Running Head: Teacher Empowerment 1

Teacher Empowerment
Sarita Shaw
North Carolina State University
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Part I: Leadership Philosophy

Every person has a unique design which influences the way they learn and apply

their knowledge. Our job, as educators, is to foster the learning of each student and guide them

to achievement through self-awareness, quality instruction, and interdependence. I am committed

to actively participating in the current process of discovering the most effective ways to foster

this guidance for diverse learners in our society. I am also committed to ensuring this guidance is

implemented as a school leader.

My education provided me the experience of grappling with a cultural dichotomy which

led to hindrances in achievement, creativity, and relationships. As I became more invested in

education through my undergraduate program, in preparation to become a teacher, I saw that my

struggle was shared among many students. Belonging, appreciation for diversity, self-awareness,

and interdependence was lacking in many schools. This insight led me to realize education as

much more than teaching students how to read, write, and compute. Education is systematic

instruction that provides students with the ability to understand information in order to achieve,

make life choices, contribute to communities, and ultimately positively affect the society at large.

My choice for education is my choice for people. Not only am I affecting student’s lives, but I

have an impact on our communities and our society. In my experience as a classroom teacher, I

was exposed to teachers that were high performing and truly wanted the best for students. I was

also exposed to teachers that were low performing, whether they wanted the best for themselves,

or had good intentions with no guidance. I became passionate about helping teachers and

observed the proliferation in number of students positively affected by my support. I believed

supporting teachers and students through coaching and instructional facilitation was my path

until the momentum of my support hit a wall that stood between my passionate work and more
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student achievement. The wall, in this case, was current leadership practices. My role was

effective with some teachers, and our strategies and best practices were effective with their

students. Our willingness to learn more about equity in education, resourceful discourse, and

application through the knowledge of the students was limited to the classrooms of the teachers

who found the information attainable and important. There had to be a way to reach more

students and ensure the fostering of learning for every student sent to school by their guardian.

What if instead of a wall, leadership could act as a bridge to student achievement and success?

My choice for leadership is my choice as a bridge for people.

I believe leadership is vital to fostering student learning. I also believe a respect for

diversity is at the core of the ability to foster learning. A student’s inability to demonstrate the

understanding of instruction is not often indicative of their ability to learn. Rather, they have

already learned information and formed conclusions which hinder the pathway of new

information within that system. Students may also remain unidentified as academically gifted,

suffer from adverse childhood experiences, or have a learning style that is not addressed in their

classroom. Students who achieve are students who connect new information with fewer

hinderances based on previous learning, experiences, and conclusions. The key to creating

pathways of understanding is a respect of diversity, learning styles, cultures, and experiences.

This respect is not to be confused with lowering expectations for students. Consistent high

academic expectations along with a respect for diversity provides a safe space for students to

bring all of who they are to learn. In addressing the diverse learning needs of every child within a

school, this guides me to the necessity of clarity in vision, building capacity, and establishing

accountability. This structure will guarantee two of my greatest values: community, and purpose.
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The first job I have as a leader is to communicate the vision in a way that the school

community will be able to understand and accept it. Once the vision is established, it will serve

as a foundation for establishing expectations, setting goals to reinforce achievement, and

celebrate success. Our vision should be the adhesive to our unique teaching styles and

approaches, and ultimately bring us together as a community. Teachers can expect the vision to

be stated before any academic conversations are held. Teachers will also be expected to know the

vision and form a conclusion of how they will support the vision through their practices. My next

responsibility is to build efficacy through strategic development. We will use the School

Improvement Plan to determine our needs as a school, based on our vision, and determine the

professional development and resources necessary to address the instructional needs of the

school. We will utilize Professional Learning Teams (PLT) to engage in discourse around their

teaching which is known to increase student achievement. Teachers can expect me to support

their PLTs with initial training on effective PLT meetings and participation with at least one PLT

conversation per quarter. It will be expected that teachers participate in reflective practices

through PLT discussions if present. Just as teachers need to know their students in order to

respect their diversity, it is important that I do the same with my staff. I will build relationships

with my staff and lead the staff in cultivating relationships with each other. I will empower

teachers by providing them an opportunity to find their unique contributions through self-

awareness and schedule celebrations of who they are and what they bring to our building. As a

supportive figure, mentor, and coach, I will lead with the coaching approach. This approach will

be demonstrated through high directives and high support. Teachers can expect me to be very

clear about my expectations in the building and keep clear, and accessible documentation of the

expectations. Meanwhile, I will support them by listening, providing the resources they may
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need, and assigning a supportive community. Teachers will be expected to participate in

trainings, professional development sessions, and uphold the expectations. Accountability is the

final component of the structure in addressing the diverse needs of the students in our school.

