Silver Lake College Teacher Leadership Program Comprehensive Exam

Jennifer Perry-Question 1
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Looking back through the courses I have taken, the discussions, coursework and research
through the Teacher Leadership Program, I have narrowed down my top ten qualities of what I would
consider to be the most important attributes to an effective teacher leader. My top ten would be as
follows:
10. Know Your why-Stick to your Beliefs
Knowing why you do anything is so valuable. From the lessons you teach to the opinions you
giveit is important to know who you are and have reasons to back it up. When a student asks why are
we learning this a justifiable and strong answer should be awaiting. When a principal says why do you
think this is important having core values aligned is going to be what makes it matter. When you know
whats important to you everything else seems to fall in place much easier.
9. Balance Professional & Personal Life
Teaching can be a taxing profession. You want to try new things, be the best for yourself and for
your students, but if you dont also take time to be youyou will lose yourself. Still having an identity
and personal experiences is what will make other teachers and students connect with you and it is will
make tough days easier to get through.
8. Be Flexible-Get Creative!
Education is changing constantly. Just a few short years ago when I started we never had as
much technology as we do now and now every student has an iPad in their hands as a learning tool.
Whether it is systems that are changing or even having the expected different learners from class to
class, it is so important to keep an open mind and be willing and ready to try new things. You will get
held back and be holding others back if you dont. Being a creative leader has to do with making
mistakes, learning from trying new and different things, and rolling with it.
7. Communication is Key
Everyone will always be busy-no matter their job or position. Whether it is shooting a quick
email to another colleague, giving a call to a parent at home, meeting with administration, or having a
one-to-one sit down talk with a student, keeping connected is vital to everyone understanding what is
going on at school. Recently I have learned the value to speaking and sharing ones ideas as well. If ideas
are not communicated they cant be acted on.
6. Act Like It is Your First Year, Every Year
Finding ways to bottle up that energy, passion and unique ideas of your first year every year will
be an essential tool as a continuing teacher. It is your students first time in your class, and they should
get to experience engaging learning experiences like years before them have. One cool idea I found was
posting a photo of each class you ever taught on a board somewhere to remind yourself that each class
deserves their own amazing experience. Doing things like changing up lessons, going to conferences,
Silver Lake College Teacher Leadership Program Comprehensive Exam
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surrounding yourself with colleagues who also want to keep getting better and continuing current
research would all be ways to stay fresh.
5. Be Involved with the School & Community at Large
Teaching isnt just a job, it is a career and lifestyle choice. Being a good role model and
supporter is important to our profession. Whether it is going to a game, musical, dance or even helping
volunteer in the same community as your school to show your students you care, that will hopefully
have a direct effect on them and they will care more, feel cared for, and want to give back as well.
4. Be an Honest, Reflective Practitioner
It is easy to go about your normal routine and not stop and think about how effective you are. It
is important that when reflecting on your students learning and behavior to think critically about things
you have tried or not tried to help towards the success of your learners and the success of a school in
general. If you never think there is anything to improve on, students will not learn to be honest critics
either. The only way to get better and to have progress is to adjust, and how to know if you should
adjust is reflect.
3. Empowerment: Setting High Expectations-For Yourself & Others
Not having high expectations is telling someone they dont have to do their best. Pushing
yourself and students beyond their limits means so much. It shows the value of hard work and
dedication. If someone is going to try, it also means they know someone else cares, and that they care
too. It means that someone has the confidence and believes in them enough that they can achieve great
things. To say something is good enough when it is not diminishes their potential.
2. Give Plenty of Praise & Positivity
Sometimes having someone say Good morning with a smile is all you might need to brighten a
day. Further, giving true and specific praise can go a long way. Even for students or staff who might not
have it rough (and really you just never know), it can never hurt regardless to give someone a thank you
card, tell them what an awesome job they did organizing an event, or be grateful for a class being hard
working. Passing that same thankful attitude on can be contagious and the positive motivator many of
us need to keep going.
1.Build a Community of Respect
Respect can be such a vague term, but when put into practice it means so much. If you are going
to earn the respect of those around you, you must be doing a lot of the other things listed above, but
notably building authentic and trusting relationships with coworkers and students. Ultimately above all
things I can do as a teacher, I want my students to be respectable people and respect others, including
myself, in return.

