What’s New at 3E This Year? Teachers as Leaders

“So, why are you taking this course?” An interviewer asked teachers nearing the conclusion of “Teachers as Leaders,” the new 3E course that has become a requirement for the graduate certificate in Entrepreneurial Education. In addition to the professional aspirations of earning a graduate certificate or stepping up on a salary schedule to a new level, teachers gave these reasons:

“Well, it was interesting!”

“I needed inspiration. I have taught for 15 years and I needed something else.”

“For empowerment. In my city school I know I must lead and set the standards high so my students come through, so they succeed.”

Seventeen teachers of various disciplines, elementary through high school levels, worked with instructor and developer of the course, Dr. Connie DiLucchio, on issues and skills of leading change in highly diverse and ever evolving communities. According to Dr. DiLucchio, “Today’s educational environment of high stakes testing and No Child Left Behind requires that other organizational structures as schools become more complex. In addition to the leadership of a principal, there is a need for teacher as instructional leaders.”

She went on to explain that teacher leader teams may eventually weigh in on strategic planning, as well as hiring and retention of teachers:

“The future points to teachers as contributors to school policy, as change agents and reformers. Or, depending on the situation, the leadership role of teacher could be contained in your class, as a model.”

“Teacher leaders can form professional learning communities in schools, much akin to the 3E learning community. They also can conduct learning research in communities and schools. They can get parents more involved in the schools. Ultimately everyone should have a voice at the table to reflect a truly collaborative organization.”

“As teacher leaders work collaboratively and reflectively, their students will notice and learn to model their teachers’ competent, confident, leadership and collaborative practices. The teacher leaders will develop skills of analysis and work with intentionality.”

Dr. DiLucchio said the 17 teachers in this course were very knowledgeable in current educational issues and could discuss them at various levels. They were well-balanced and intellectually involved in their profession.

“I was impressed,” she said. She has documented how the course participants expect to apply what they learned in their schools, as well as suggestions for making the course even more meaningful in the future.

The course participants seized the opportunity to discuss their work and work environments with other teachers who may be at other schools and levels of instruction. The perceptions of their personal leadership capacity began to change. One noted, “’I’ve often thought of certain individuals in the building as leaders, but not I am beginning to realize that I, too, could perform in that role.”

The teachers listed several qualities of a teacher leader:

• Risk taker
• Progressive thinker
• Optimist
• Flexible
• Enthusiastic
• Willing to share power/ not leading for self-interest
• Willing to tackle problems without easy solutions

Can we ever have too many teachers like this?!