Teacher Leadership Interview- ECI 508

Interviewer: Kenny Collishaw

Interviewee: Ryan Logelin, Social Studies Teacher, MCHS.

Question and Summary:

Question 1: How would you distinguish the difference between a good teacher and teacher
leader?
Summary of Answer: Mr. Logelin pointed out the main differences between a good teacher and
teacher leader by elaborating that good teachers are effective within their classroom and with
student, while teacher leaders also carry these qualities but advocate for other teachers and
students than those within the classroom.
Question 2: What experiences have prepared you best for teacher leadership?
Summary of Answer: Mr. Logelin stated that his time served in the Marine Corps has helped
give him the raw leadership qualities necessary to advocate for others. When those leadership
qualities combined with direct teaching experience and mentorship from other veteran teachers,
he found himself in a position to be a teacher leader beyond the walls of his own classroom.

Question 3: Sometimes teacher leaders are despised by colleagues, and are seen as ultimately
ineffective. What separates good teacher leaders from bad teacher leaders?
Summary of Answer: Mr. Logelin made it a point to elaborate on the need for experience. Many
veteran teachers do not like receiving guidance from beginning teachers who are not qualified to
lead. Another main priority should be that the teacher leaders are personable and get to know the
people in the building so that they can properly advocate. Common qualities of a bad teacher
leader are being bossy, stubborn, condescending.

Question 4: How have you seen the role of teacher leaders change throughout time and what is
your vision for the future of teacher leaders?
Summary of Answer: Mr. Logelins main points for this answer were that teacher leadership
was not as personable in former years as it is now. It was almost unprofessional to go speak to a
department head and give advice or address concerns. In former years, it was a lot more of a
hierarchy approach, where it was assumed that because of a job title, the leader knew what your
needs as a teacher are. Mr. Logelins vision for the future of teacher leaders is that he hopes
valuable teacher leaders can be compensated enough to stay in the industry. His concerns are that
teacher leaders now are doing most of the work, without a title that enables them to be
compensated more efficiently.
Question 5: What advice do you have for a beginning teacher that is intrigued by teacher
leadership?
Summary of Answer: Take a few years to get to know your staff and the people around you in
the building as people and as professionals. By doing this, you will be respected for having more
experience in teaching, and for also making an effort to get to know the people around you.
People prefer to be led by people with valuable experience, and by people who have their best
interests in mind. It is impossible to do this when you do not have teaching experience, and when
you seclude yourself.

Leadership Interview Reflection:

Interviewing Mr. Logelin was an eye-opening experience for me as a third year teacher, and I

was thrilled at the opportunity to learn and gain insight to teacher leadership. Ultimately, Mr.

Logelin is highly qualified for this interview as he has life experience in the Marine Corps, has

coached for 5 years, is involved in the Teacher Leadership Corps that offers professional

development to the staff, and is a widely respected teacher in this school. For these reasons, as

well as the fact that Mr. Logelin and I have strikingly similar teaching styles, my experience

interviewing Mr. Logelin was highly beneficial.

Furthermore, Mr. Logelin elaborated on the need for experience in good teaching to filter into

effective teacher leadership. As Mr. Logelin learned many things from the Marine Corps,

experience based leadership was something he valued highly. Interviewing Mr. Logelin on this

topic was a great experience for me, as I was able to gain perspective of teacher leadership from

a 15 year veteran in the industry, and learn things that could only be explained by people with his

experiences. I was able to see how veteran teachers become cautious in acknowledging teacher

leadership from teachers who are in the beginning stages of their career. Generally, it is not

accepted well when someone believes that their advice is more valuable after one year of

experience in comparison to a veteran teacher. This does not mean that beginning teachers do not
deserve input, but instead that they should seek council from veterans and by doing that they will

develop as teacher leaders. Mr. Logelin warned that emerging into teacher leadership too early

can place a burden that could push most good beginning or young teachers away from what

could be an excellent career.

Ultimately, I relish the opportunity to sit and listen to a teacher that I consider to have immense

wisdom as a leader of his family, and this community as a whole. Mr. Logelin acknowledges

proper teacher leadership as one of the most significant topics of interest in the art of teaching.

Perhaps the argument that I agreed with most was Mr. Logelins argument that teacher leaders

are more necessary in a school than almost any other position. Mr. Logelins reasons were that

when it comes to developing other teachers, it rarely is handled by administration as they are

mostly handling policy and discipline and do not take the time to walk through the classrooms.

Principals typically will rely on seasoned veterans to mentor beginning teachers around them.

Having a school with respected teacher leaders will make beginning teachers feel valued, and

will develop them professionally as a role model.

In summation, while this interview was required and more formal in approach, conversations

such as the one that I was fortunate to have with Mr. Logelin are highly beneficial in fostering

the development for teachers, which ultimately extends to students as well. If teachers keep

having conversations, formal or informal, teacher leaders will emerge and have proper awareness

of the professional and personal needs of the faculty and staff that surrounds them.