As an elementary school teacher with vision I often come up against obstacles.
My eagerness to move things forward, innovate, and change is often met by obstacles of words, actions, and reactions.
I will admit that my enthusiasm and vision often rolls forward like a steamroller of ideas, it's not a gentle dance of persuasion, expression, or question. I see it, I want it, and I move forward.
Many contest this, and for good reason. I'm not the only voice or set of eyes when it comes to making change, and we all know that good change takes collaboration, many voices, and process. Yet, on the other hand, my signals for change come from research, the children's eyes and actions, and the words of leaders in and out of schools all around me--I'm well aware of the promise that education holds today, and the great many different actions we can pursue to develop education to help all learners succeed.
With this in mind, how do you grow teachers' sense of advocacy, mission, and questioning so that the actions result in positive change? When is patience the right response, and when is impatience the best response? How do teachers as leaders move beyond obstacles to advocate for best change? Who is teaching this, and how does one access this work? Titles? Links? Ideas? Professional Courses?
I've read that the United States Department of Education is starting to take the idea of teacher leadership seriously--the notion that to move forward doesn't mean moving out of a classroom. As one teacher who is consistently inspired by the children I teach, I want to stay in the classroom, but I want to have voice too. I want to grow that voice in ways that matter while not leaving the children I teach behind. So at this turn in the road, I'm looking for ideas. If you have what I need, please let me know.
