School Administrators of Iowa Annual Conference August 5-6, 2014

MELINDA M. MANGIN Associate Professor Graduate School of Education Rutgers University Teaching HS Spanish Teacher North Carolina & NYC Research Professional Learning Teacher Leadership Family Three children

MELINDA M. MANGIN PUBLICATIONS  How the framing of instructional coaching as a lever for systemic or individual reform influences the enactment of coaching. Educational Administration Quarterly,  Capacity building and districts’ decision to implement coaching initiatives. Education Policy Analysis Archives,  Teacher leader model standards: Implications for preparation, policy and practice. Journal of Research on Leadership in Education,  Leading professional learning in districts with a student learning culture. The Handbook of Professional Development in Education: Successful Models and Practices,  Conflicting storylines in teacher leadership: How one literacy coach struggled to position herself and her work. The New Educator, 2013.

Participants will…  Learn about two key strategies for effective teacher leadership;  Reflect on teacher leadership in their own school or district;  Engage in activities intended to facilitate discussion;  Establish next-steps for developing effective teacher leadership. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

 Who’s in the room?  Teacher leadership today  Effective Teacher Leadership  Developing shared understandings  Creating a learning culture  Closing reflections SESSION OVERVIEW

 Superintendents!  Elementary principals?  Anyone from a city larger than 50,000?  Cities smaller than 5,000?  Calling all secondary principals….  Classroom teachers!  Anyone from central office?  Any teacher leaders? WHO’S IN THE ROOM?

TEACHER LEADERSHIP IS EVERYWHERE!  Federal initiatives  State-level endorsements/certificates  Preparation programs  Teacher Leader Model Standards (2011)  Associations & conferences  Online forums & blogs

 Utilize existing resources  Capitalize on teachers’ knowledge  Create opportunities for involvement  Teacher voice and advocacy  Build capacity: individual & collective  Facilitate instructional improvement  Provide professional learning  Guide program implementation GOALS OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP

VARIATION IN ROLES (KILLION & HARRISON, 2006) 1. Data Coach 2. Resource Provider 3. Mentor 4. Curriculum Specialist 5. Instructional Specialist 6. Classroom Supporter 7. Learning Facilitator 8. School Leader 9. Catalyst for Change 10. Learner

VARIATION IN TASKS (MORAN, 2007)  Presentation  Classroom visits  Co-planning  Study groups  Demonstration lesson  Peer coaching  Co-teaching  Resource management  Program implementation  Coordination across systems

 Ambiguity and confusion  Traditional school culture  Isolation, autonomy, egalitarian  Doing, blame, compliance  Beliefs about who can lead  Competing priorities & finite resources  Mixed evidence of success  The black box of practice CHALLENGES TO TEACHER LEADERSHIP

Set clear goals Create well-defined roles Focus on instruction Communicate expectations Foster principal support Provide training and development But…effective teacher leadership can not be achieved with a checklist. “BEST PRACTICES”

Effective teacher leadership is dependent on:  Shared sense of responsibility- ownership  Deep changes in socialization- interdependence Under these conditions, teacher leadership can be responsive to shifting needs and sustained over time. MEANINGFUL CHANGE

FOUNDATIONAL STRATEGIES

Strategy #1

? ? ? ? ? PROBLEM Divergent understandings about what constitutes teacher leadership create ambiguity and confusion. Confusion Ambiguity

Materials: What Counts as Teacher Leadership? Instructions:  Read scenario & discuss with your group (15 min) Which view is most similar to your understanding, and why? How do divergent understandings challenge teacher leadership?  Report back to the whole group (5 min) SURFACING DIVERGENT UNDERSTANDINGS

 Confusion  Conflict  Lack of coherence  Unmet needs  Working at cross-purposes DIVERGENT UNDERSTANDINGS: EFFECTS

Within school/district:  Teachers  Teacher leaders  Administrators  Parents  School boards  Etc…. Across Organizations  Schools  Districts  Associations  Universities  State departments  Etc… CREATING SHARED UNDERSTANDINGS

Strategy #2

PROBLEM Traditional School Culture BlameComplianceAutonomyIsolationEgalitarianDoing REFLECT: ~ Do you see aspects of a traditional culture in your school? ~ How might traditional school culture negatively affect teacher leadership?

A LEARNING CULTURE FOR TEACHERS ~ Why is a learning culture important for teachers? ~ How is a learning culture different from a compliance culture?

Materials: Mind-Sets and Equitable Education (Dweck, 2010) Instructions:  Read article & discuss with your group (15 min) How can a growth mind-set facilitate: …. a learning culture for teachers?.... teacher leadership?  Report back to the whole group (5 min) HOW MINDSET AFFECTS LEARNING

Growth: ~ intellect can be developed ~ expect challenges ~ hard work over talent ~ learning is collaborative Fixed: ~ intellect is static ~ discouraged by challenge ~ ashamed of difficulty ~ succumb to stereotype TEACHERS’ MINDSETS

 Actively engage in inquiry, critical thinking, reflection  Thoughtful attention to process  Expect interdependent work and shared responsibility for decision-making,  Recognize multiple sources of leadership CREATING A LEARNING CULTURE Danger: Blaming Compliance Outcomes at any cost Danger: Blaming Compliance Outcomes at any cost

Reflecting on our learning…. What do I want to remember? What do I want to put in motion? 1.Write down your response. 2. Share your response with a partner. EXIT TICKET

THANK YOU and one more thing...

Melinda Mangin Rutgers University u