Inspired Teacher
Blog
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Investing in Teachers to Turn Schools Around
While the role of excellent leadership can't be
underestimated, there is plenty of evidence that the key 'lever' to
change is teacher quality. A good example of the essential role of
investing in teachers is in the Benwood schools in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
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Inspired Teaching Institute
Only a few
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If you're looking for an experience that will revolutionize your
teaching practice, consider the Inspired Teaching Institute. It's a
full year course, with an intensive 2 week introduction during the
summer - it may sound like a lot of time but it is time WELL SPENT!
Click here to apply or learn more.
Call or email Kaneia Mayo
with questions:
202.462.1956
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How can I be the change?
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"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
~ Mahatma Gandhi
There are undoubtedly thousands of teachers across the country who have posted this inspirational quote on their classroom walls. We may wish this to be the vision of our students, but do we as teachers believe this to be true for ourselves?
Teachers spend every day nurturing students into people who have the skills to make a difference in the world. So, indirectly, the teachers are "creating" positive change. But when it comes to shaping the world (classroom, school, or district) in which we work - teachers can feel quite disempowered.
The education mandates of the federal and local government often feel like they come out of nowhere. Then, when the district tells us to meet these mandates schools usually adopt the changes with little question. So when our principals tell us how to set up our lessons, the format for our observations, the calendar for the school year, or the structure of our day - the expectation is usually that we do as we're told.
If you're in a school and district with policies you support this "world" probably doesn't feel like it needs to change. But if you find yourself complaining to your colleagues behind closed doors about the latest requirement to come down from on high - chances are you'd like to see things go differently. So, why not "be the change"? These are some common reasons we hear from teachers:
- It takes courage to challenge authority, and in some very real instances standing up to the principal can jeopardize your job.
- After spending the whole day in the classroom giving students your all, going through the trouble of bringing your grievances to the administration is pretty much the last thing you want to do.
- Teachers are not respected as decision-makers within a school and so their opinions will not be considered.
It's possible some or all of the above reasons resonate for you. But research shows that the only way true change happens in a school, and for that matter a district, is when teachers play an active role in making that change happen. That may run contrary to the top-down school reform efforts you read about all the time. But look at those efforts over the long-term. If teachers aren't invested, any changes that do occur will be temporary. Real, systemic, positive change must begin with teachers.
You may be wondering, why all this talk about change when the school year is near its end? Well, change takes time. It's too late to improve much about our current school year but now is a great time to begin looking towards the year to come. If you have concerns about scheduling, budget, academic requirements, school uniforms, etc., know that next year's decisions about these matters are being made RIGHT NOW.
What can you do to overcome the significant barriers that get in the way of being an advocate for change? Check out our suggestions below, and please share some of your own. Email your thoughts to Jenna and she'll include them in a future newsletter.
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Some Inspired Suggestions
for "Being the Change" In Your School
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There's great risk and challenge involved in being the change you want to see in your school. But these are some things to consider when it's a risk and a challenge worth taking: · Practice what you teach, and become self-empowered. · Be informed and share information. · Choose your battles wisely, then make peace, not war. Click here to see what we mean! |
| Teacher Resources |
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Teacher Working Conditions Toolkit
Using data gathered from several school districts, this site is designed to offer recommendations and tools for teachers, school leaders, districts, and communities - to improve the working conditions in schools. It looks at working conditions in several categories including time, professional development, leadership, and empowerment.
Forum for Education and Democracy
Keep abreast of what's happening policy-wise on the progressive education front. This fairly new public policy organization is hoping to play a major role in the reauthorization of the current No Child Left Behind law.
NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education
Applications for leadership and learning grants from the NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education. Grants will support individuals participating in professional-development activities, such as summer institutes, or groups of teachers and education-support professionals engaged in research, mentoring, or other relevant activities. Individuals may apply for grants of $2,000 each and groups may apply for grants of $5,000 each. Additional information is available on the foundation's Web site. Who may apply: teachers at public schools, education-support professionals at public schools, and faculty and staff members at public colleges or universities. Teachers and staff members with less than seven years of experience and education-support professionals are particularly encouraged to apply.
Contact: NEA Foundation 1201 16th Street, N.W., Suite 416, Washington, D.C. 20036; (202) 822-7840; fax (202) 822-7779
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Center for Inspired Teaching is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that exists to ensure schools make the most of children's innate desire to learn. We do this by investing in teachers. Please visit our website to learn more about our philosophy, programs, and results.
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