Leadership Take Away...

 Today I want to focus on Teacher Leadership. It's a term that many use but I often get asked "what exactly is Teacher Leadership?" There are many definitions of teacher leadership, and my first suggestion would be to check out a great book as your first stop as a resource: The Power of Teacher Leaders. I have educator friends who have chapters published in this book, and it personally was my launchpad for understanding teacher leadership, and for my own journey as one. 

To me, being a teacher-leader goes beyond the textbook definition of being a leader at your school or in your district. Although leading your team at school and working closely with administrators to create a positive culture is certainly a part of leadership, there is more to it to explore. 

I've found for myself personally, that exercising my leadership skills (and continuing to grow as a leader) comes from other areas in education. Consider the different teacher organizations you belong to, and if you don't belong to any, that's. your first step! Belonging to education-related organizations is a vital lifeline to our work. Not only does it open doors to networking with others, it opens doors of possibilities for personal-professional growth. It's through the organizations I belong to I've had opportunities to present, publish, and connect with others to lead different areas of the organization. 

Getting back to the first point I made, be on the lookout for local and national opportunities to serve the organization. Often there are focus groups, board positions, and advocacy groups that are always looking for new voices. If this sounds scary don't worry, there are often local chapters that have less responsibilities, yet still over the time for you to showcase your energy and utilize your knowledge and skills. 

One particular way I personally enjoy getting involved is through focus groups. That's how I've gotten to meet so many great people and have my voice heard as a teacher. It's also been a way for me to move across the stepping stones into a more solid leadership role in KDP as Associate Counselor of our local chapter at Kean University. Focusing on small ways first and allow yourself to evaluate how much time you have to allocate to these commitments so you can feel successful and get something out of it in return. As leaders, it's imperative we get something in return for our service, and expand our skills to keep growing. 

Here are a few of my favorite groups I'd suggest to take a look at to get started: Kappa Delta Pi: International Honor Society in Education (KDP), Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), International Literacy Association (ILA), International Dyslexia Association (IDA), and the different National Council(s) for Teachers of ______ (English, Math, etc.,) (NCTE, NCTM, etc.) 

Final Thoughts: Keep researching which groups you'd like to belong to. Keep finding small ways to be involved. Keep networking with others through these groups and social media; many of these groups use social media as well! Keep your self-reflections close to focus on your specific gifts in leadership. This will help you notice how and where you can be most useful. Keep talking with other teachers and teacher-leaders to mentor your- we all need a support system to grow as leaders! 

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