Igniting Teacher Leadership

How do I empower my teachers to lead and learn? (ASCD Arias)

William Sterrett

• Publisher: ASCD
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781416621775
• eBook ISBN: 9781416621805
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

As principals, we push ourselves to learn, grow, and innovate because our role remains in a state of flux. When it comes to leadership, though, it's imperative that we focus on growing the most important resource in the school—our teachers. Igniting Teacher Leadership is written for busy school leaders who want to foster learning and growth not only for students but also for teachers. Effective leadership is vital in creating a culture of collaboration, modeling continuous improvement, and developing enhanced engagement throughout the building. In short, effective leadership leads to better teachers, who in turn design more powerful learning experiences, empower students, and create better schools. Experienced school leader and author William Sterrett offers strategies and examples for fostering teacher leadership, facilitating professional learning, and promoting "growing habits" to help translate key points into practical action steps. Sterrett has also written Insights Into Action: Successful School Leaders Share What Works and Short on Time: How do I make time to lead and learn as a principal?

Igniting Teacher Leadership

The principal pulled her office door shut and glanced around the empty administrative office lit only by a sliver of fading sunlight. She paused in front of the teachers' mailboxes, where 82 names were labeled beside their respective trays. She thought about the teachers who would be here first thing in the morning to collect their mail, notes, and memos, and she thought about the hundreds of students who were represented by those teachers—all of whom had thoughts, goals, challenges, and successes. Thoughts such as these:

• "I've enjoyed having a student teacher this semester. I can distinctly remember those challenges and successes when I was immersed into learning how to become a better teacher."
• "Wow, I'd love to stop by your classroom to see how you get these results…if I can just find the time."
• "How are you able to get Scottie to engage in class? I've been trying, but I sure could use any tips you can spare."
• "Where does she find the time to incorporate those new strategies? I'd love to learn more."

These statements and questions are examples that reveal our student-centered perspective as educators. We want the very best for all of our students. We prepare for years to become a teacher, we work tirelessly to engage and challenge our students, and we continually strive to meet the needs of today's learners. As educators, many of us have leadership roles or aspirations. We push ourselves to learn, grow, and innovate because we realize that leadership is continuously in flux. Nevertheless, when it comes to leadership, we must focus on growing one very important resource within the school: the teachers.

Jack Welch points out that leadership is not just about you. He observes, "Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others" (2005, p. 61). It's important to emphasize growing others since we must, as leaders, focus on the shared, collaborative nature of school leadership. Regardless of your school's size, level, or location, the bottom line is that each leadership role depends on us moving forward and growing together to accomplish the goals of the entire school.

Research shows that school leadership is vital to an engaged school community and increased student achievement. One six-year study of more than 7,000 principals noted that "schools with high achievement were less likely to have a new principal and more likely to have had the same leader for several years" (Branch, Hanushek, & Rivkin, 2013, p. 68). Why is the principal so important? Simple: central to the role is the critical function of coordination in which the principal fosters, develops, and propels the collective effort of teaching and learning.

A recent Gallup study that was focused on the importance of school leadership found that "the principal's position aids coordination of separate contributors that collectively drive student achievement" (Gordon, 2013, p. 3). For far too long, many of these "separate contributors" have been hard-working teachers who have felt isolated and burnt out or who have been going through the motions of teaching without seeing substantial results in terms of learning. In that in-depth study of more than 90 principals and 4,500 teachers, "highly talented" principals demonstrated excellence in the following seven key areas (Gordon, 2013):

• Goals and Expectations: They present a vision for the school.
• Teacher Support: They work hard and are available for teachers.
• Teacher Growth: They are in classrooms often and help teachers use their individual strengths.
• Student Focus: They like students and do what is best for them.
• Recognition of Success: They celebrate and encourage teachers and success.
• Positive Outlook: They are optimistic and see problems as opportunities.
• Parent Engagement: They involve parents and inspire them to support the teachers.

We must support our teachers. It is the teacher who does the real work of instruction in the classroom. It is the teacher who usually greets each student into the learning community on Monday morning, even when it's hard. It is the teacher who must stay relevant—even decades after student teaching—for each incoming class. It is the teacher who is on the front line and must reassure anxious or worried parents. It is the teacher who must grow, innovate, and contribute to the profession.

