Every Teacher a Leader: Developing the Needed Dispositions, Knowledge, and Skills for Teacher Leadership

by Barbara B. Levin, Lynne R. Schrum

Overview

Discover the secrets of successful teacher leadership!

Every teacher is a leader in their own right. When teachers embrace certain dispositions, knowledge, and skills for leadership, the whole school culture is changed for the better. Whether you’re a teacher who’s ready to take on new roles or an administrator looking to develop strong leaders, this book is for you. 

This practical handbook prepares teachers for leadership roles with specific how-tos for the essential skills they’ll need most: running meetings, teaching colleagues, providing feedback, conducting needs assessments, delivering effective professional development, resolving conflicts, employing technology, and more. The book features:

• Well-tested content and activities
• Reflective writing prompts
• Scenarios for discussion
• Self-evaluations
• Two companion guides: one for teachers, and one for administrators 

When teacher leaders work alongside school leaders, the effect on school culture is noticeable. With Every Teacher a Leader, you’ll implement that change successfully—and improve outcomes for teachers, leaders, and students.

"This book makes leadership a concrete, identifiable, and learnable goal for any teacher.  Furthermore, it provides resources to help nurture and leverage the leadership in one’s staff or even in oneself.  Teacher leadership is necessary on every campus and in every district."
Heather Wolpert-Gawron, Middle School Teacher&Author, Writing Behind Every Door
Los Angeles, CA

"Rather than leadership being held in the office of an administrator, this book shows how more impactful leadership actually resides in the classrooms among the teachers. Levin and Schrum lay out a clear path why teacher leadership is truly the leadership we need in our schools and how to get there."
Josh Stumpenhorst, Teacher, 2012 Illinois Teacher of the Year
Lincoln Junior High School, Naperville, IL

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506326450
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	05/06/2016
Series:	Corwin Teaching Essentials
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	200
Sales rank:	959,478
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Barbara Levin has been a Professor in the Department of Teacher Education and Higher Education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) since 1993. She was an elementary school teacher for 17 years before earning her Ph.D. at the University of California-Berkeley. Dr. Levin served as the Director of the Teachers Academy at UNCG, assistant department chair, and director of graduate studies. She was awarded the first Mentoring-Advising-Supervising (MAS) Award in the School of Education at UNCG. Dr. Levin also served as an Associate Editor for Teacher Education Quarterly for 8 years, and was co-PI on a 5-year, $1.4 million National Professional Development grant from the Dept. of Education called TESOL for ALL. Her research interests include: understanding how teachers’ pedagogical beliefs develop across their careers; case-based teaching; problem-based learning (PBL); universal design for learning (UDL); and leading, teaching, and learning with technology. Dr. Levin has published eight books and over 40 articles in well-respected research journals.

Lynne Schrum is Dean of the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education at Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Previously, she was the Dean of the College of Education and Human Services at West Virginia University. Prior to that, she was a professor and coordinator of elementary education in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. Her research and teaching focus on preparing teachers for the 21st century, appropriate uses of information technology, and leadership in a digital world. She has written eleven books and numerous articles on these subjects; the most recent is How 2, Web 2: How to for Educators. Schrum served on AERA’s Council, was editor of the Journal of Research on Technology in Education (JRTE) (2002-2012), and is a past-president of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

