Too often in the name of efficiency directors, coaches and other
administrators choose for teachers rather than supporting the kind of
collaboration and autonomy that gives educators the professional choice, voice
and leadership they've earned through their education, experience and
professional tenure.
Why do professional educators allow themselves to be directed with
little voice or choice? Why do they follow along without speaking up,
advocating and using the talent, skill and investment they regularly bring to
the profession.
I know that both the way time is used and school structure is created
often stand in the way of teacher voice, choice and leadership. The fact that
the teaching/learning structure in many or most schools maintains that
educators have tremendous time-on-task with students, leaves little time for
educators to research and develop their craft, and allows coaches, curriculum
directors, and other administrators to have significant research, development
and decision making power rather than supporting professional frameworks that
develop, honor and interconnect educators' professional leadership, knowledge
and decision making. This structural reality often obstructs professional
educators' confidence, collegiality, and their ability to meet professional
potential with regard to student service and teaching.
I looked to the National Board of Professional Teaching Standard's
(NBPTS) book, What
Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do, for solutions to this dilemma
since this book summarizes significant research related to effective teaching
and teachers. Lee S. Shulman, Emeritus Professor Standford University, states
in the Forward of the NBPTS guide, "As teachers we use the many sources of
professional knowledge, skill and experience at our disposal to engage the
minds and hearts of children and youth by teaching and inspiring them."
This statement describes the leadership involved in teaching well, and does not
state the contrary which maintains that good teachers only follow directives by
administrators, business leaders, politicians and others who often manage and
lead the profession.
So how can teachers advocate for voice, choice and leadership in
educational settings where there is currently little autonomy? And, why is this
important? The NBPTS guide notes that "A distinguishing hallmark of a
profession is that those who are in it determine what its members must know and
do.” and “the updated Five Core Propositions were written by teachers, for
teachers." As in all NBPTS endeavo, the efforts are collaborative and
teacher-driven, not top-down directives. Educators may use this NBPTS model of
effective teaching including the core propositions to lead their practice with
voice, choice and leadership in schools to teach children well.
To start, educators may study, share and post the five NBPTS propositions in
spaces where decision-making occurs. These propositions will set the stage for
teacher voice, choice and leadership with these clear NBPTS statements that
describe how educators use the propositions for effective teaching:
· Teachers are responsible for managing and
monitoring student learning.
· Teachers think systematically about their
practice and learn from their experience.
When the individual and collective responsibility for managing and
monitoring student learning as well as the ability to systematically think,
share and learn to inform practice is taken away or diminished, teachers’
potential to do the good work possible is obstructed.
So, as educators committed to our craft and students, we must work
together to regain, or gain for the first time, ownership of our
teaching/learning communities and efforts, and then in collaboration with other
stakeholders including students, families, administrators, other staff members
and community members, we must continue our efforts to develop successful
learning communities for every child.