As you can see, we ask much of our teachers, and unfortunately, we are losing too many of them—every year—because they feel burnt out, underappreciated, and overworked. As principal, we can have a huge effect in affirming teachers' sense of worth, strengthening a culture of collaboration, encouraging schoolwide innovation, and growing others professionally.

I am a firm believer that the role of the principal is uniquely positioned to deliver results, both in the short term and over many years. A principal can realize success through empowering his or her teachers (Sterrett, 2015). I frequently remind aspiring administrators that many of the best principals are collaborative leaders who see themselves as teachers; they think like teachers, listen like teachers, collaborate like teachers, and lead like teachers. And once they assume the principalship, they realize they are not the only teacher—or leader—in the building; they realize they must actively grow others in order to move the school forward in a significant manner.

This book will build on the leadership foundation established in my previous work—Insights into Action (Sterrett, 2011) and Short on Time (Sterrett, 2013). Here, we will zero in on the importance of nurturing and supporting the most vital resource in any educational setting—its people. We will examine ways to strengthen and affirm the work of teachers within our schools by examining our own habits as principals, and we will consider ways to focus on growing others rather than merely trying to lead alone.

As the saying goes, there is so much to do yet so little time. There is no excuse for school leaders, with increasing accountability and decreasing resources, not to empower the most valuable potential within their schools. It's time that leaders realize even greater success by igniting teacher leadership.

The Importance of Habit

As principal, my morning habits were fairly predictable. I would listen to upbeat music on the way to work while sipping my second cup of coffee. As I arrived, I parked close to the side entrance in an unmarked parking spot. (I was never a fan of the "principal's parking" designation common at many schools. My view was if an "early riser" beat me to the prime parking spot, he or she definitely deserved it!) Entering the school, I greeted the custodians, teachers, and office staff who were already there, and I often did a quick walk-around to ensure that everything was in good shape. I turned on my computer, put my lunch in the fridge, and sorted through the mail and notes that arrived before logging on to my e-mail. To maximize my time, I read through and responded to most of the new e-mails before the first bus arrived. Once the buses started to arrive, I would greet students, check in with teachers, and lead the morning announcements. Another school day started.

I am a creature of habit. Most educators like predictability, and we often try to structure our days around it. According to the U.S. Department of Education, there are more than 100,000 principals in U.S. elementary, middle, and high schools (Bitterman, Goldring, & Gray, 2013), and I'm willing to bet that a good percentage of them have very similar morning habits.

Recently, Duhigg (2012) noted that there is powerful potential in creating new "habit loops," which can lead to drastically different outcomes in our lives. Emphasizing habit is not new thinking, though. Over a century ago, William James wrote, "When we look at living creatures from an outward point of view, one of the first things that strike us is that they are bundles of habits" (1890, p. 3). As a teacher and principal, my "bundles of habits" usually involved following through on what I perceived to be the day's plan in a manner that supported learning and organization while squelching the "unknown." However, once I realized the power to create new habits, I transformed my role as leader. As principal, I sought to develop new habits to bolster collaboration, support the school vision, and foster a positive outlook as follows:

1. Organize one schoolwide field trip per year. I sought to lead by example in connecting learning outside the school with curricular goals.
2. Coauthor or present with teachers at conferences. It is important to affirm the work of teachers by promoting the notion that they have a voice when it comes to action research.
3. Celebrate faculty success. I realized I could transform faculty meetings by starting off with teacher-led affirmations that I support and promote as principal.
4. Provide immediate reflective feedback in observations. A walkthrough observation without feedback is worthless; teachers deserve our insights, encouragement, and questions.
5. Make it clear to the school community that I love my job. From calling out a bingo game to wearing character outfits, we principals lead by example when it comes to having a healthy sense of humor.

Few would dispute that principals should develop and support teacher leadership. However, in examining decades of teacher leadership, York-Barr and Duke state, "there is evidence to suggest that principal support of teacher leadership is more readily espoused than enacted" (2004, p. 274). As we are teachers ourselves, we principals must be more proactive and vigilant as we foster habits to develop, strengthen, and sustain teacher leadership within our schools.