Table of Contents

Preface
1. Why Teacher Leadership?
How Is Teacher Leadership Currently Defined?
How Might Teacher Leadership Be Defined?
Why Do We Need Teacher Leaders?
What Kinds of Roels and Responsibilities Can Teachers Take On Formally and Informally?
What Leadership Styles Support Teacher Leadership?
2. What Do Teacher Leaders Need?
What Facilitates and Nurtures Teacher Leadership?
What Models of Leadership, Mentoring, and Coaching Serve Teacher Leaders?
What Hinders or Stifles Teacher Leadership?
What Can Be Done to Overcome Obstacles to Teacher Leadership?
What Are Some Ways to Reward Teacher Leaders?
3. Dispositions for Teacher Leadership
What Dispositions Do Others Expect From Yourself and Other Teacher Leaders?
What Have You Accomplished So Far as a Teacher Leader?
What is Your Vision for Teacher Leader?
What Image or Metaphor Would You Choose for Yourself as a Teacher Leader?
What Are Your Goals for Teacher Leadership in the Next One, Five, and Ten Years?
What Obstacles Do You Need to Overcome to Become a Strong Teacher Leader?
How Can You Overcome Obstacles to Teacher Leadership?
4. What Teacher Leaders Need to Know
What Do Teacher Leaders Need to Know About Themselves?
What Supports Metacognitive Thinking as a Teacher Leader?
How Can Understanding the Needs of Adults Help Teacher Leaders?
How Can Teacher Leaders Best Work With Different Generations?
Why Is Understanding Teacher Development Important to Our Efforts as Teacher Leaders?
5. Additional Knowledge Needed by Teacher Leaders
Why Is Understanding Educational Policy and Systems Thinking Important Knowledge for Teacher Leaders?
How Does Understanding Change Theory and Organizational Theory Influence Your Work as a Teacher Leader?
How Can Teacher Leaders Influence School Culture and School Climate?
What Constitutes Effective Parent Involvement That Is Culturally Responsive?
Why Can Teacher Action Research Be Used to Increase the Knowledge Base for Teacher Leadership?
6. Interpersonal Skills for Teacher Leaders
What Effective Communication Strategies Can Teacher Leaders Use With Various Constituencies?
What Skills Can You Use to Facilitate Groups Successfully?
How Do Teacher Leaders Manage Their Time?
What Digital Tools Will Assist You as a Teacher Leader?
How Can You Use Conflict Resolution Skillfully?
7. More Skills for Teacher Leaders
How Do You Conduct a "Needs Assessment"?
How Do You Plan, Deliver, and Evaluate Professional Learning Activities?
What Skills Do You Need for Successful Grant Writing?
What Skills Are Needed for Effective Advocacy and Outreach?
How Do You Use Data and Reflective Practice as a Teacher Leader?
8. The Future of Teacher Leadership
What Is the Future of Teacher Leadership?
What Can Schools Accomplish With Strong Teacher Leadership?
What Can School and District Leaders Do to Support Teacher Leadership?
What Are Some Professional Development Models for Preparing More Teacher Leaders?
Appendix A: School Culture Review
Appendix B: Conducting Teacher Action Research
Appendix C: Readiness for Changing School Culture

Editorial Reviews

"Opening our minds to a wide range of possibilities for developing teacher leadership, Levin and Schrum lay out a career pathway for aspiring teacher leaders committed to the classroom and guidance for their site administrators. Teachers’ voices bring the narrative alive with authentic perspectives from the field. Embedded in this eclectic, practical approach to leadership is an optimistic, attainable vision for improving teaching and learning for all students. "

S. David Brazer

Get inspired to act with Every Teacher a Leader, a practical guide for amplifying teacher leadership to continuously improve our schools. Teachers, even if you don’t yet think of yourself as a teacher leader, this book is for you! Administrators who want to be at the cutting edge of distributive leadership, this book is for you! "

Tonya Ward Singer

"As schools and universities emphasize the need for developing teacher leaders, Levin and Schrum present a practical guide for doing so. Grounded in literature and offering activities, questions to ponder, and self-assessment tools, this book is useful for practitioners as well as college classrooms. "

Pamela S. Angelle

"Barbara Levin and Lynne Schrum have greatly added to the knowledge base of teacher leadership. The text they have authored provides in-depth information for understanding school climate and vital interpersonal skills, along with many more valuable ideas and dispositions for educators at all levels. This text takes understanding teacher leadership to a higher level. Every teacher and principal should read Every Teacher a Leader. "