Silver Lake College Teacher Leadership Program Comprehensive Exam
Jennifer Perry-Question 1
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The reason I chose my top three was based on discussions in the program, research throughout
the year, informal observation and practical experience. The thing that I like so much about the top 10,
and particularly the top 3 I chose is that this list would make anyone a good leader, and a good person
not specific necessarily to just teaching. They all encompass caring, showing self-worth, valuing and
getting to know others in a genuine way.
3. Empowerment: Setting High Expectations-For Yourself & Others
Leading is not telling someone what to do, or making someone care. Leading is about
empowering another person to be the best at whatever task is at hand, and give them the tools to
overcome any obstacles in their way. So set the bar high and great success will follow if the leader
provides the tools that his/her colleagues need to be successful (Clark and Panther, 92). In teaching, it
can be difficult when students have all different needs, but that means knowing them and knowing how
to engage them as learners in whatever lesson or activity you are doing. I dont care can be an attitude
issue with middle school age students, and so tackling that attitude and mindset is essential. The art of
leadership is to remove the obstacle of apathy and to elicit colleagues efforts to meet their thriving
needs by contributing to the needs of the organization (Clark and Panther, 56).
I set high expectations on the first day of the quarter, and continue to have them all the way
through. My words, actions, and assessments are all a way that I show this. Moreover, I do not just say
this and then set them up to failI really mean it and supply them with anything they need to succeed.
Great teachers focus on expectations. Other teachers focus on rules. The least effective teachers focus
on the consequences of breaking the rulesThey *great teachers+ expect good behavior, and generally
thats what they get (Whitaker, 17, 18). For example, one of my favorite things I say to my students is
Let me tell you how you are all going to get As and I say it in all sincerity with a disclaimer that Im not
just giving out As and there is effort involved but it doesnt mean it wouldnt be possible. I even give
an example of a class that almost did straight As, just one Bthey werent any special extraordinary
class of geniuses and artiststhey all just had the right attitude. By giving that example I want students
to know it is possible and another class just like them came so close and they could do it too. Beyond
academically, I expect good behavior but do not dwell on consequences. I tell students what may
happen consequentially just in case so there are no surprises, but it express that I wont worry about it
and it wont happen because everyone will be too busy with creating awesome projects! I state,
Here is what I expect behaviorally in my classroom: Mutual Respect, Appreciations/No Put Downs,
Right to Pass, Attentive Listening (Tribes guidelines) and I both ask for and give specific examples of
each. I tell them to notice how this did not involve a giant rule poster of what not to do, but just four
simple guidelines to create a positive learning atmosphere in which they can all simply achieve.
Its easy to wonder why a principal isnt doing their best at something, or be baffled why a
student doesnt seem to care to try, but often times all it takes is a look in the mirror. The variable is
not what teachers expect of students; many teachers of all skill levels have high expectations for
students. The variableand what really mattersis what teachers expect of themselves. Great teachers
have high expectations for students but even higher expectations for themselves. (Whitaker, 34).
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When I expect greatness of myself, I notice the benefits in my school and my students. In all cases,
knowing what you would be letting down if you lowered your expectations is important to remember.
For example, when I noticed a certain project that I had been getting sick of after teaching it so much
and not connecting to itI noticed my students not doing as well on it. Rather than wondering why my
students couldnt be successful, I realized it was time to change the project. I wanted to do something
I would care about and in turn be able to get my students to set the bar high again as well.
2. Give Plenty of Praise & Positivity
In terms of feedback, it is simple to say good job or how are you which is better than
nothing, but thats what everyone says. Making praise a conscious activity and part of your agenda will
make it happen more natural and also spread. To be effective, praise must be authentic, specific,
immediate, clean, and private. (Whitaker, 47). The main points I took from Whitaker about effective
praise is the specific part. I have made it a point to write a specific comment on the top of each
students grade sheets addressing areas of improvement but more so areas of success within a project.
For example Awesome job versus I like the way that you constructed the form of the sculpture in a
very complex but intriguing way has a different impact. Personal praise is easier to accept in a way
because you know the praiser thought about it and therefore probably meant it. This is such a great
motivational tool to have students keep it up. It is hard to carry on doing hard work with no
acknowledgement.
