Teachers deserve to feel like an integral part of an institution that is making a great impact on it’s community.
The system of which teachers are a part is cheating them by exploiting one the best qualities of classroom teachers: laser focus.
Teachers are trained to focus with laser intensity on the 20 – 35 students in their classes. They go to great lengths to know their students and tailor instruction to the needs of their kids. This leaves them with little time or energy to focus on the workings of the school, much less the vision or mission of the district or even state. The unfortunate byproduct of this laser focus is a failure to coordinate and collaborate with other educators in meaningful ways. It also starves the organization of leadership.
I certainly don’t believe teachers should sacrifice student achievement so that they can attend more committee meetings. I’m suggesting that perhaps excellent performance in the classroom and effective leadership in an institution are not mutually exclusive.
What if a teacher could apply her efforts in the classroom directly to a shared, tangible goal for the site or the district? Would that teacher change his practice to better align with the district or state goals? Would that teacher be more likely to communicate and coordinate with other teachers to ensure complimentary efforts across classrooms and campuses?
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