How have your definitions and your ideas changed over the past 8 weeks? Have you deepened your understanding of these concepts? What were your "pivotal" moments in that journey?
The biggest change for me in the definition of teacher leadership is the concept of the breadth of the term. I also have a new appreciation for the depth of what is needed to really be a teacher leader. However, one concept I still struggle with at this point is the concept of all teachers being "teacher leaders". In one sense, I totally get this. Everyone in a school has different passions, different strengths, and different goals. It makes sense that each person can then be a leader in an arena of their own passion. However, I still feel this is somewhat a utopia. Not only can this create a situation where you have a lot of individual entrepreneurship, but it also assumes that all teachers want to be leaders. Even in the most egalitarian, supportive environment, there are always going to be those who are looking to be really great classroom teachers and are not interested in leading others. While in theory, I can argue that if you aren't willing to pass on this passion and knowledge to others than you are wasting part of your gift, it doesn't always change that person's viewpoint or activity.
All that aside, I think I have two major takeaways from this course: 1) my need to exercise empathy and 2) the need to increase the use of protocols. The passage that has stuck with me most is from Katzenmeyer and Moller (2009) when they assert that teacher leaders must not only seek to understand the viewpoints of their colleagues, they must also try to operate from them. This is going to be incredibly difficult for me, but I recognize that it will be critical as I seek to gain the trust of my teammates in a coaching role. I know that they trust my intellect and my practice, but that doesn't amount to much when I'm in their room seeking to get intensely personal as I help them explore their practice. They don't all have to be me; I need to help them be the best them they can be. And that means I have to truly understand their worldview, their goals, and their passions. Secondly, we have not been very successful in the past in using protocols. Personally, I've always balked at them a little. But reading through a lot of the research in this course and in the Guided Inquiry course I am also taking this summer, I am coming to understand how important they can be. In order to truly level the playing field and help everyone participate in the conversations and decision making, protocols are a must. The 'duh!' moment here for me is how much I use them with my students while walking them through Kagan Cooperative Learning Structures. I can spout off all the reasons why I'm doing it while prepping the kids for them. But when it comes to working with my peers, I pretend like it doesn't apply. That is going to change as I move forward.
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