or years, the term leader wasn’t applied to just any profession. In fact, those in
certain areas of the education field were not even considered capable of having
leadership abilities. The teachers who worked tirelessly in the classroom
definitely were not included under the leader umbrella. No, that title fell solely
on those in administration or on university professors with scholarly articles
included in their vitaes.
As with all things academic, the pendulum is swinging. Now the word leader is
being applied to teachers within the classroom—and it’s about time.
Teachers—both general educators and, importantly, those who are literacy
professionals—actually have been leaders in the community since the beginning.
When we think of the first level of contact and connections within a school, the
teacher is typically the person at the center of it all. Teachers are the people
who begin to build relationships not only with students, but also with parents,
community leaders, and other professional stakeholders. They are constantly
assisting with schoolwide professional development, volunteer organizations, and
church and social activities.
By Tiff any Sears
ALL TEACHERS ARE
LEADERS
An evolving view of what it means to be a teacher
leader is giving credit where credit is due
Tiff any Sears
(tsears@reading.org), a
former classroom teacher
and educational consultant,
is an ILA council advisor.
She works directly with
state/provincial councils
in North America, focusing
on nonprofi t training, board
orientation, and strategic
planning sessions.
OUR VIEW
6
November/December 2015 | LITERACY TODAY