During the summer, I am sharing thematic posts bringing together responses on similar topics from the past 10 years. You can see all those collections from the first nine years here.
Here are the ones I’ve published so far:
The 11 Most Popular Classroom Q&A Posts of the Year
School Closures & the Coronavirus Crisis
Best Ways to Begin the School Year
Best Ways to End the School Year
Student Motivation & Social-Emotional Learning
Challenging Normative Gender Culture in Education
Cooperative & Collaborative Learning
Teaching English-Language Learners
Entering the Teaching Profession
Today’s theme is on teacher leadership. You can see the list of posts following this excerpt from one of them:
* Teachers Share What They Want Central Offices & Public Officials to Hear
Those making policy decisions often don’t ask educators what they need. Teachers suggest ways they can be helpful to people in the trenches.
* ‘The Silence of Educators Is Dangerous’
Four educators share their thoughts on the biggest dangers facing schools, including the silence of educators, often keeping mum in the “face of injustices that in our hearts and minds we know are unethical.”
* Educators Must Have a ‘Plan of Action’ to Confront Our Challenges
Three educators discuss dangers facing education today, including gun violence and teacher burnout, as well as shrinking school budgets that threaten programs and student well-being.
* ‘Teacher Leadership Is the Lifeboat to a Better School’
Megan M. Allen, David Allen, John DeFlaminis, Mustafa Abdul-Jabbar, and Eric Yoak, along with readers, share their suggestions for ways teacher leaders can respond when new administrators are not thrilled with their role or presence.
* Teacher Leaders Are ‘Hungry to Learn’
Laura Robb, Kylene Beers, Susan Chenelle, ReLeah Cossett, Christopher Lehman, Matt Townsley, Anthony Cody, and Patty O’Grady contribute their ideas on teacher leadership. I’ve also included comments from readers.
* ‘Schools Cannot Thrive’ Without Teacher Leadership
Regie Routman, Aubrie Rojee, Megan M. Allen, Shane Safir, Sean Slade, and Barnett Berry share their thoughts on what teacher leadership looks like....
* Policy Decisions Must Be ‘Done With’ Teachers, Not ‘Done to’ Them
This post includes contributions from Randi Weingarten, Jody Spiro, Susan Ochshorn, and Meghan Everette discussing how teachers can effectively engage in educational policy decisions. I’ve also included comments by readers.
* ‘Writing a Letter Isn’t Enough’ to Affect Ed. Policy
Karen Baptiste, Eric C. Heins, Mary Tedrow, and David Griffith share their suggestions on how teachers can affect education policy decisions.
* Avoiding ‘Trust Busters’ When Making Change in Schools
Today’s contributors on the topic of making change in schools include Catherine Beck, Paul D’Elia, Michael Lamond, Julie Combs, Stacey Edmonson, Sandra Harris, PJ Caposey, and Kirke H. Olson. In addition, you can see quite a few comments from readers.
* Change in Schools ‘Is a Process, Not an Event’
Educators Sally Zepeda, Bill Sterrett, Pete Hall, and Opal Davis Dawson share their thoughts on how teachers can encourage—and “embrace"—change.
* Teachers Must Help Determine New Ideas Being Implemented
I share my thoughts here, as do Renee Moore and Kelly Young.
* ‘Teacherpreneurs Can Lead Reforms': An Interview With Barnett Berry
I interview Barnett Berry about the book Teacherpreneurs: Innovative Teachers Who Lead but Don’t Leave(Jossey-Bass 2013) authored by Barnett and Center for Teaching Quality colleagues Ann Byrd and Alan Wieder. In it, they document the leadership journeys of eight classroom educators (several who are regular contributors to this blog) who are spreading their expertise beyond their schools, districts, and states—and even nationally and internationally.
* We Need ‘Fewer John Waynes & More John Deweys’
This is Part One in a series responding to the question: “How can teachers best relate to superintendents—and vice versa?”
This post provides responses from a teacher’s perspective, with contributions from Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers; Dean Vogel, president of the California Teachers Association; and Barnett Berry of the Center for Teaching Quality.
