy in our field, but what does leadership look and feel like for
teachers in urban/rural districts? How is the concept of leading different for teachers who are
working with diverse learners and/or special needs students? As was mentioned before,
leadership can be demonstrated through a variety of forms. Although, when considering the
level of motivation and willingness to spend time that is often required to lead, it seems clear
that seeking leadership while working with students who have deeper needs than those of the
general public youth is a true commitment.
The leadership roles previously discussed still stand true in the high-needs schools
being addressed here. There are likely still department chairs/heads, plenty of committees, and
certainly mentor teachers guiding the way for new teachers. But, in addition to the regular
duties of those choosing to be leaders in the building, there are some possible obstacles to
overcome, such as a lack of resources and/or funding, the need for more behavioral support,
and linguistic disconnects if there are non-English speaking families in the school. Any one of
these can add a hefty layer of stress on top of what teachers and teacher leaders are already
doing. Much more time must going into lesson planning when there is a need for serious lesson
differentiation for diverse students or students with special needs. When buildings have no
curriculum to follow, teachers must simply use the standards and their best efforts (and
probably their own money) to create effective and memorable lessons for their students. When

challenging behaviors are added to the list of obstacles, the anxiety of teachers just continues to
grow. In schools with high-needs, it really seems that a bigger distribution of leaders
throughout the building would be beneficial, but understandably so, stepping into a position of
leadership may be an undertaking too vast for some.
Teacher attrition is high, with 46% of teachers leaving the profession within the first 5
years. In high-needs schools, this percentage is even greater. How can we expect teachers to
one day become great leaders in their field when the field itself is struggling to keep them
there? Teacher dropout is especially high among younger teachers who are entering the
profession (Holland, p. 437-438). This is a serious concern regarding leadership in teaching
because good leaders must first be led for a time. Collaboration and communication between
staff members is crucial to the productivity and effectiveness of a school, and both of these take
a serious hit when staff turnover is high. Those who do step up to lead are often spreading
themselves very thin, leaving little time for much else. Ultimately, school systems run a high
risk of having an overwhelmed staff when there is much to do, without having enough time for
everything to be accomplished.
On a family and community level, teachers of high-needs students can find themselves
in positions of completely different kinds of leadership. Teachers can become advocates for the
families of their students. They have the ability to reach out and help families who struggle to
communicate in English. They can also head up food drives or other donation-based projects to
assist the families in need. Teachers can lead by providing information on community resources
where families can receive other forms of assistance, or even hold parent meetings in which
more helpful information is offered. Teachers can raise funds for field trips for their students
whose families could otherwise not afford to pay for their child. These forms of leadership may

be different than what a teacher might see in an ordinary classroom on a daily basis, but they
are no less important to a student and his/her family.
As I stop to reflect upon the various forms leadership I have seen or experienced in my
limited years as a classroom teacher, I cannot help but remark on how different leadership
can look from place to place. The leadership roles that teachers fill truly can range from
teacher-in-charge to the organizer of the international night with bilingual assistants, etc. Here
are some of my personal experiences with the many forms teacher leadership can take.
Student Teacher East Lansing Public Schools, 2nd grade, 1 year
This was the year I experienced the most direct form of personal leadership, as my
cooperating teacher began to show me the ropes of running an elementary classroom. I
watched her choices in leadership, as well as the guidance of the other six cooperating teachers
for the other interns. This particular elementary school hosted a fairly diverse group of students,
about 20% of whom received free or reduced lunch. The opportunities for leadership in this
school were the ones you would expect to see in a suburban district. A good number of teachers
were active on committees in the building, people were on top of their trainings, and there was
a massive amount of parental involvement. Teachers had an expected amount of out-of-school
work to do (planning and grading), but stress levels seemed very well managed. The way I felt
most inspired to lead from this experience was to one day become a mentor teacher to a new
teacher. I loved hearing her stories and was always stirred by her rationales when she made
choices I couldnt have predicted. I have not yet become a cooperating teacher for a year-long
intern, but I have had TESOL seniors in my room for semesters at a time.

