My Capstone, Terry F Erickson [classic novels .txt] 📗

at.---Loretta
In our conversation, Eli conveyed a true passion for learning and being challenged by new opportunities to improve her teaching. She said that she rarely did anything the same from one year to the next because her students were never the same from one year to the next.
I tend to be out on the idiot fringe…if something new comes along, I am usually one of those people that want to try it. When NUA came along with the ability to do some training and do things differently I was one of the first ones in the cohort. I’ve never been one to stay the same, and so I’m always challenging myself. Things that excite me always help me teach better. - Eli
John didn’t think it was healthy for teachers to remain isolated in their classrooms. He enjoys networking with administrators and other teachers at district meetings and gatherings. He claims that the depth of the relationships a teachers has with students, parents, colleagues, and administrators can measure his or her success.
I have to get out of my classroom once in awhile even though that is my primary responsibility as a teacher, but I need to look at the big picture of what is happening in the district, state, and even our country. I think I would do a disservice to my kids if I never did anything else.---John
The queen of curriculum committees would have to be Loretta. She told me that she has been on every curriculum committee there is and has often served many times. She enjoys staying ahead in the game and desires to know about programs or initiatives before they are introduced to a wider audience.
The reason I’m on the language arts committee is because reading is my passion, so if something came up I wanted to be there to have my input and be part of the process. A lot of times I join a committee because it helps me learn new things or be better in-tune to what is going on, and it really does reflect directly back to my classroom.---Loretta
Generational Difference?
Is there something unique about this older generation of teachers and their sense of responsibility? Would I find similar results if I were to interview younger teachers? I’m afraid I’ll have to leave that question for my next Capstone! The generation of teachers I interviewed would be considered “boomers,” those in the 44-62 age range. Younger teachers would be “generation Xers” or just “Xers.” Boomers are currently in the age range to hold positions of authority such as principals, superintendents, school-board members, and political representatives. Carlson (2004) found in a study that older teachers, or boomers, are willing to sacrifice more family time for their work and to spend time outside of school hours performing leadership responsibilities than are Xers, who place a greater importance on family. The teachers I interviewed reported they have made and continue to sacrifice personal and family time for leadership responsibilities.
In my interview with Loretta, she passionately addressed a possible generational difference.
I think there is a real issue with leadership roles, particularly with people of my age that have been around. I don’t have any data, but it seems that the young teachers are less likely to take on those roles. So I also see generational friction there, where older people are a little resentful because they are taking on so much. I actually heard this from a teacher and it kind of blew me away that he had heard from a younger teacher that older teachers are getting paid more so they should be taking on those leadership roles. I do think there is a generational piece there and I’m not saying it is wrong. I think sometimes us baby boomers should take a lesson from younger people who need time for their own life.---Loretta
Benefits and Costs
In the above section, I described what motivates teachers to hold leadership roles or, in other words, what brings them to a leadership position. However, I was also curious about what benefits they received and what costs they paid by holding these positions. In Chapter Two I reviewed several studies that examined those benefits and costs. The studies found the benefits of teacher leadership to be higher student achievement, good morale and job satisfaction, improved professional practice, and a higher sense of efficacy. The costs were conflicts with peers, being unprepared for challenges, lack of autonomy, and the amount of time needed for leadership responsibilities.
I thought it was interesting that not one of the teachers cited “benefits of leadership” as a motivation to lead. Benefits seemed to be regarded as a by-product of holding leadership positions, or kind of an after thought. They talked about the benefits and costs only when I asked about them.
Along with the four interview questions, I also asked them if they had realized any of these same benefits and costs. Teachers identified with three of the benefits: higher student achievement, improved professional practice, and job satisfaction. They identified with only one of the costs: conflicts with peers.
