In New York City for the National Writing Project, I had the pleasure of co-leading a session that centered on encouraging teacher leadership and developing strategies for encouraging teachers to become more active in programs via the NWP and also showing some ways that current leaders can facilitate that growth and development. It’s not easy and we began our session by having folks come up with some inquiry questions — the ideas that brought them to the session in the first place.
(Note: TC = teacher consultants = teachers in the writing project)
Here is that list:
- How can I motivate/inspire overworked teachers to jump at the chance to be writers?
- How do we draw too-busy TCs into leadership?
- Are there “good reasons” to attract “teachers” – not just leaders – and if so, what are those reasons?
- What are different ways leadership can “look”?
- How do we keep others wanting to lead?
- How can TC leaders help us build participation in initiatives they lead?
- How do we open closed ears?
- What strategies can address burnout?
- What timeline should we pursue?
- How can we encourage those who won’t take risks?
- As the site grows, and the responsibilities of various positions grow, how do you figure out what positions to pay and how much is reasonable?
- What are the issues of teacher leadership from the perspective of school districts?
- How does a relatively new or developing site develop leadership capacity without “burning out” existing leadership?
- What are some incentives to encouraging TCs to take on leadership roles.
- How do we give up responsibilities that we do because no one else can do them?
- Why are people so afraid to step up to the plate?
- How can I keep the work I want to do and share the work others want to/should do?
- How do we groom leaders – allowing for “messy maturation” process and respecting the growth – without micromanaging or having crash and burns?
- Finding venues for TCs to grow?
- How do you get people to follow through on promises made?
- How can we sustain our current leadership – keep them from taking on too much responsibility or burning out?
- What resources are necessary for growing teacher leaders?
- What are the qualities of a good leader in the Writing Project? A good potential leader?
- How can we turn “leadership” into an opportunity instead of a burden?
- What carrots do you give? Long term and short term. What mentoring do you provide?
- How can we move from beyond sustaining our site and create systems for growth?
- Are there approaches that you have used at your site that have increased involvement of TCs after they have participated in the Summer Institute. (Our TCs are willing but time is such an issue)
- How do you find your voice among a strong leadership team that has defined its own?
- How can we empower TCs and share leadership and ownership?
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Peace (in inquiry),
Kevin
Great questions that we are grappling with as probably all writing projects. I wonder what a weekend vision retreat might look like somewhere?
Bonnie
I agree — the questions were very powerful and relevant beyond the NWP circle, too, I think.
I know our site has done these kind of retreats, particularly around the concept of how our web design led to a restructuring at our site, and I think we are due for yet another leadership retreat on the same topic.
Kevin