LEADERSHIP PROJECT

Leadership Project
-Presented to the Department of Educational Leadership
and Postsecondary Education
University of Northern Iowa
-In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the
Master of Arts in Education
-by
Sarah J. Hanson
Landstuhl Elementary Middle School
Landstuhl, Rheinland Pfalz, Germany
(August 3, 2014)
-Mr. Joseph Atherton

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One of the best things about being an administrator is seeing teachers do things they
didnt think they could do (J. Adams, personal communication, June 26, 2014). Mr. Josh
Adams is the current principal at Landstuhl Elementary Middle School, where I am currently
employed. His advice may be directed toward his position as an administrator, but as a future
grade level chair, I want to instill this feeling of success in the teachers I will work with. I do not
have an upcoming position as a grade level chair, but hope to assume this role in the not-sodistant future. Some of the qualities necessary to assume the role as grade level chair include
providing leadership to assist teachers with improvement in instruction for students,
communicate between teachers and administration, lead meetings to analyze assessment data,
and be a sounding board to make decisions that will positively influence the teachers, school,
community, and students.
In order to meet these expectations to be a valuable teacher leader as a grade level chair,
it is important to know what teacher leadership means and the impact teacher leaders can have on
a school. According to Teacher Leader Model Standards (Teacher Leadership Exploratory
Consortium, 2009), teacher leadership- namely, the process by which teachers, individual or
collectively, influence their colleagues, principals, and other members of the school community
to improve teaching and learning practices with the aim of increased student learning and
achievement (p. 11). Teacher leadership keeps students at the center while helping teachers
continue their own love of learning. This can positively affect what takes place in the classroom
and the school as a whole. It is clear that teacher leadership has the potential to benefit all those
connected to the school in some way. If teachers take the challenge to step into a leadership role,
they are proving they want to make a difference. As Robert T. Hess (2008) states in Follow the
Teacher: Making a Difference for School Improvement, Every teacher can step into leadership

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roles beyond the classroom. It is important that every teacher does step into such roles, because
there is too much work to be done for just a few teachers. If everyone gets involved to some
degree, the load is spread throughout the school. More work will get done, and the students will
benefit most of all (p. 7). According to Hess and other researchers, all teachers can lead
(Barth, 2001), and that not only can all teachers lead but that all teachers should lead if schools
are to reach their potential for all students (p. 4).
So, now that I know I have the potential to be a teacher leader, what improvements must I
make in order to be a successful grade level chair? I first look inside myself and how I present
myself to others. I recently watched a video presented at the national SAM conference in January
2013. The presenters- Paul Bernabei and Willow Sweeney- focused on top 20 teachers and
living above the line. This means forming a mental habit each day to make a positive difference
by thinking each decision through and not immediately acting on emotions. As a person and as a
teacher leader, I need to govern the inside first because that directly affects the outside. Once my
mental habit has improved, I can be more approachable, professional, positive, and open. There
is always room for improvement, and being in the top 20% of those who live above the line will
help me think, learn, and communicate effectively (2013).
After making an effort to improve my mental habit in order to live a life above the line, I
can then give my attention to four key components I feel are necessary to be a teacher leader and
place a strong foundation for student, teacher, school, and community success. The first of these
is being open and honest. Integrity is vital both in and outside of school. It is what I value most
in my personal and professional career. Being open and honest builds mutual respect with
students, parents, administration, and other teachers. Not all decisions can be made simply by
adding up the pluses and minuses. Sometimes, it pays to trust your hunches. They often have a

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way of working out. Smart decisions may come from the head, but right decisions come from the
heart (Ramsey, 2006, p. 16). When being open and honest as a grade level chair, other teachers
can feel reassured and safe to better help students education and time in the classroom setting.
The second key component I feel is necessary to be a teacher leader includes
communicating and authentic listening. Each book read for the teacher leadership cohort has
mentioned the importance of communication; and for good reason! Nothing is more frustrating
than poor communication. To be effective, communication needs to be carefully planned,
systematically managed, and continuously monitored and refined. It starts by understanding that
communication isnt just about sending messages. Its also about receiving information and
giving feedback. Communication within the organization and with those outside works only
when its a two-way flow (Ramsey, 2006, p. 146). This is where authentic listening comes into
play. I have had teachers come into my room with ideas to share where I chose to only listen
halfway. I had limited time left in my planning period, so I was finishing up an email while a
colleague shared a literacy strategy with me. Because of my unsuccessful multitasking abilities,
I did not fully comprehend the strategy she mentioned and I had to take more time out of her day
and mine in order to truly hear what she had to say. Hess concludes, authentic listening is the
match that ignites leadership in those around you, and the key to becoming an authentic listener
is really very simple: Be visible, ask questions, and respond to what you learn. Talk less. Do
more. Be inquisitive. Through this process, you will begin to see leadership emerge all around
you, and as sparks fly and flames begin to form, the next crucial step will be to keep those flames
fed (Hess, 2008, p. 51).
One way to keep the flames of leadership fed are through Professional Learning
Communities. Effective PLCs require more than drive-by workshops. PLCs are learning teams