Sometimes it is harder to give this praise and be positive than other times. It doesnt mean it
cant and shouldnt be done. Effective teachers treat everyone with respect, every day. Even the best
teachers may not like all their studentsbut they act as if they do. And great teachers understand the
power of praise. (Whitaker, 45). There is a saying that I remember (a Swedish proverb I just found out),
love me when I least deserve it; thats when I need it most because I reflect on the fact that students
can go through some really tough times outside of school and this may be the place they come to for
positivity and encouragement and even though they may be acting rude or disrespectful, it is probably
because they need some support and care. Finding good things in every single person can be a challenge
but will make things so much better in the long run in building relationships.
Lastly, it is not just with students that praise is important, but whole schools need to feel this.
The teacher who sets a positive tone can influence the interactions of everyone in the school. We must
make sure we do this even when we least feel like it (and rem ember, praising others helps us to feel like
it). Focusing on all the positive things in our classrooms and schoolsand there are manygives us
more drive and energy to get through the less positive times. If we do not set this positive tone, who
will? (Whitaker, 51). It may be easy to sit in a teacher lounge and start a negative conversation, as
negativity breeds negativity, but positivity can have the same effect. For example, the time that I felt
the most negative this school year I realized that my negative attitude was not going to create anything
or change anything. I came up with the idea for a positive version of a teachers lounge. A space for
creating, a space for sharing, and most definitely a space for positivity. While still not approved, it was
an example of how to do something about it in a positive light rather than complaining. Getting
students out of their slumps can be the sameremind them that being proactive is the only way to
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make a difference. Even remembering to thank coworkers and administrators can make an impact
they need it too.
1.Build a Community of Respect
In the first couple of weeks of the grad program, we worked a lot with building a learning
community. Go slow to go fast was a motto that our instructor, Tom Krauss, shared. It comes from Zen
of Facilitation which states, In any situation it is necessary to go slowly to build relationships, a
common knowledge base, awareness of other viewpoints, and an understanding of one another before
any tasks can be accomplished. To rush into a complex situation and resolve it quickly is like putting a
band aid on a crack in a dam (Killion and Simmons, 3). In schools you want to jump into curriculum
because you realize how little time you have to get through everything but when there is a sense of
comfort, trust and respect with the people you are around, things can happen much more smoothly and
with more success. When the teacher sneezes, the whole class catches a cold. This is neither good nor
bad; it is just the truth. Our impact is significant; our focus becomes the students focus. If we have great
credibility and good relationships, students work to please us. (Whitaker, 56).
Respect is spoken often of right away in the year, but sometimes it disappears quite quickly. On
the first day of school, students hand us respect on a platter. We determine what happens to that gift.
The best teachers continue to nurture and build respect all year long. (Whitaker, 57). The important
thing would be then creating an environment where getting to know each other and trying to
understand where one another come from wouldnt just be a first day of school activity, but infused
throughout the school year. One favorite activity that I do every Monday morning that is so easy and so
beneficial is to go around in a community circle and talk about their weekend. Students can feel free to
share the good or the bad, as I do the same. This allows them to feel important, in the spotlight, and feel
that they have others willing to listen and care. This may take a while to happen naturally but when it
does I know students feel respected and cared for.
Sharing that you are a person more than even a teacher can be a game changer in the
classroom. From the beginning, show interest in students personal lives and reveal some facts about
your life and some experiences you have had that may intrigue themThe more they know you and
understand some of your struggles, the more they will tend to be on your side (Glasser, 128). There is
still an important line to not cross of what is shared, but in general I have found my students respond
well to my quirky stories from embarrassing to enthralling. For example, one time in a game of kickball
this year a student missed the ball and was very embarrassed. I told her about how earlier in the year I
jumped for the ball and landed on my face. I rolled around a little and then laughed it off. The student
felt better and laughed with me as we shared stories. Instead of it bothering her all day long and it
interfering with her learning, she could relate instead. On the hierarchy of needs, if you feel respected
and cared about you can feel empowered to thrive to your personal best which is what we should all
want for our students.