Teacher Leadership: Reflection Take-aways from the KDP Delta Rho Teacher Leadership Development Summit

Hello fellow teacher friends! Who is fired up from the KDP Delta Rho Teacher Leadership Development Summit this weekend? I know I am! Every moment was filled with high energy, enthusiasm, and words of wisdom from those who have experience being teachers, and leaders, and I learned so much from the amazing presenters, panelists, and keynotes we had. 

Teacher Leadership... two words mean so much! I still feel that there isn't an exact definition, although each time I attend the KDP Delta Rho Summit, I learn more how I personally shape the definition for myself. During the summit we unpacked what it means to be a teacher leader, what qualities leaders in general have, and how to continue to F.E.E.D the teacher leader in ourselves (and others!) Just when I think I know enough about this topic, I continue to learn more. From what I learned yesterday, other great teacher leaders agree lifelong learning plays a large part of who we are as teacher leaders. It's one of the keys to effective leadership, so I’m well on my way to continue to grow as a leader. 

Here are some reflective takeaways that “stuck” with me from our summit yesterday: 

You have to have an understanding and acceptance that leadership comes in many styles and forms, but being an transformative leader is where you build the opportunity for those around you to thrive. Transactional leaders gather, pay, collect the receipt and go... and in education, that style does not work, nor does it create a motivating environment. We can all share from experience what the difference is. We should try to emulate those leaders we've seen and have had interaction with who are transformative, not transactional. 

Think about what kind of leader you want to be. What legacy do you want to leave behind? A leader's true success is not measured by the trophies or degrees on the wall, but the legacy others talk about when they refer to him or her as a leader. What can you do for others to build them as a leader as you travel on your own journey to leadership? 

Leaders have to have courage. Some think courage is not being afraid or having doubts. To me, courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something is more important than fear. We have to decide as teacher leaders how we are going to act in every situation, and sometimes choosing to do the right thing takes courage. It's ok to be nervous or even flat out scared. But doing the right thing is what should bring us peace at the end of the day. If we choose right, we will truly never go wrong in the end. Sometimes having courage means taking the high road, although the low road is quick, easy, and it's what we might be honestly thinking at the moment. Have the courage to take time to reflect (and breathe!) and always choose the high road... it's most likely the one that's not easy if you need help deciding which it is! 

We should want to be the first to share out what we know and have, not the last, or worse...keep it to ourselves. As leaders, we know the knowledge and resources we have have the ability to make a difference, and that should not be reserved for us, but for the greater good! 

Teacher leaders are honest and upfront with others, and will offer their time, but also respect their own time as well. Finding the balance can be hard, and to be honest my friends, I'm still trying to find that balance. It's an area of growth for me, but I know that it will make me stronger and wiser. I want to learn from others how they find the balance and apply what I learn so I can be a better leader not just as a teacher, but in life. I think as educators we enjoy what we do so it can be hard to "turn off the switch," but it's healthy to and as leaders, we need to be healthy. Also, if we don't have areas to work on, we will never really grow as a leader. 

Many educators do not see themselves as leaders, but we are leaders in our classroom, and that’s an opportunity to show our students how they can take leadership to the next level for whatever it is they want to do. Whether we choose to lead in our classrooms or beyond those walls, we should choose to lead large right from where we are; we all have something to contribute. While it’s true that perhaps not every person can serve as a great leader, a great leader can come from anywhere if he/she has the support and mentoring to build their confidence and skills. 

As teacher leaders, we need to find what “feeds” us and brings us joy in leading. What is the “red thread” of the heart that keeps our passions going? Maybe it’s trying one new thing every year, or taking the leap and presenting to other educators. Perhaps it’s joining a teacher organization that’s focused on an area of education that we are interested in. Or it could be studying the work of others and extending our talents beyond “teaching” and creating a small business. When we think of education and teaching, we often hyper focus on being in the classroom, but there are many other possibilities of where our career in education can take us. I heard a term I love, and love to share to describe it be an “edu-trepreneur” and serve other teachers. Design instructional materials, create blogs, Wakelets, use your classroom theme to generate a whole idea for delivering differentiated instruction to students, tutoring... the options are endless!

Whatever our first, next, and continuous steps, wherever we are in our journey, one key idea remains with me that I learned from the summit. Leaders see the talents of others and uplift them. Leaders do not stay in silos hoping for the best alone. They reach out to others, harness their talents, and encourage others to be a leader in their own way. Leaders do not let the flame they have burn others down, but act as a spark that ignites the passion in other leaders around them. This is how we stay strong my teacher friends and continue the sustainability of our profession. Let’s continue to lead together, and continue to “F.E.E.D” the teacher leader within us!

Final thoughts: Keep searching for what teacher leadership means to you. Keep learning all you can about teacher leadership in different ways. Keep networking and learning from others you admire in the field. Keep sharing all you have to offer as a teacher and teacher leader with others. Keep taking the leap of faith and trying something new. Keep uplifting each other and share out your teaching passions. Finally, keep up all the amazing things you do for the field of education, and keep F.E.E.Ding the teacher leader in you!