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| Believe it or not, CSTP turned four in 2007! To mark the occasion,
a dozen or so "Friends of CSTP" gathered at Sun Mountain
Resort near Winthrop to discuss CSTP’s efforts to support
teacher leadership over the past four years and which direction
we might take moving forward. The retreat took place in late
October. Two days of rich discussions rendered several recommendations.
Click here to
view a slideshow from the two day meeting.
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Recommendations
Power/Position/Culture/Tradition
- Identify effective teacher leader/principal partners through
current network and teacher leader survey for purpose of case
studies and presentations.
- Teacher Leader survey and invitation to participate-menu of
options-ways to become involved reaches teachers who haven't committed
to leadership or won't be identified by principal.
- Encourage TL to work with School Boards
- Sensitivity training for accomplished teachers and NBCTS to
counter exclusivity.
Relationships with key organizations
- Pull stakeholders together to answer a critical question then
oversee follow-through on recommendations.
- Target higher education by inviting them to CSTP functions
with specific role.
- Work on standards for career-long professional development and
TL development
- CSTP holds 'policy forum aimed at TL and organized around specific
issues to provide both advocacy training and a clear message to
deliver
- Help teachers increase presence of stories in local press regarding
instruction
- Work with WSSDA regionally to influence understanding of school
board members regarding contributions of TL
Long range commitment
So many organizations in education have false starts. Educators
need to know that CSTP really does have follow-through and that
it is not a fad that will only place more demands on teachers.
- Need to unfurl a time line showing where we've been and where
we're going
- Create PLCs for TL in regions - invite NBCT bring another leader.
Marketing
- Make CSTP website the "Google' of teacher leadership.
- How to get the word out;
a. Market universities
b. Local union meetings
c. Nominate leaders
d. Administer programs
e. New NBCT ( and other groups) get 1 year free subscription then
charge $20/year.
3. See CSTP as a true Teacher Resource with no political agenda.
Resource of choice for TL in the state.
Building and utilizing teacher leadership skills
Capacity to use TL effectively varies
TL skills are different from teaching skills
- Define opportunities for leadership and use Mentor/Coach standards
as a starting place for defining the skills needed for TL to be
effective in various roles.
- Create a system for enhancing TL skills and building TL capacity
statewide
- Build communication mechanisms to let teachers know leadership
opportunities exist.
- Recruit new voices into the work-not the same people doing everything.
- Train TL to collaborate with:
a. School Board
b. Dist. Level admin.
c. Building admin.
d. Building staff
e. District staff
f. Associations-WEA and others
Priorities
Train TL to collaborate with admin and policymakers 14
CSTP Website presence and capabilities 11
Target/recruit university faculty for specific purposes: 8
Regional PLCs -- invite others to join: 7
TL Survey - invite to participate in new ways: 6
Nominate TL/Admin relationships and publicize 6
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