Teacher Leaders Essay

517 Words3 Pages
Who is responsible for the development of teacher leaders? Everyone including the teacher plays a role in developing teacher leaders. However, I feel the ultimate responsibility lies with the principal. A principal must be aware of their teachers’ abilities in order to give them proper leadership opportunities. Without developing leadership from the teachers in a school, the principal is left to run and manage everything by him/herself. This becomes a problem for everyone. Not only does the principal have to micromanage everyone, but every one of the teachers has to go to the principal for everything that they may need. If developed properly, the teacher leaders would be able to not only police themselves but also develop others to be self-managing. There are too many issues in school systems today for one person to in charge of every decision that occurs. When teacher leaders are developed, their leadership is shown to the students. When the students see that their teacher has authority and leadership qualities, they are more willing to pay attention and show respect to that teacher. This creates an environment of learning unlike any other. It is crucial to have the role of the teacher expanded into other areas to allow the teacher to break out of their sometimes monotonous routine. The teachers are the ones in the school who can change teaching practices better than an administrator. The teacher is, for lack of a better term, in the trenches with the students on a daily basis. They see what works and what does not work. Because of this, the teachers should be given more responsibility and developed into stronger leaders in order to succeed. Teacher leadership must be encouraged by the administration in order for it to work. The principal needs to be comfortable with the idea of letting go of the reins a little in order for leadership from others to occur. The
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