Mod 3 Moller & PDS

Moller also includes a list of three things she thinks need to occur in the future to promote teacher leadership (near the end of the interview transcript). Think about these three things and whether or not you think they would make a difference from your perspective. All three of Moller’s suggestions for change to promote teacher leadership are excellent points. The one I agree with the most is the commensurate pay. Many teachers will not take on any more responsibility in the school system because they feel they already deal with too much for what they get paid. Sometimes taking on additional training comes out of their own pocket. I don’t like to look at things selfishly but if I am to take on additional responsibilities I want to know what is in it for me. Why stress myself out over additional work for no reason, I have to know it is going to pay off. With schools making so many cutbacks to save money, it seems they will do anything to get more out of giving less sometimes. How do Professional Development Schools (PDSs) and/or PLCs create opportunities for teachers to become leaders? With the PDSs teachers are more involved in their continued professional development and when it comes to specific things such as cooperating with a student teacher. The teacher becomes increasingly involved in many school-wide issues such as; collaboration with colleges, screening and placing student teachers and introducing them to the entire school not just their classroom. As teachers become these highly involved mentors they assume greater responsibility within their profession. Teachers also become more involved in professional workshops, actually organizing and presenting the workshops instead of the typical in-services they are required to attend. PDSs also allow teacher to expand their leadership roles into being curricular decision-makers instead of following only the predesigned layout, they begin to make their own decisions about how to use the curriculum. What examples of teacher leadership do you see in your PDS, or what do you think might emerge if your school were to become a PDS? What examples of PLCs do you see in your school or organization? Have teacher leaders emerged from these PLCs? I believe our schools have just begun working with a PDS and I have only heard “talk” about how it is working because I am not teaching full time. I have heard some complaints from older teachers, in that they feel they are being invaded in their classrooms with the continuous inquires about how to improve their teaching practices. They feel they have to attend more meetings and training now. These were teachers who are close to retirement, I felt that they really didn't want to deal with the changes they only want to ride out their last few years and retire. I know they have a sight they log onto for video training and can also collaborate with other teachers on important issues. The sight keeps track of their training, the board can review any of the teachers training and suggest additional training if needed. Walk-through evaluations are being conducted during class time, if the evaluators feel the teacher needs to work on a certain area they send the teacher the information and the teacher has an allotted amount of time to complete the training. The teachers felt that they didn't have time for a lot of what they were being asked to do and were taking their own free time to complete extra training.