Doug Roby

"This book addresses a fundamental shift in thinking about leadership in schools. Rather than leadership being held in the office of an administrator, this book shows how more impactful leadership actually resides in the classrooms among the teachers. This book not only makes a case for leadership being the responsibility of the teachers, but also lays out a clear path why teacher leadership is truly the leadership we need in our schools and how to get there. "

Josh Stumpenhorst

"Levin and Schrum’s book is more than a book of theory and idealism. It makes leadership a concrete, identifiable, and learnable goal for any teacher. It analyzes the qualities of leadership as it relates to the unique needs of our schools. Furthermore, and most importantly, Every Teacher a Leader provides resources to help nurture and leverage the leadership in one’s staff or even in oneself. Teacher leadership is necessary on every campus and in every district. "

Heather Wolpert-Gawron

"Who are your teacher leaders? What are you doing to encourage them? In Every Teacher A Leader, Levin and Schrum provide a well-researched yet practical framework for identifying and cultivating teacher leaders. Whether you are a school administrator, current teacher, or an aspiring teacher, this book is essential for ensuring that every teacher can be equipped to lead. Throughout the book, Levin embeds various self-evaluations, resources and suggestions for activities to implement within your organization making this book a cornerstone for a long term professional development project. "

Spike Cook

"As schools and universities emphasize the need for developing teacher leaders, Levin and Schrum present a practical guide for doing so. Grounded in literature and offering activities, questions to ponder, and self-assessment tools, this book is useful for practitioners as well as college classrooms."--Pamela S. Angelle, Associate Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator

"Barbara Levin and Lynne Schrum have greatly added to the knowledge base of teacher leadership. The text they have authored provides in-depth information for understanding school climate and vital interpersonal skills, along with many more valuable ideas and dispositions for educators at all levels. This text takes understanding teacher leadership to a higher level. Every teacher and principal should read Every Teacher a Leader."--Doug Roby, Professor of Educational Leadership

"Get inspired to act with Every Teacher a Leader, a practical guide for amplifying teacher leadership to continuously improve our schools. Teachers, even if you don't yet think of yourself as a teacher leader, this book is for you! Administrators who want to be at the cutting edge of distributive leadership, this book is for you!"

--Tonya Ward Singer, Author

"Levin and Schrum's book is more than a book of theory and idealism. It makes leadership a concrete, identifiable, and learnable goal for any teacher. It analyzes the qualities of leadership as it relates to the unique needs of our schools. Furthermore, and most importantly, Every Teacher a Leader provides resources to help nurture and leverage the leadership in one's staff or even in oneself. Teacher leadership is necessary on every campus and in every district."


--Heather Wolpert-Gawron, Middle School Teacher & Author, Writing Behind Every Door

"Opening our minds to a wide range of possibilities for developing teacher leadership, Levin and Schrum lay out a career pathway for aspiring teacher leaders committed to the classroom and guidance for their site administrators. Teachers' voices bring the narrative alive with authentic perspectives from the field. Embedded in this eclectic, practical approach to leadership is an optimistic, attainable vision for improving teaching and learning for all students."--S. David Brazer, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Director

"This book addresses a fundamental shift in thinking about leadership in schools. Rather than leadership being held in the office of an administrator, this book shows how more impactful leadership actually resides in the classrooms among the teachers. This book not only makes a case for leadership being the responsibility of the teachers, but also lays out a clear path why teacher leadership is truly the leadership we need in our schools and how to get there."--Josh Stumpenhorst, Teacher, 2012 Illinois Teacher of the Year

"Who are your teacher leaders? What are you doing to encourage them? In Every Teacher A Leader, Levin and Schrum provide a well-researched yet practical framework for identifying and cultivating teacher leaders. Whether you are a school administrator, current teacher, or an aspiring teacher, this book is essential for ensuring that every teacher can be equipped to lead. Throughout the book, Levin embeds various self-evaluations, resources and suggestions for activities to implement within your organization making this book a cornerstone for a long term professional development project."

--Spike Cook, Principal

From the Publisher