Module 1: Teaching Leadership and Technology in the Contemporary Classroom

Teaching Leadership. 

     This is not a science.  Teaching leadership is not an equation in which very important steps must be followed and if formulas are replicated exactly, educational leadership will emerge.  However, like many other careers, educational leadership is not entirely abstract.  Educational leadership must have form, must have direction, must have goals.  So… what is the answer? What is teaching leadership? 

     Leadership, in any capacity, can take so many different forms.  Add the exponent of teaching into the equation, and as we all know, the process for understanding the problem becomes increasingly different.  However, the best teachers suited for educational leadership might have problems understanding their role, but their behaviors will naturally fall into the various teaching leadership positions.  Teaching leadership is, at a very basic level, understanding what needs to be done to make a better learning environment and possessing the knowledge to create that space.  Being able to make decisions on how to make a learning environment better necessities the knowledge of when the learning environment could be helped and taking action to make it better.  The formation of these decisions can come in many different forms.  Perhaps this is why it is so challenging to define teaching leadership.    

     With a doubt, the best example of teaching leadership I have observed came in the form of an english/theatre teacher.  This person truly embodied the spirit of an educator.  Regardless of who he was around, whether it be teachers or students, he was constantly inspiring and informing.  In his classroom, despite teaching in one of the most impoverished counties in America, his students had an average of 27 on the english section of the ACT.  Without smart boards and very little computer usage, this teacher used tools available to him and taught his students to be excellent readers and thinkers.  Moreover, his impact didn’t stop with students.  Often during his planning period, he would go to other english classes and observe, and sometimes he would interject and teach with the teacher.  As you may suspect, this teacher was very privileged to operate in a space that allowed this sort of behavior, but this is an example of how skilled he truly was.  He was given the freedom to help other teachers and they gladly accepted his advice.  The relationship this teacher had with colleagues, especially new teachers willing to be a sponge to his advice, is what afforded him the ability to offer his advice and thankfully so.  If he would have been in a different school, it is possible that administrators would not have allowed him to do the things he did.  So, I think this is another aspect to the conversation about teaching leadership: all parties must work together to make the best learning  atmosphere.  

     One of the many different types of leadership comes in the form of integrating meaningful technology.  While teaching in the 21st century, the amount of technology teaching components has existed like never before.  The amount of websites and software and hardware and all sorts of other teaching tools available can be quite overwhelming.  Moreover, as times change and more technology enters the classroom, so does the level of knowledge needed of exactly which pieces of technology are entirely imperative for the classroom.  This, like most forms of leadership, will not be easy or simple.  Technology needs are different in every classroom.  Deciding what forms of technology should be introduced is the responsibility of the teacher, but where teaching leadership can help out is being able to spread knowledge of which are the best suited for each classroom.  This knowledge must be acquired, therefore it is the duty of educational leaders to actively seek this knowledge.  This means independent research, attending available workshops, or possibly subscribing to various publications on the subject.  Although wonderful teachers were able to teach the subject matter without having modern technology in years past, students will only continue to be exposed to more technology and it is the responsibility for educational leaders to become well versed in what works and what doesn’t. 

     From my perspective, benefiting the student sand creating a better learning environment should always be what’s important.  With that being said, students can learn so much from emerging forms of technology.  This doesn’t have to stop at the subject matter.  Many forms of educational technology can provide lessons on ethical uses of of social networking, how to create and use their own educational technology, and so much more.  Wonderful teaching tools exist to better the classroom and further student’s knowledge of technology.  Simply put, students need to know how to use technology and know how to use it responsibly.  Our students will only continue to use technology more.  Teaching responsible and ethical technological behaviors can and should exist in 21st century classrooms.  

     With any new technology, there are going to be challenges.  Although technology can benefit the classroom in such a big way, there are going to be challenges associated with implementing such different teaching tools.  Challenges can come in many different ways and students and teachers are dealing with new problems of technology like never before.  On a very basic level, it is a challenge for teachers to juggle the previous workload and try to learn a completely new set of skills.  If extra help is out there, should teachers try to learn how to use this technology? Although this simple question, there can be many barriers in learning new technology.  What can also be challenging is sifting through the thousands of websites and brochures to find exactly what works.  This will be another role for the educational leader: applying their professional experience to technology and learning what works and what doesn’t.

     Although there seems to be many challenges, technology in the classroom can provide tools to teach the subject matter like never before.  Understanding new technology and how it can be used will help students to learn and teachers to use every wonderful resource available to them.  There are many teaching tools that can explain the subject matter, while also teaching the proper way to use technology.