I think I’m probably happier with my job because of the other things I do. I love to eat pancakes but I wouldn’t want them for every meal. The same goes for teaching. I love it but doing something else once in awhile I think is as healthy as eating a variety of foods.---John
I think I’m a better teacher because I have a bigger picture than my classroom, my grade level, and my curriculum. I know what learning took place before they got here. I know where these kids are going to go after they leave here and what those teachers expect them to know. I know if you’re not part of a curriculum committee…no one reads the scope and sequence matrix. I think teachers often lose sight of the before and after.---Audrey
I definitely feel that I have a better understanding of what kids should be doing. I think I tend to do things more purposefully, being on committees. I hope it would reflect on higher achievement for my kids. I would want to say “yes” that it does.---Loretta
Unexpectedly, only Loretta and Scarlet talked with me about conflicts with peers. This was unexpected since this issue was identified in several of the research studies I reviewed in Chapter Two.
I think that’s a huge issue; of course it depends on the team that you are on. But I would say over the years it is an issue. I don’t know, is it my personality? I hope not. I try to be very cognizant that I am a peer. I think it is very upsetting when teachers get into a role or on a committee and then they set themselves above or take on a more managerial or administrative role. I think that is something I try hard to avoid and yet sometimes you have information you really want to share because you are excited about it and I think people overall often resent that. So I find myself stepping back from sharing a whole lot of that because you know…I just don’t understand why people feel that way because we are colleagues and I think that is a big issue in schools…where is this collegial give-and-take. Just because I learned something, it’s not that I’m trying to say this is a better idea than what you are doing. If we put your idea together with my idea together with what somebody learned here and somebody learned here we can synthesize a better process for kids. But I find teachers overall very protective and defensive about how they do things.---Loretta
I believe there is an apparent lack of conflicts with peers in my district due to the great number of teachers involved in leadership roles and the high level of professionalism. As I stated in Chapter One, forty percent of the staff reported they were involved in some type of formal leadership role, and the numbers would probably be higher if informal leadership roles were included. With this many staff involved, there is less likelihood of a subordinated class of teachers who do not appreciate decision-making responsibilities residing with a just few superiors.
Hindrances
Not surprisingly, I found that issues surrounding time were the primary hindrance to teachers--- time needed for teaching responsibilities, time needed to do other job duties, time away from the classroom, and time needed to prepare for a substitute. Lack of time seems to get in the way of many things we wish we could spend more time doing in everyday life, such as exercising, reading, being with family and friends, traveling, etc. Imagine how much more these teachers could have done if they had even more time! I didn’t specifically ask the teachers if they declined leadership positions because their limited time prevented them from doing the job or doing a good job . They have such a strong work ethic that I’m sure they wouldn’t take on a task unless they could do it well.
I feel really bad being gone and I make very detailed sub plans and I pretty much get the same person so I cover my bases. But if you’re gone to national conventions and you’re gone to this thing and you’re gone a couple of days a month, I think something is going to suffer.---Scarlet
Max theorized that the new technology age in our schools is causing us to have less time to devote to leadership activities and to maintain personal relationships at work. We are all too busy answering email and voice messages from parents, administrators, and even students.
We have such a professional staff and I’ve taught in other situations and there would be 15 people in the teacher’s lounge and now go down to the teacher’s lounge and there is never anyone there. People are so involved in doing their jobs at a very high level…if they’ve got seconds they aren’t with kids they are trying to pick up emails, they’re trying to pick up voicemails, they’re trying to do all of that and I think that has become a hindrance for us in the profession.---Max
Loretta commented that time pressure has diminished now that her own children are adults and she empathized with younger teachers with small children: If senior teachers with no children at home feel time is a hindrance, just think of how hard it must be for teachers with young families.
It is the time commitment. For some of the positions you are given release time or sub time and that’s fine. A lot of times I pick and choose where I want to be because I don’t want to be away from my classroom a lot. So I see two hindrances: either it’s on your own time like after school in addition to your hours, or you are being taken away frequently from your classroom, which I don’t like to do as a teacher.---Loretta
Elizabeth was unyieldingly opposed to attending meetings during the school day. I believe this again speaks to this group’s strong work ethic. Elizabeth feels she needs to make long preparations rather than leaving skeleton instructions and trusting that the substitute teacher will do an adequate job.
Leaving my classroom with a sub to serve on a district committee is just a horrible idea. It takes so much time to prep for