Teacher leaders occupy unique roles in schools. They hold the perspective of the teacher while thinking beyond the individual classroom; they work closely with kids while driving the direction of the school. As peers and leaders, they are uniquely positioned to harness the power of teachers to work collectively towards shared goals for kids.
Teacher leaders for equity face a greater opportunity and challenge. In order to create a school in which all students can thrive, they must move beyond passive teacher cooperation to embrace conflict and collaboration amongst their peers. They must be prepared to dig deep, examine critical issues, include diverse perspectives, and move together as a group.
Through this offering, teacher leaders will develop the understanding, skills, and approaches to embrace both conflict and collaboration in order to lead transformational change.
Teacher leaders will engage in learning around 3 key questions:
- How do I lead myself? Examine your own leadership through reflection on identity, building from strengths, and stepping outside of your comfort zones.
- How do I lead my peers? Explore how to build trust, identify assets, and embrace difficult conversations.
- How do I lead my team? Move from cooperation to collaboration by sharing commitment, embracing feedback, and promoting constructive dissent.