Supporting Teachers

As principals, we are familiar with the phrase lifelong learners. We prioritize teaching and learning; we lead by example, seeking out and sharing insights from articles or conferences; and we are engaged in our professional learning networks (PLN). It's important to remember, though, that we are also lifelong teachers. The best administrators see themselves as teachers. Effective principals and superintendents never forget what it's like to have a classroom full of activity. They appreciate the value of rolling up their sleeves, wearing comfortable shoes, and engaging with students. Therefore, when school leaders make decisions about resource allocation, school improvement, or student learning, it's important to remember that this work moves forward because of the quality of teachers in the classroom. Our teachers will notice if we work each day like we are one of them. Indeed, the power of the principal is best realized through the collaborative work of teachers.

Listen to Teachers

To understand what teachers are thinking, we must listen to them. Sounds obvious, right? As principal, I often used end-of-meeting exit slips to ask teachers what was and wasn't working and to recognize other areas in which I might help. By carefully reading over their written thoughts and addressing them, I gained their trust. Teachers are extremely busy, and they don't always have time to craft a thoughtful letter of concern to the principal. This is why the principal must intentionally carve out time to listen.

Budd Dingwall was an award-winning principal in two states, earning the coveted National Blue Ribbon Schools distinction in Ohio (twice!) and the National Distinguished Principal award while serving in North Carolina. Budd's school, Codington Elementary School (CES), like all North Carolina public schools, participated in the North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey, which is administered every two years. Budd's teachers clearly felt valued, particularly when compared with teachers across the state. The results are telling (North Carolina's Teacher Working Conditions Initiative, 2012):

• Teachers are recognized as educational experts. (100% at CES versus 83% statewide)
• Teachers are effective leaders in this school. (100% versus 88% statewide)
• The school leadership consistently supports teachers. (95% versus 79% statewide)
• Teachers feel comfortable raising issues and concerns that are important to them. (87% versus 71% statewide)
• The faculty are recognized for accomplishments. (93% versus 84% statewide)

When I asked Budd why his school was so different from other schools in the state in terms of what teachers thought, he offered a two-word response: "I listened." Budd made it a habit to host quarterly meetings with each teacher. He used a consistent, simple structure to guide those meetings; he would center the relatively brief meetings (no longer than 40 minutes) on the following two questions:

1. Please tell me how your students are doing.
2. What can I do to support you?

The first question allowed teachers to share successes and concerns, particularly those that went beyond the typical professional learning community (PLC) discussion. The second question allowed for a "direct line" to the principal that is unfortunately rare in today's busy school environment. Budd also empowered his assistant principal to lead these meetings (a decision necessary to make this approach work in a larger school). By listening to his teachers, he was able to firm up ideas about professional development, better understand his teachers' challenges, recognize their gains, and share success stories. He listened, and his teachers took notice.

Busy principals, take note: the best way to demonstrate that you value teachers is by listening to them…often. From short classroom visits to brief conversations in the hallway, we can move the work of the school forward by strengthening our listening habits, especially when it involves the teachers with whom we serve.

Support the Notion of Teacher as Learner

Even though we are focused on students' learning, let's not neglect to prioritize our own growth—as true lifelong learners—in the process. Even the most veteran teacher nearing retirement has something to learn—and likely to share with colleagues. One way we can help ignite others is by supporting the notion that our actions are influenced by our thinking and perspective. Costa and Garmston observe, "A person's actions are influenced by internal forces rather than overt behaviors. Therefore, cognitive coaches focus on the thought processes, values, and beliefs that motivate, guide, influence, and give rise to the overt behaviors" (2002, p. 13). This is a powerful reminder to busy principals. How do we encourage self-reflection and growth when it comes to thought processes, values, and beliefs? What are the implications in terms of how we encourage growth, provide feedback, and share leadership?

Identify Teacher Leadership

The notion of "teacher leadership" is not brand new. Yet not every school benefits from an active, engaged presence of teacher leadership. Citing research, Nathan Bond notes that teacher leaders "possess an insider's knowledge of the local school conditions [by knowing] their colleagues, the curriculum, and the culture of the school" (2015, p. 57). As such, they are a vital resource for leading efforts such as professional development, and they absolutely hav...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• Igniting Teacher Leadership
• Encore Divider
• Encore
• References
• Related Resources
• About the Author
• Copyright