English as a Foreign Language Teacher LEducation Nationale de France, 1st-5th grade, 1 year

Before finding a teaching position in the States, I lived and taught for a year in Nevers,
France. I worked as an English teacher in three primary schools, all in an urban community of
families with low socio-economic statuses. There were many notable differences between the
way things worked in these schools as compared to elementary schools in the U.S., but the
leadership roles for teachers were quite similar. Teachers led or participated in various groups
or committees, and there was a teacher who stepped into a head position when the principal
was out of the building. Interestingly, there was a principal in each of these buildings, but they
were also required to teach a class. Not surprisingly, these staff members often seemed
intensely busy. I do not know how much work was being done outside of school by the French
teachers I knew well, but I know that hardly anyone stayed after school in the building. I heard
many rumors of teachers being in fantastic contact with parents, and it was not out of the
ordinary for a teacher to visit the homes of students. Leadership there came in the form of
community outreach, because that is what the students needed.

French and ESL Teacher Traverse City Area Public Schools, 6th-8th grade, 3 years
My first Michigan public school teaching position was in a middle school in Traverse
City, teaching French and one hour of English as a Second Language. The schools in Traverse
City are considered to be sort of a suburban/rural combination, as many families live a good
distance from the schools, but it is indeed an affluent district and community. There were plenty
of opportunities for leadership for teachers in this district, and everyone seemed excited and
ready to take on new challenges. There was such a culture of camaraderie and support in this
building. Even I, in my second year of teaching, felt supported enough to take on a Training of
Teachers position for the SIOP method. This is a teaching method which best incorporates

English Learners into the general education classroom. I brought back what I learned, and then
facilitated multiple sessions in which I trained teachers in the district to integrate the method
into their classrooms. The district had money to send teachers to specialized professional
development conferences, and I even had a school credit card for classroom necessities.
Needless to say, this felt like a place that encouraged stepping into leadership positions, and
with much ease.

Elementary School (ESL Self-Contained) Teacher Lansing School District, 6th grade, 1 year
Elementary School Teacher Lansing School District, 4th grade, 1 year (present)
The school that I currently teach at could find itself on the other end of the continuum
regarding the ease of choosing to be a teacher leader. This school is in an urban community
where practically all students are offered free breakfast and lunch. It has a very diverse group of
students and families, and over 50% of the population is made up of English Language
Learners (ELLs). We have an enormous refugee population, being so close to the Refugee
Development Center and having specialized ESL certified teachers. We are also a priority
school, due to the low test scores of the past few years. Finally, a few years ago, the Lansing
School District decided to do away with the elementary teachers planning hour, leaving them
only their lunch for a break, and with the responsibility to teach art, gym, and music to their
own classes. As is made clear here, there are obstacles beyond teaching curriculum for the
teachers in my building. Amazingly, even with the immense amounts of time spent on things
such as multi-tiered lesson differentiation, teacher leaders can be found at every turn. There are
teachers who step up as acting administrators when the principals are called to a meeting. There
are committees for just about anything, with dedicated leaders and members. There are teachers
willing to coach sports, and teachers who are helping to drive students to their games when

their parents cannot. There are mentors and mentees, and plenty of people who share resources
in order to best serve our students. There are teachers organizing weekend survival kits for
families who may not have enough food over the weekend. I see people leading everywhere I
look, and I couldnt possibly admire my colleagues more.

While leadership in teaching can obviously take on almost any form imaginable, there is
no doubt that being at the front of the pack is not always easy. However, it is what we do for the
students that cross our paths every day and over the years. We want what is best for them, even
if this can leave us feeling overworked and with very little time to relax. It simply doesnt seem
that even the most incredible amounts of stress or anxiety will stop teachers from stepping up to
lead. As I continue to look ahead, I am happy to say that I am very proud to be a part of this
change in their world.

Resources

Boyd-Dimock, Victoria, Kathleen M. McGree. Leading Change From The Classroom:

Teachers As Leaders. Issues ...about Change: Volume 4, Number 4. 1995.
http://www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues44.html
Harrison, Cindy, Joellen Killion. Ten Roles for Teacher Leaders. Educational Leadership:
Volume 65, Number 1. September 2007. http://www.ascd.org/publications/educationalleadership/sept07/vol65/num01/Ten-Roles-for-Teacher-Leaders.aspx.
Holland, John M., Jon Eckert et al. From Preservice to Teacher Leadership: Meeting the
Future in Educator Preparation. Action in Teacher Education. Chapter 36, pages 433445. Association of Teacher Educators, 2014.