In recent years, school administrations have begun incorporating teacher leaders into their organizational efforts. Responsibilities once reserved for principals (whose jobs have become increasingly specialized and time-consuming) are now in the hands of teachers who bridge instruction and administration. Teacher leaders are unique among their peers, and they offer a number of benefits not only to their schools and coworkers but also to their students. Once developed only through experience or school-specific initiatives, teacher leadership can now emerge from specialized programs such as an online master’s degree in teacher leadership.
Classroom Benefits of Teacher Leadership
Ordinarily, discussions of teacher leadership concentrate on the benefits for schools and administrations; teacher leaders forge strong relationships with learning stakeholders such as parents, fellow educators and the community. These relationships translate into better academic results and smoother school operations. However, teacher leadership offers a number of benefits to students as well. Teacher leaders have a strong understanding of diverse learning styles, so their classroom environments can accommodate not only general population students but also special needs students, economically disadvantaged students and English language learners. This diversity can create dynamic learning environments by exposing students to those who may learn differently than they do, generating empathy and a spirit of co-learning.
Data and Research for Stronger Motivation
Beyond the scope of their inclusive classrooms, teacher leaders often base their lesson plans on up-to-date, data-driven research. By focusing on hands-on learning techniques, teacher leaders inspire personal, or intrinsic, motivation rather than relying on traditional external, or extrinsic, motivators. Many of those in teacher leadership have also undergone significant professional development, including programs that encourage personal reflection upon their own strengths and weaknesses. Not only does this produce very effective instruction, it also encourages humility, patience and empathy — all strong characteristics in the classroom.
Beyond the Curriculum
Teacher leaders can influence their students outside of standard curricula as well: their strong interpersonal and organizational skills help students discover leadership within themselves. Team-building and mentoring, ordinarily considered skills for a teacher leader’s coworkers and administrators, become classroom skills as well, helping students determine their own stakes in their schools and communities.
In the Community
Teacher leaders are vested in the health and success not only of a particular class and school but also of the district as a whole, and their instruction and mentorship reflects this. This can translate into a successful learning experience over the life of a student’s tenure with each school in a district.
Once a rare occurrence, teacher leadership now improves the academic success of schools around the country. Some districts offer programs for teachers to improve their effectiveness and involve themselves more fully in the educational community. For many teachers, however, the convenience of an online program like Lamar University’s Master of Education in Teacher Leadership makes the transition into leadership easier to manage. With flexible scheduling and 24-hour curricular access, the online master’s degree program offers teachers the opportunity to get the training they need without sacrificing their jobs.
Learn more about the Lamar University online M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership program.
Sources:
The LEEEGH Educators: Leadership for Educators
ASCD: The Many Faces of Leadership
Sage Publications: Teachers as Leaders
