ASCD Poll: Qualities of Teacher Leaders

In the most recent ASCD poll, we asked you what quality makes a teacher leader most effective. If you haven't taken the poll yet, please vote now.

While we're looking for your opinion about which quality is most important, we're aware that often there are many important, interdependent qualities that make great teacher leaders, and we want to hear from you about them.

What other qualities make teacher leaders effective?

What qualities are necessary for a teacher leader to be effective?

What combination of qualities makes teacher leaders effective?

What qualities are not necessary for teacher leaders to be effective?

Share your comments and tips with your peers.

What other qualities make teacher leaders effective?

What qualities are necessary for a teacher leader to be effective?

What combination of qualities makes teacher leaders effective?

What qualities are not necessary for teacher leaders to be effective?

Share your comments and tips with your peers.

Comments

[Karen Markin]

Collaboration and inclusion ....

Leaders need to model and invite collaboration, especially among teams - a 'not mine', but 'ours' attitude.

Any decisions made need to have all the people around the table that will be affected by the decision. Just because everyone may not 'get their way', being heard and being permitted to give input and ideas generates support.

[Brett]

Reflective, creative and visionary make a great teacher, without a doubt - but attention to detail and knowing where to go to get things done make an effective leader.

[Steve Mezich]

Visionary, goal oriented, hard working, compassionate, patient, encouraging, intelligent leaders in any walk of life who are successful are also individuals that are capable of confronting incompetence and do so. These leaders proceed with empathy and caution, of course, but they proceed.

[Melissa Rentchler]

EDUCATION LEADERS, in addition to being reflective, creative and visionary, should be PROBLEM-SOLVERS rather than criticizers.

EDUCATION LEADERS need to make sure their staff percieves them as:

SUPPORTIVE,

RESPECTFUL AND PROFESSIONAL
(in other words, they should avoid political correctness and behavior, and speak plainly and directly in terminology that is appropriate to adults carefully avoiding a heirarchical, paternal, condescending attitude),

and a believer in providing their staff with AUTHORITY as well as increased responsibilities.

EDUCATION LEADERS need to have the courage and vision to speak out on behalf of their schools at Local, State, and Federal Levels rather than simply accepting the status quo and trying to make do with what they've been given for funding: in other words-they need to think outside of the box rather than simply trying to figure out how to get more out of the box.

Teachers are already stressed with their own classroom instructional responsibilities and perception of own personal integrity before they are pressured for volunteerism and funding of student programs in the neediest schools as a result of lack of support and resources: EDUCATIONAL LEADERS need to model healthy work-life balances rather than just providing rhetoric.

Teachers are already self-funding many classroom enrichments, which while technically tax-deductible, seldom result in financial assistance as the teacher salaries are not substantail enough to warrant itemization-EDUCATIONAL LEADERS need to specifically acknowlege these financial sacrifices with directed comments in formal evaluations.

Teachers respect data-driven instruction guidance in coordination with initiatives that may improve test performance, but as well, teachers desire to continue to address ALL learners' needs-EDUCATIONAL LEADERS need to utilize professional development time and staff meetings to share this data/information across grades so that the efforts can be scaffolded and spiraled from grade to grade.

A well-rounded educaton that includes: more than simply test-content-type education/classes, stable funding for permanent infrastructure and departments, technology, learner centered education, and adequate supplies that support all learners' success should be the education focus for all-EDUCATION LEADERS need to re-focus to include ALL STUDENTS.

[parul]

I personally feel that ATTITUDE towards your work, education, children , team members is very crucial when it comes to being a teacher leader. Keeping personal and professional relations and problems apart also adds to being a good leader. A leader is one who guides the team along rather than making them the followers.

A leader should not get into petty issues and leave those issues to solve by themselves. There is a fine line between petty ignorable issues and small issues, if not heeded may get larger, a leader should be able to identify those and solve accordingly.

[parul]

I personally feel that ATTITUDE towards your work, education, children , team members is very crucial when it comes to being a teacher leader. Keeping personal and professional relations and problems apart also adds to being a good leader. A leader is one who guides the team along rather than making them the followers.

A leader should not get into petty issues and leave those issues to solve by themselves. There is a fine line between petty ignorable issues and small issues, if not heeded may get larger, a leader should be able to identify those and solve accordingly.

[Diane]

I feel that all the leaders who are called "coaches" at my school are defenders of the status quo. We consider them brainwashed and brainwashers who don't listen to teachers, but only have their agenda - achieving conformity. They are all deathly afraid of not making AYP and try to get us all to be afraid as well. If we question, they think we are being negative. If we don't show the same fear, they think we don't care. They don't realize it's because we DO care about the students that we DON'T make AYP the end all and be all of our existence.

[María M. Crespo de Sanabia]

To be effective we must be student-oriented, show passion in our work, and have a content domain that will be develop trow the professional development. Believe in our dreams to be better each day.

[Lori Richardson]

I was very surprised to see the very high percentage voting for reflective, creative and visionary. I chose that option because I tend to lean towards these elements, which often leaves me out of the mainstream loop of understanding and communication with peers and colleagues. I was encouraged to see how many others value creativity and vision in teacher/leaders as well.

[Frank F. Clark]

Your ASCD poll on teacher quality forces a choice that I do not feel comfortable with. I have both taught for a number of years and currently function as a principal. A quality teacher should be goal oriented so he/she can keep the students on target; should be intelligent so as to be properly prepaired to teach; should be warmharted, sincere and compasionate so relationships with students can exist; should be effective behind the scenes, especially in class preparation; should be a solid, dependable hard worker; be a person of integrity; and be reflective and creative. To force us to choose only one of these denies the reality of the position of a teacher.

[Susan Bostian]

A teacher leader is one who understands the importance of having students make connections in order to learn. Understanding that all students learn differently is also a part of this. Realizing that all students don't fit into the box we call school and making accomodations for that is also imperative if a teacher is to be both effective and intergral in the educational process.
When a teacher can do this, do it well, and share this experitse with others, then you'll have a true teacher leader.

[manreetkaur]

I strongly feel that a teacher is one strong force in your life that can either make or mar you as a person, as a citizen and as a human being on the whole. A good teacher like a rudder of the ship can steer you towards the goals of your life. In doing so being intuitive, reflective and to be able to put himself/herself in the students' shoes are the keys to the success of his students.

[manreetkaur]

I strongly feel that a teacher is one strong force in your life that can either make or mar you as a person, as a citizen and as a human being on the whole. A good teacher like a rudder of the ship can steer you towards the goals of your life. In doing so being intuitive, reflective and to be able to put himself/herself in the students' shoes are the keys to the success of his students.

[Ashely McCray]

I believe that teachers are caring, compassionate, candid, individuals whose main concern is to make a difference in the lives of the children that they teach. Good teachers are competent in their subject matter and set high expectations for their students.

[LATHA SHAJI]

Let the teachers be proficient in their subjects,student friendly, systematic, supportive,good team leaders and decision makers.

[Eamonn Barrett]

Empathy
Resilience
Creativity