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Not Just a Catchphrase:

Teacher Leaders are Key

to School Improvement

By Brian Kulak, Chief Academic Officer, Collingswood Public Schools

I’ll admit it: I loathe actually means something. What’s more relevant than they are right now

educational buzzwords more is that it often means something as our profession is, finally, starting
to evolve from traditional, top-down
different depending on the district.
and catchphrases. From For some, a teacher leader is a leadership to more collaborative,
rigor to deep dives to meaningful stipended position, only a Praxis shared governance.
conversations, I can’t help but scoff score away from administration, with Such shared governance is para-
at the fact that, more often than not, tangible leadership responsibilities like mount to a healthy and thriving school
folks use such platitudes because building coverage, schedule creation, culture. Because administrators
they feel like they’re supposed to. or professional development design. are often hamstrung by state level,
As if without such platitudes, our In other schools, a teacher leader is bureaucratic protocol, it is far too
very existence in this profession is recognized as such simply by virtue common to lose sight of the more
somehow unqualified. Yet, here I of the fact that she is an excellent human needs of their staff. However,
am, about to espouse the profound teacher to whom the administration administrators who are self-aware
importance of an educational can turn for ideas, ambassadorship, enough to admit they need help
catchphrase: the teacher leader. or mentorship. In any case, the terms empower teacher leaders to share
and conditions of teacher leadership
Unlike so many of its catchphrase have never been more necessary or leadership responsibilities on the
brethren, the term teacher leader way to greater staff support. As a

Educational Viewpoints -60- Spring 2018