Standard 7 - Teacher leaders utilize instructional frames to improve teaching.
Prior to entering the teacher leadership program, I had limited introduction and work with the various instructional frameworks. My district uses the Danielson framework for teacher evaluation so I have utilized this to help determine what areas of my practice to work on. Through the Leadership in Education class I was able to look at other frameworks, most notably the leadership standards pertaining to school leaders and administrators.
We were able to research the various standards that guide administrators and connect them to the standards that guide teachers. The evaluation goals assignment I completed allowed me to both become familiar with the principal criterion and how they may connect to the teacher criterion. For example, Washington Principal criterion 4 ("Principal Evaluation Criterion and Descriptors," n.d.) for pertains to utilizing data to help increase student achievement and corresponds to criterion 6 in the eight criterion for Washington teacher evaluation ("Teacher Evaluation Criterion and Descriptors," n.d.). Both of these criterion require the use of data to drive all decisions made for students, or staff, within a school.
This requirement for attention to data coincides with a couple principles found in Spirituality in Educational Leadership. Sokolow and Houston provide the eight keys to leadership and the Principal of Intention and the Principal of Attention are closely tied to utilizing data in decision making (as cited in Houston, Blankstein, & Cole, 2008, pp. 14-15). This tie is not direct, or maybe even obvious, but as a leader, the intent behind your decisions is a necessary piece of information and the attention you give by divulging that you decisions are based upon the data at hand is a good way to conduct yourself as a leader.
We also had the opportunity to self-assess how we perceive our abilities as a leader when compared to the requirements of the Washington State Principal and Program Administrator Standards. In my evaluation, I was able to see how I would fare if I chose to become an administrator. This also provided me with a glimpse into the traits I need to embody to be a teacher leader. I found several areas that I feel are strengths for me, but the area in which I feel I am both strong and have work to do deals with socio-political actions and interactions. As a person, I feel that I am able to spread word and get knowledge of programs and services know. I also know that I struggle with making an impact beyond the local level to the community, city, county, and state.
Finally, we had the opportunity to critique the leadership components of our school. By looking at the leadership of our school and district, we were able to reflect on the direction our school is taking and how the decisions and decision making process plays out. This analysis influenced the way in which I see leadership in schools and how I will make decisions as a teacher leader. My school is switching to a comprehensive high school (we have been three small schools) and I believe that my influence on students, teachers, and the campus as a whole can increase. As we make this shift in the school, I will look to increase my influence on the matters and decision making processes of our school. The leadership standards we have studied will become an additional guide in improving both my teaching and leading.
Houston, P. D., Blankstein, A. M., & Cole, R. W. (eds.). (2008). Spirituality in Educational Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Principal Evaluation Criterion and Descriptors (n.d.). In Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Retrieved from http://www.k12.wa.us/TPEP/pubdocs/PrincipalCriteriaDescriptors.pdf
Teacher Evaluation Criterion and Descriptors (n.d.). In Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Retrieved from http://www.k12.wa.us/TPEP/pubdocs/TeacherCriteriaDescriptors.pdf
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