Be a Leader

Susan JonesBlog, Engage Better, Innovate Better, Lead Better, Manage Better, Reflect Better

TL;DR:

  • As a teacher, you are already a leader in your classroom, but there are more opportunities for you to lead within your school district.
  • It’s important to avoid falling into a routine and to constantly evaluate and revamp your teaching methods to fit the needs of your current students.
  • Leaders are not afraid to try new things and share their ideas with colleagues and fellow educators.
  • Whether you’re a new or veteran teacher, there is always room for improvement and reflection.
  • New technologies like AI can be beneficial in the classroom and teachers should take the initiative to learn about them and share their knowledge with others.

Be a Leader!

If you are a teacher, you are a leader. Throughout college, you took courses in order to lead your classroom. Every day you stand in front of students and lead them through the curriculum. You are a leader!

Now, I am challenging you to do more! It is great that you are leading in your classroom, but there are so many more opportunities for you to lead within your school district. You don’t need to hold a special title or be given a new position to put yourself out there and lead.

I recently read an article, Ten Roles for Teacher, by Cindy Harrison and Joellen Killion about leadership. All ten roles are important and I witness teachers doing them all of the time. If that is you, keep doing what you are doing.

You don’t need to hold a special title or be given a new position to put yourself out there and lead. Click To Tweet

As educators, it is easy to get into a routine and stick to your current habits. When there is so much to do, it is easy to repeat the same content year after year, student after student. The demands of education are increasing, and it can be stressful. By sticking to old habits, you fall behind in your craft and your students are getting a basic education. Teachers go to school to make a difference, teach with passion, and help their students find success…not be basic. Now, that does not mean that what you were doing last year or five years ago is wrong and has to be changed, but it does mean you should revamp your lessons every year and evaluate if they fit the needs of your current students.

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So back to being a leader, leaders are not afraid to step outside of their comfort zone and try something new.

Leaders are not afraid of a new lesson idea or pedagogy. They push forward and have a growth mindset. Educational leaders share these new ideas with coworkers and fellow educators. They create relationships with their students and evaluate how the changes are going and determine what needs to happen to make things better. 

If this is your first year in education, you probably feel overwhelmed and just need to make it through May. I understand! Give yourself a pat on the back for making it through your first year. It is a huge step into your journey of being an amazing teacher. When the school year ends, take some time to reflect and make notes about what you want to improve upon next year. Relax and reset over the summer so that you are ready to lead your next group of students to be the best they can be. 

If you are a veteran in education, give yourself a pat on the back too!

Teaching in the current environment is tough, but you did it and I bet you gave it your all! Take time to refresh and reflect! If you are in year 10 or year 30, there is still room for improvement. How can you continue to lead your students to success? What can you do better next year? How can you help your colleagues and friends in education become better too?

There is so much new technology that can be beneficial for education, for both students and teachers. Have you heard of AI? If not, I am a little concerned. Just kidding…but seriously, AI is everywhere right now and the potential benefits in the classroom are endless. This is just one new technology that our students need to learn about. It is a part of their present and their future! Summer is a great time to reset, but also a great time to learn something new. Don’t wait for others to show you how to do something, be a leader and take it upon yourself to be better next year. When you learn something new and see the benefits, please share it with others and help all educators improve for the next classroom of eager students.

About Susan Jones

Susan Jones has been in education for seventeen years. She spent the first sixteen years of her career as a high school science teacher. This past year, Susan has taken on a new role as the Alternative Learning Coordinator at Ottawa-Glandorf High School. Since 2015, Susan has been presenting at educational conferences such as Ohio Google Summit, SPARCC, and OETC. She also runs district-wide professional development for local school districts. She is a member of the Ohio Blended Collaborative and Powerschool Circle of Champions.