DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

CIT COLLEGES OF PANIQUI FOUNDATION, INC.

Burgos St. Pob. Norte, Paniqui, Tarlac

IBUAN, MIRRIAM V.
BSED II – A
EDUC 3

MRS. JOSEFINA M. MENDOZA

Instructor

ACTIVITY 11
Read chapter 4and answer the following questions:
1. What are the ways in which teacher leaders share their best practices?

Teacher leadership is a process. Teacher leaders are the professionals who

carry through with this process to lead change in their schools for the benefit
of all students. Teacher leaders share their expertise. Expertise may come in
the form of knowledge and skills. At the same time they are sharing their
expertise, teacher leaders are acquiring expertise as they pursue
professional development to help them solve problems their teams have
identified.

Teacher leaders are excellent communicators. A key teacher leadership skill

is the ability to prioritize listening over speaking and seeking to understand
different perspectives. One of the essential qualities of their communication is
honesty. Teacher leaders communicate in ways that are professional and
truthful, reflecting what is working and what isn’t. They also strive to establish
open communication, where all ideas are heard and all possibilities explored.
Expert teachers are not always teacher leaders. However, building expertise
is essential to becoming a teacher leader.

One of the confusions in defining teacher leadership and identifying teacher

leaders is that “leadership” is not found in a position or title. In most schools
there are teachers who are the designated leaders of their grade level teams
or departments, but being named a “team leader” is not the same as being a
teacher leader.
2. How is role modeling being done by teacher leaders?

A role model is a person who inspires and encourages us to strive for

greatness, live to our fullest potential and see the best in ourselves. A role
model is someone we admire and someone we aspire to be like. We learn
through them, through their commitment to excellence and through their
ability to make us realize our own personal growth. We look to them for
advice and guidance.

A role model can be anybody: a parent, a sibling, a friend but some of our
most influential and life-changing role models are teachers. Teachers being
role models is not a new concept, and has inspired students to go into this
field for ages.

There are many reasons why students think of teachers as role models. One
of the biggest reasons is the desire to become a role model for students to
look up to, to learn from, and to remember for the rest of their lives.

Everyone has felt the power and lasting presence of an effective teacher,
who also had a bigger impact. Whether it’s learning the value of community
service, discovering a love for a particular subject, or how to tap the
confidence to speak in public, teachers are the ones who light the way for us
in this world.

Being a teacher is the best job in the world but also very difficult. Each day
brings new challenges, and each year brings new students. Teaching
students how to treat others and how to react in situations and conflict is
something I try and do each and every day.

There will always be students who don’t like school, and the last thing they
want to do is sit there and learn. It is our job as educators to show them that
learning is fun, and it can take you to amazing places in your future. Showing
students how important education is can be hard when they don’t have those
role models in their lives outside of school.

Lastly, as an educator I try and teach my students to be leaders.

3. What attributes do teacher leaders show as Agents of innovation?

Creative: Not only are innovative teachers creative people, they tend to
celebrate creativity in all it’s forms. Innovative educators realize the
importance of harnessing and nurturing the creativity of their students. Part of
this process includes celebrating difference in students and differentiating
instruction to meet the needs of students. Innovative teachers know how
important it is to allow students to explore their own creative potential.

Collaborative: Innovative educators value collaboration and thrive in these

types of settings. Not only does the collaborative lead to a shared common
vision, but it is through collaboration that one gains new insights and
perspectives.

Courageous: Innovative educators are at their heart, courageous. They

savour opportunities to learn new things are not afraid to take risks in their
learning and teaching. They do not view mistakes as failures, but as
opportunities to grow and try again. Their courage is inspiring!

Curious: Curiosity is a feature that innovative teaches possess. They are

naturally inquisitive and love to explore new ideas.

Connected: Teachers who are considered innovative are connected to the

world around them. These connections can digital, community-oriented,
and/or oriented toward professional development. Innovative teachers are
also deeply connected to the needs of their students.

Compassionate: Compassion is an essential trait that innovative educators

must possess. In order to become fully engaged and motivated about
learning, students must feel that their teachers care for them. Compassion
rules.

Committed: Above all else, the innovative educator is committed to life-long-

learning. They realize that this form of commitment is necessary to be truly
innovative and provide their students with the best educational experience
possible. Innovative educators are also committed to reflective practice. They
recognize the value reflection has on improving their teaching!
 4. Discuss the different stages of teacher's journey toward transitioning
into leadership roles.

The Eight Stages

 
Stage Definition Dominant Coaching Should Training Should
Attitude Address: Address:

1. Resistance Teachers avoid Antagonistic Reassuring teachers How the devices are
using the new that things will be fine used (with concrete
technology and asking for examples to quality
teachers to develop a pedagogy). I found that
framework for asking a “low-tech”
adoption — great teacher with great
teachers need to be pedagogy to help
asked for input early develop training was a
on rather than being way to get tech-resistant
told what to do teachers on board
because they felt
validated.

2. Awareness Teachers begin Cautious but Helping teachers to The potential uses of
to be aware of open-minded see the value of using technology that can
how technology technology. As a hook into the teacher’s
might work in a coach, this is a current pedagogical
positive way chance to say, “I’d expertise. Teachers
love to model a need to be affirmed as
lesson in your class much as challenged.
and you can let me
know what you think
of it.”

3. Teachers try it Curiosity Allowing teachers to Helping teachers make

Experimentation out. This is be creative and giving something tangible with
sort-of a “tech them more playtime / technology — the power
tourist” phase, sandbox experiences. of tech-integrated
where the tech As a coach, you get a creative work
is still an event. chance to observe the
teacher using the tech
in a lesson and affirm
how he or she is
doing.

4. Adoption Teachers Excitement Setting up systems, Designing systems for

finally decide to expectations, self- the integration of
use the directed learning technology (with an
technology while also addressing emphasis on student
regularly as a few of the teacher learning) along with the
more than just paradigm shifts (such integration of tech into
an event. as student-directed lesson planning
learning)
 5. Substitution Teachers begin Optimism Helping teachers see A blend of learning to
using the where the technology use technology,
technology for fits in with the planning curriculum with
everything pedagogy — technology and pushing
challenging them to teachers to think about
see where failure when “low-tech” works
might occur best

6. Teachers Frustration Giving them Guiding teachers to

Disillusionment realize that the permission to be develop a plan for when
technology isn’t frustrated and scale tech works best and
perfect back; helping to push when it fails
a growth mindset that
sees mistakes as a
natural part of the
process

7. Integration Teachers start A Sense of Careful examination Allowing teachers to

choosing the Normalcy of the pedagogy and work collaboratively on
technology the technology with larger tech-integrated
wisely an emphasis on how project-based units (i.e.
they can try new a design thinking
things (such as PBL) project) along with a
— pushing them so vision of the connective
they don’t get too and creative power of
comfortable technology

8. Teachers begin A Mix of Getting teachers to Blending media criticism

Transformation leveraging Critical and see how technology is (studying the nature of
technology to Optimistic shaping our world (in technology) with projects
its full potential About good and bad ways) that leverage the
— students Technology and helping them creative and connective
using it in a develop a vision and power of technology;
more creative, framework for a better allowing these teachers
connective way pedagogy to help lead and train
other teachers

Final Thoughts
While every teacher goes through different stages in different ways, the
biggest take home for me has been to remember that professional
development should not be one-size-fits-all. It needs to be differentiated and
holistic, allowing for teachers to go through natural phases on both an
intellectual and emotional level. If you found this helpful at all, I have a free
download of technology coaching questions I have used with teachers.