Page 21 - Ignite Change: Unleashing thought leadership - A roadmap to thougth leadership
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In the educational system, we find teachers whose influence extends beyond the
classroom. Teaching is a “flat” profession (Danielson, 2007). Unlike in other jobs
where increased experience and education means climbing the ladder, teachers
often remain teachers because they do not want to be administrators or managers.
These types of teachers experience a “professional itch” and realise they can do
more than what is expected from them. What is a teacher leader, we hear you ask?
A teacher leader is someone whose “…vision extends beyond their own
classrooms—even beyond their own teams or departments. Such teachers
recognise that students' school experiences depend not only on interaction with
individual teachers but also on the complex systems in place throughout the school
and district. This awareness prompts these teachers to want to influence change
(Danielson 2007).
Figure 4 6 Characteristics of Teacher Leaders (Martin 2015)
Do you notice the similarities between the characteristics of a teacher leader and a
thought leader, as discussed earlier in the chapter?
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