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committed to ongoing inquiry, designing interventions based on their inquiry, implementing the
interventions, and then measuring the results, but teachers need time to engage in this meaningful
work if they are to develop as teacher leaders and learn how to listen to what the data is telling
them (Hess, 2008, p. 49-50). I have been to some ineffective PLC meetings and some inspiring
PLC meetings. The difference was how and what was being communicated. The PLC meetings
that left me feeling fulfilled and motivated were provided direction by the grade level chair, ideas
were shared open and honestly, there was a common goal, and teachers were actually listening to
one another and not just going through the motions. Domain III of the TLMS states how
constructive feedback and collecting and analyzing data promote professional learning for
continuous improvement (2011, p. 16). Domain IV shows the correlation between analyzing data
and reflective dialogue with instruction and student learning. Without collaboration or authentic
listening, the task of improving instruction becomes more difficult and much less successful than
a collaborative team feeding off of one anothers ideas and engaging in constructive changes.
The third key component is inviting risk-taking and letting others know that it is okay to
fail. When I think about risk taking, a particular quote from T.S. Eliot comes to mind: Only
those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. When I look back at
the decisions I have made in my life, I do not remember the moments where I played it safe.
What I do remember are those moments where I reached out of my comfort zone in order to
better myself and, in some cases, those around me. The same goes for teaching. As a grade level
chair, I want teachers to know that they will have my support- no matter what the outcome may
be. Ramsey (2006) states, If you want students, administrators, teachers, and other staff
members to routinely come up with workable suggestion, solutions, answers, improvements, and
new approaches, you have to trust them. Everyone in the organization should have permission to

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take risks. It has to be OK to fail, have a bad idea, or hold a minority opinion occasionally ( p.
4). Part of the reason that I find it difficult to speak up as a newer teacher is due to the feeling
that a system is already in place, it is working pretty well, and changes do not necessarily need to
be taking place. I want to make sure all teachers feel heard and that there are no bad ideas. Risks
are worth taking and help lead to change.
The final key component I think is necessary to be a teacher leader is coaching or
mentoring other teachers. In most cases, newer teachers second-guess themselves more often
and lack the confidence of seasoned teachers. Sometimes, seasoned teachers are faced with
changes in curriculum or technology that may be difficult to transition to. In instances such as
these, I would need to provide these teachers with extra support as a grade level chair. This can
be done thorough coaching or mentoring. Long gone are the days where there is one person in
charge while all others follow. What works best for school leaders today is a coach style that
helps people develop their own solutions rather than handing out expert advice. This kind of
leadership is based on demonstrated human values, such as truth, trust, mentoring, openness, risk
taking, giving credit, sharing blame, honesty, and caring (Ramsey, 2006, p. 32). Taking on a
coach or mentoring role just adds extra support for those that need it. Taking on a coach role can
also open doors and build confidence in others where they didnt think possible. Teacher leaders
can identify experts. Every staff has teachers who are known for specific craft knowledge;
however, most teachers-especially the good ones-do not spend much time tooting their own
horns. They need to be recognized. They are in the service industry, not sales. As a result, some
structured activities may be needed for teachers to begin sharing their expertise with others
(Hess, 2008, p. 51). Sometimes teachers are not willing to share something they are respectable
at, so as a grade level chair, it is my job to help them realize their full potential.

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In no way, shape, or form do I feel I am ready to step into a leadership role. I have a bit of
growing to do as a person and as a teacher. With research and experience, I can continue to grow
into the leadership role I so desire in the future by keeping the four key components in mind as
well as building up my mental habit to be more positive. I expect a lot out of myself, my
students, and my coworkers. By creating positive and high expectation, I can raise the bar and
establish higher standards [which] set in motion a self-fulfilling prophecy that can transform the
school. Expect more, get more. Its that simple (Ramsey, 2009, p. 40). I will continue to work
on myself professionally and personally to give all that I can to my future position as a grade
level chair, and will expect nothing less of those around me.

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References
Adams, J. (2014, June 26). Personal Interview.
Bernabei, P. & Sweeney, W. (2013, January). Top 20 teachers: Live above the line. Lecture
conducted from SAMs project, Orlando, FL.
Hess, R.T. (2008). Follow the teacher: Making a difference for school improvement. Lanham,
MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education.
Ramsey, R.D. (2006). Lead, follow, or get out of the way: How to be a more effective leader in
todays schools. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium. (2011). Teacher leader model standards. Retrieved
from http://teacherleaderstandards.org/downloads/TLS_Brochure_sm.pdf