A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Teacher Leadership Forum

Greetings and welcome to our "Teacher Leadership Questions" homepage!

Many people agree that if schools are to continue improving in ways that help all children reach higher standards of academic learning, more teacher leadership will be needed.

But what is meant by the term "teacher leadership"? And what kinds of teacher leadership are needed most?

Nearly 120 exemplary teachers from across the country will be answering those questions, plus two more (below), in focus groups at the U.S. Department of Education's Teacher Forum on October 17. Their responses will help inform the Department's thinking -- and a publication -- on teacher leadership.

I want to extend the same opportunity to you. If you are a teacher, you are invited to respond -- before October 31 -- to the four questions below. Simply fill out the Web form (below), or send an e-mail message to teacherleadership@inet.ed.gov. Please include your name, school, city, state and e-mail address at the end of your message.

Tell us what you think! Your response will help shape the Department's thinking -- and a report -- on teacher leadership.

Terry Dozier
Special Advisor on Teaching to the Secretary of Education

Find out what other teachers have to say about improving teacher leadership!

Or...

Use this form to add your own response to the "Teacher Leadership" forum:

All teachers here at the Teacher Forum are leaders inside the classroom. But there are times when teacher leadership is needed outside the classroom. Perhaps there have always been such times. But today, expectations of schools are rising. Today, our society wants all students, not just a few, to reach high levels of academic performance.

Many of you also lead beyond your classrooms to bring about change. But too few teachers have the knowledge and experience to feel comfortable in leadership roles outside the classroom. This session will focus on sharing and increasing your own leadership skills and on helping teacher colleagues back home do the same.

(Please try to limit your responses to 100 words per question and be sure to post only once. You may respond to any of the questions, or all of them, if you wish.)

Name:

School:

City:

State:

E-mail Address:

1. Think of a time or situation where you or another teacher provided leadership that was needed outside the classroom (or at least, outside the traditional role of teachers). Please describe this situation, what you (or the other teacher) did to provide this leadership, and why this kind of leadership is important.

2. Please set aside your own personal experience for this question. In an ideal world -- given adequate time and resources -- what kind of leadership from teachers do you feel is most needed (outside the classroom), and why?

3. What can be done to help more teachers step into these kinds of leadership roles?

4. What can you and other teachers do to help more teachers step into these kinds of leadership roles?

This page last modified June 8, 1999 (kms).