Meaningful Teacher Leadership: Reflection, Refinement, and Student Achievement

"When we lift up our teachers, we lift up our students." -Christina DeMara, Author Our schools are full of hardworking teachers who have accepted the challenging role of "teacher leader." This research-based handbook is a creative way to build, sustain, and expand teacher leaders on any college or school campus. Meaningful Teacher Leadership encourages self-reflection to encourage refinement and increase student achievement. This book was developed for lead teachers, coaches, strategists, grade-level leaders, department and content leaders, teacher mentors and for post-secondary teacher programs. Meaningful Teacher Leadership is designed to be a resource not only for teacher leaders but also for college students and administrators who want to support the development of student achievement. Meaningful Teacher Leadership is: • Creative, engaging, and thought-provoking. • An organized way to hold yourself or others accountable. • A ready-to-go tool for meetings, classes, or book studies Meaningful Teacher Leadership entails: • Leadership skill reflections and case studies. • Weekly celebrations. • Meaningful goal-setting. • Teacher leadership self-reflection. Meaningful Teacher Reflection: KNOW: What do I know about Leadership? FLOW: What is flowing smoothly? What are the things that are going well in the leadership aspect of my life? GLOW: How do I stand out? TOW: What am I towing that may be slowing me down from reaching my full leadership potential? SHOW: What do I show others? How do others perceive me? BOW & ARROW: What am I ready to launch forward? GROW: How am I growing as a leader? What am I doing to improve my leadership skills? LOW: What is an area of weakness I need to work on? SNOW: What is cold in my leadership life that requires attention? SOW: What am I working on? Remember, you reap what you sow! BOWL: What is in my bowl? What leadership resources do I have? ROW: What am I rowing towards? Am I going in the right direction? MOW: What is mowing me down and stopping me from moving to the next level of leadership greatness? OWE: Who do I owe for mentoring me? What am I taking away from my mentors.