Teachers can expect me to conduct formal and informal observations regularly, followed by a

constructive conversation for support and growth. I wish to be a leader who will have the

availability to circulate frequently enough that the teachers and students continue their work with

confidence and peace. The PLTs will serve as an additional level of accountability to the teams.

Teachers will be expected to recognize strong facilitators and leaders of PLTs as it will be used

in consideration of emerging leaders. Data monitoring will be conducted by teachers and the

School Improvement Team. Teachers can expect me to know or have immediate access to our

school data. Teachers will be expected to speak knowledgably about their data and be ready to

lead in a celebration of success by sharing or discuss implications for growth.

Just as our job, as educators, is to foster the learning of each student, it is my job as a

leader to foster the success of each educator by guiding them to achievement through self-

awareness, quality instruction, and interdependence. With purpose in all that we do while

maintaining a sense of community while we carry out the vision, we will replace our walls of

hindrances with a bridge to success.

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Part II: Strategic Development and the Teacher-Leader Pipeline: Current State

My host school is an elementary school that is nestled in a suburban neighborhood in the

heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. The developmental levels found in an elementary school vary,

and the teacher’s roles and responsibilities vary with them. Leadership roles in an elementary

school provide a common thread to bring the learning community of all developmental levels

together. The roles include School Improvement Team Leadership, Instructional Learning Team

membership, Intervention Team membership, Mentor, grade level and committee chairpersons,

and district area contact. The pathway to leadership in my current host school is hinged on three

components: proficiency, desire and availability.

Teacher proficiency is demonstrated in walk-throughs, data, and observations. Over time,

a teacher’s strengths and weaknesses are demonstrated along with their talents. When a teacher’s

classroom management and instructional strength is recognized, they are approached with the

question, “Where do you see yourself in your educational future?” Some teachers know their

options, while others are not clear on what positions of leadership are available to them. The

conversation is a way to invite the high performing teacher to consider leadership in the school

for their future.

Teacher desire is demonstrated through their willingness to help others, take on

mandatory school projects, their presence in the building and at school functions, and in the

community as an advocate for the school. High performing teachers who have a desire for

leadership often have a sure chance of getting a position in the school. There is no established

screening process to set expectations or credentials at this time.

In addition to high quality instruction and desire for leadership, teachers need to be

available. Leadership requires meetings independent of school hours, and a work load in addition
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to daily primary job obligations. Teachers must be available for additional collaboration,

problem solving, presentations, and reporting. Teacher availability is highly considered in my

host school, and sometimes considered above desire and proficiency depending on the positions

that need to be filled.

Positive teacher-leader relationships are very important in the current pipeline. Official

procedures would create a boundary which provides non-biased placement, and an environment

for continuous teacher improvement. A strategic policy for teacher leadership would also inform

administration of emerging leaders as soon as demonstrated.

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Part III: Strategic Development and the Teacher-Leader Pipeline: Future State

I hope provide an environment where growth and achievement are met among students,

families, and staff. Such widespread growth is beyond the span of school administration and

requires distributed leadership. Leadership opportunities shared among our community will

provide multiple perspectives for more effective school planning and strategic design. Five major

areas will offer opportunities for demonstration of leadership skills and empower staff to

undertake leadership positions (North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, 2013).

Response to Vision. In the beginning of every year, the vision will be communicated.

Staff members will respond to the vision by forming an understanding of their support of the

vision through their practices. The responses to the vision will guide the initial work of

determining those who have an understanding and ability to lead the vision. Clarity of vision is

necessary in every aspect of leadership.

Staff Proficiency. I will be conducting many formal and informal observations as a

school leader. I will use the data from these observations to collect information on staff

proficiency, passion, and knowledge base. The data from the observations will inform my post

conference conversations to celebrate, challenge, and empower my staff. Leadership will be

regularly discussed with staff during conferences to empower them to assume a position of

leadership.

Teacher Development. I will encourage my staff to empower others. Areas of expertise

will be demonstrated through development lead by the staff. An interdependent community

shares tools, resources, and learning. I will also establish a procedure where staff will be able to

acknowledge other members for unseen acts of leadership among Professional Learning Teams,

Grade Levels, and in the community.

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Created Leadership. Based on the strength of my staff, and the acknowledgements

received, leadership opportunities will be created to allow non-traditional openings. Professional

Development Plans will be used to determine areas of growth, actions and research. Staff will be

encouraged to share what they have gained through training, research, and independent study.

Book clubs, teacher-lead breakfast clubs, and additional collaborative groups will be welcome

and encouraged.

Making Decisions. I will invite staff to make school decisions when they have

demonstrated a clear understanding of the vision and support it through their practices. The

School Improvement Team will be the first opportunity of decision making in the school.

Teacher autonomy and shared responsibilities in making decisions will proceed from School

Improvement.
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References

North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (2013). Strategic Leadership (standard 1d1,

standard 1d2) Retrieved from http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/docs/district

humanresources/evaluation/standardsadmin.pdf