Ten Roles for TeacherCindy Harrisonand Joellen Killion

Teacher leaders assume awide range of roles tosuppon school and studentsuccess. Whether these rolesare assigned fonnally or

shared informally, they build the entireschool's capacity to improve. Becauseteachers can lead in a variety of ways,many teachers can serve as leadersamong their peers.

So what are some of the leadershipoptions available to teachers? Thefollo\\1ng 10 roles are a sampling of themany ways teachers can contribute totheir schools' success.

1. Resource ProviderTeacher5 help their colleagues bysharing instructional resources. Thesemight include Web sites, instmctionalmaterials, readings, or other resources touse with students. They might alsoshare such professional resources as arti-cles, books, lesson or unit plans, andassessment tools.

Tinisha becomes a resource providerwhen she offers to help Carissa, a newstaff member in her second career, setup her classroom. Tinisha gives Carissaextra copies of a number line for herstudents to use. signs to post on the wallthat explain to students how to get helpwhen the teacher is busy, and the grade-level language arts pacing guide,

2. Instructional SpecialistAn instructional specialist helpscolleagues implement effective teachitigstrategies. This help might include ideasfor differentiating instmction or plan-ning lessons in partnership with fellowteachers. Instructional specialists mightstudy research-based classroom strate-gies (Marzano, Pickering, & Pollock,2001); explore which instructionalmethodologies are appropriate for theschool; and share findings withcolleagues.

When his fellow science teachersshare their frustration with students'poorly vmtten lab reports. Jama!suggests that they invite several Englishteachers to recommend strategies forwriting instruction. With two Englishteachers serving as instructional special-ists, the science teachers examine anumber of lab reports together andidentify strengths and weaknesses. TheEnglish teachers share strategies theyuse in their classes to improve students'writing.

3. Curriculum SpecialistUnderstanding content standards, howvarious components of the curriculumlink together, and how to use thecurriculum in planning instritction andassessment is essential to ensuringconsistent curriculum implementationthroughout a school. Curriculumspecialists lead teachers to agree onstandards, follow the adoptedcurriculum, use common pacing charts,and develop shared assessments.

Tracy, the world studies team leader,works with the five language arts andfive social studies teachers in her school.Using standards in English and socialstudies as their guides, the team

74 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP/SEPTEMBFR 2007

Leaders The ways teachers can lead are asvaried as teachers themselves.

members agree to increase the consis-lency in tlieir classroom curriculumsand administer common assessments.Tracy suggests that the Leam develop acommon understanding of the standardsand agrees to facilitate the developmentand analysis of common quarterlyassessments.

4. Classroom SupporterClassroom supporters work inside class-rooms to help teachers implement newideas, often by demonstrating a lesson,coteaching, or observing and givingfeedback. Blase and Blase (2006) foundthat consultation with peers

enlianced teachers' self-efficacy (teachers'belief in their own abiliues and capacityto successfully solve teaching andleaming problems) as they rellected onpractice and grew together, and it alsoencouraged a bias for action (improve-ment through collaboration) on the partof teachers, (p. 22)

Marcia asks Yolanda for classroomsupport in implementing nonlinguisticrepresentation strategies, such asgraphic organizers, tnanipulatives, andkinesthetic activities (Marzano et al..2001). Yolanda agrees to plan and teacha lesson with Marcia that integratesseveral relevant strategies. They ask theprincipal for two half-days of profes-sional release time, one for leamingtnore about the strategy and planning alesson together, and the other forcoteaching the lesson to Marcia'sstudents and discussing it afterward.

5. Learning Facilitatorr-aciiitaling prolessional leaming oppor-tunities among staff members is anotherrole for teacher leaders. When teachersleam with and from one another, they

Communities oflearning can breakthe norms ofisolation present inmany schools.

can focus on what most directlyimproves student learning. Their profes-sional leaming becomes more relevant,focused on teachers' classroom work,and aligned to fill gaps in studentlearning. Such communities of leamingcan break the norms of isolation presentin many schools,

Frank facilitates the school's profes-sional development committee andser\'es as the committees language artsrepresentative. Together, teachers planthe year's prolessional developmentprogram using a backmapping model(Killion, 2001). This model begins withidentifying studeni leaming needs,teachers' current level of knowledge andskills in the target areas, and types ofleaming opportunities that differentgroups of teachers need. The committeecan then develop and implement aprofessional development plan on thebasis of their findings.

6. MentorServing as a mentor for novice teachersIS a common role for teacher leaders.Mentors serve as role models; acclimate

A S S O C I A T I O N FOR S U P E R V I S I O N A N D C U R R I C U L U M D E V E L O P M F . N r 75

new teachers to a new school; andadvise new teachers about instruction,curriculum, procedure, practices, andpolitics. Being a tnentor takes a greatdeal of time and expertise and tnakes asignificant contribution to the develop-ment oi a new professional.

