Leading Up to Teacher LEADership Development Summit Part #2

 It is week two friends of my LEAD blog as we inch closer to the Delta Rho Teacher LEADership Development Summit on 2/11/23. This free, virtual summit is meant to help teachers of all levels of experience develop their teacher leadership skills and gain an understanding for what teacher leadership is. Teacher leadership is certainly hard to define, since there are many components to it and avenues you can take as a teacher leader. 

Last week I shared the first letter L for Learn. Teachers are lifelong learners, and when we focus on learning for ourselves, we become better for our students. 

The next letter is E for Engage. When we plan lessons for students, one of the main components is the engagement piece. We work tirelessly to make sure our students are moving, inquiring, working cooperatively, and employing all their senses. As educators, we also have to be excited for what we are learning about and feel totally immersed in our own learning. When we feel engaged in our own learning and self-direct, we are more likely to remember what we are learning and make the connection so we can apply this to our classrooms everyday. 

For me, the engagement piece to professional development doesn't always have to be an interactive lesson or something fancy with technology. I am finding more and more, what truly engages me in my own learning are two things: first, it is a topic I am interested in, and secondly, the speaker draws me in and makes me feel truly connected to his or her story and experience. I believe in the power of stories, and with a great story, others can feel engaged with out a lot of "glitter and sparkles." Sometimes one spark of a personal connection is all it takes. 

This is why I am excited for the Teacher LEADership Development Summit. While we aim to have some added fun and "sparkle," I know the educators attending will feel that personal connection to the keynote speakers and presenters. By challenging our thinking and asking ourselves deep, meaningful questions about how we can refine our skills, we will uncover who we are as teacher leaders, and how we can embrace our talents to maximize our potential in this role... right from where we are currently! 

Wow, now that's what I call... engage! 

Final thoughts: Keep sharing out the information about the summit and call all the other teacher leaders in your life to join us! Keep reflecting on where you are in your teaching journey, and how you can embrace the role of leadership from where you are, and where you would like to be. Keep an open mind about "E," engage, and think what you will bring and take away from the summit to increase the engagement... it is a two way street! 

See you on February 11th friends! 

Register using this link! 



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