Changing Roles of Educators

As greater emphasis is placed on authenic or contextual instructional practices and the implementation of new instructional strategies, the educator’s role shifts from solely guiding the learning process, to providing leadership for school and community improvement. It has become necessary for these teacher leaders to be life-long learners, modelers of best practices, reflective practitioners, and advocates for improving learning environments.

Advocates Take Action

In order for reflective practice to be useful for the improvement of teaching and learning, action or change must result from the process. Reflective practice should take on the form of systematic inquiry, and out of that inquiry should come insight and direction for change. For change to happen in education, teachers need to be made aware of and see modeled, new instruction and instructional methodologies. For this to happen, education needs teacher leaders. Education needs leaders who have systematically examined teaching and learning, and then go public with their findings. These individuals become the new teacher scholars of the profession, and in the process...professional leaders.

Leadership

Educators contribute to the improvement of the school, community and the profession by providing leadership through:

• Modeling effective teaching practices.
• Incorporating democratic principles into their practices.
• Demonstrating communication skills and strategies that facilitate improvements in learning environments.
• Evaluating the effects of their teaching through inquiry, feedback and reflection.
• Establishing and maintaining positive student-centered learning environments.
• Remaining current in subject area(s), teaching and lerning theories, practice, and research.
• Design and/or adapting curriculum to meet the needs of the learners.
• Participating in professional and community organizations.
• Informing, involving, and collaborating with parents and families to support student success.
• Participating and facilitating activities in the school and community to improve curriculum and instructional practices.
• Taking action toward professional improvement (designing and implementing personal professional growth programs).
• Advocating for curriculum, instruction, and learning environments which meet the needs of diverse learners.
• Participating in and facilitating collaborative processes for school improvement.