Ming is a successful teacher in herown 1st grade classroom, but she hasnot assumed a leadership role in theschool. The principal asks her to mentorher new [eammate, a brand-new teacherand a recent immigrant from the Philip-pines. Ming prepares by participating inthe district's three-day training oniiientoring. Her role as a mentor will nolonly include helping her teammatenegotiate the district, school, and class-foom, but will also include acclimatingher colleague to the community. Mingfeels proud as she watches her teammatedevelop mto an accomplished teacher.

7. School LeaderBeing a school leader means serving ona committee, such as a school improve-ment team; acting as a grade-level ordepartment chair; supporting schoolinitiatives; or representing the school oncommunity or district task forces orcommittees. A school leader shares thevision of the school, aligns his or herprofessional goals with those of theschool and district, and shares responsi-bility for the success of the school as awhole.

Joshua, staff sponsor of the studentcouncil, offers to help the principalengage students in the school improve-ment planning process. The schoolimprovement team plans lo revise itsnearly 10-year-old vision and wants toensure that students' voices are includedin the process. Joshua arranges adaylong meeting for 10 staff membersimd 10 students who represent variousviews of the school experience, fromnonattenders to grade-level presidents.Joshua works with the school improve-ment team facilitator to ensure that theactivities planned for the meeting are

When teachers learn

with and from one

another, they can

focus on what most

directly improves

student learning.

appropriate for students so that studentswill actively participate.

8. Data CoachAlthough teachers have access to a greatdeal of data, they do not often use thatdata to drive classroom instruction.Teacher leaders can lead conversationsthat engage their peers in analyzing andusing this information to strengtheninstmction.

Carol, the 10th grade language artsteam leader, facilitates a team of hercolleagues as they look at the results ofthe most recent writing sample, ateacher-designed assessment given lo allincoming 10th grade students. Carol

guides teachers as they discuss strengthsand weaknesses of students' writingperformance as a group, as individuals,by classrooms, and in disaggregatedclusters by race, gender, and previousschool. They then plan instruction onthe hasis of this data.

9. Catalyst for ChangeTeacher leaders can also be catalysts forchange, \isionaries who are "nevercontent witb tbe status quo but ratheralways looking for a better way" (Lamer,2004, p, 32). Teachere who take on tbecatalyst role feel secure in their ownwork and have a strong commitment tocontinual improvement. They posequestions to generate analysis of studentlearning.

In a faculty meeting, Larry expresses aconcern that teachers may be treatingsome students differently from others.Students who come to him for extraassistance have shared their perspectives,and Larry wants teachers to know whatstudents are saying. As his colleaguesdiscuss reasons for low student achieve-ment, Larr)' challenges them to exploredata about the relationship between raceand discipline referrals in the school.When teachers begin to point fingers atstudents, he encourages them toexamine how they can change theirirtstruetional practices to improvestudent engagement and achievement.

10. LearnerAmong the most important roles teacherleaders assume is tbat of learner.Learners model coniinual improvement,demonstrate lifelong learning, and usewhat they leam to help all studentsachieve.

Manuela, the school's new bilingualteacher. Is a voracious leamer. At everyteam or faculty meeting, she identifiessomething new that she is trying in herclassroom. Her willingness to explorenew strategies is infectious. Otherteachers, encouraged by ber willingnessto discuss what works and what doesn't.

76 EDUCATIONAL LnADERSiiiP/SnpTnMBnR 2007

begin to talk about their teaching andhow it influences student learning.Faculty and team meetings become aforum in which teachers leam from oneanother. Manuelas commitment to andwillingness to talk about learning breakdown barriers of isolation that existedamong teachers.

Roles for AllTeachers exhibit leadership Jn multiple,sometimes overlapping, ways. Someleadership roles are formal with desig-nated responsibilities. Other moreinformal roles emerge as teachersinteract with their peers. The variety ofroles ensures that teachers can find waysto lead that fit their talents and interests.Regardless of die roles they assume,teacher leaders shape the culture of theirschools, improve student learning, andinfluence practice among their peers, S!

ReferencesBbse, J., &r Blase. J. (2006). Teachers bringing

out the best in teachers: A guidf to peerconsultation for administrators and teachers.Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Killion, J. C2001). What works in dementaiyschools: Results-based stajf devehpmcnt.Oxford, OH: National Staff DevelopmentCouncil.

Lamer, M. (2004). Pathways: Chartingacourse for pwfessional learning.Portsmouth, NH: Hcinemann.

Marzano, R., Pickering, D., &Pollock,J.C2001). Classroom inst}-uction that works.Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Authors'note: The 10 roles are describedin more detail in Taking the Lead: New Rolesfor Teachers and School-Basal Coacha by J.Killion and C. Harrison, 2006, Oxford, OH:National Staff Development Council.Although the names have been changed, allexamples are leased on actual teachers weencountered in our research,

Cindy Harrison (crh@instructimprove,org) is an independent consultant,Instructional Improvement Group. 305West 6th Ave., Broomfield, CO 80020.Joellen Killion (J0ellen.KIIIi0n@n5dc.org)is Deputy Executive Director, NationalStaff Development Council. 10931 West71st Place, Arvada. CO 80004,

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