Rethinking Classroom Leadership North Carolina Middle School Conference 2013

Dutchess Maye, EdD Executive Director eduConsulting Firm Raleigh, NC 27616 919.633.7333

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Rethinking Classroom Leadership

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Relationships

Begin with the teacher.

I have come to a frightening

conclusion. I am the decisive

element in the classroom. It is

my personal approach that

creates the climate. It is my

daily mood that makes the

weather. As a teacher I possess

tremendous power to make a

child’s life miserable or joyous.

I can be a tool of torture or an

instruction of inspiration. I can

humiliate or humor, hurt or

heal. In all situations, it is my

response that decides whether a

crisis will be escalated or de-

escalated, and a child

humanized or dehumanize.

Haim Ginott

Have a significant impact on

learning.

No significant learning occurs

without a significant

relationship.

James Comer

Must be recognized for their

authenticity.

Caring is a moral imperative, a

social responsibility, and a

pedagogical necessity.

Geneva Gay

Teacher Strategies

Below is a list of 8 teacher strategies or self-

declarations which serve as the foundation of

rethinking classroom leadership.

1. Choose every day to deepen a relationship

with at least one person. That means making a

conscious decision to smile, take an interest,

do a favor, or give a compliment.

2. Choose every day to learn more about another

person. Inquire about what the person thinks,

likes, wants, feels, etc.

3. Choose every day to take responsibility for

your successes and failures. That means avoid

blaming the state, DPI, the principal, the

students, their parents or your spouse.

4. Choose every day to revisit and remind

yourself of your philosophies for life and for

education. Why do you believe what you

believe? How are your beliefs changing and

why?

5. Choose every day to read something positive

and to speak something positive. What we

read influences our thoughts. What we speak

influences our actions and those others.

6. Choose every day to remind yourself that you

make the weather in your classroom.

7. Choose every day to make the weather

brighter than the day before.

8. Choose every day to take care of yourself first.

Only when you are the best you, can you make

others around you better.

Rethinking Classroom Leadership

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Extending Choices: The purpose of

extending choices to students is

ultimately designed to prepare them

to live in a democratic society, make

good decision, control impulsivity,

and think through consequences.

Extending choice does not come

without some prior teaching prepping.

Teachers must help students

recognize the importance of thinking

through their choice and determining

the consequence.

Options for Extending Choices by

allowing students to

Select from a variety of

assignments which are

a. equally rigorous and

b. appeal to learning styles and

multiple intelligences

Participate in establishing

classroom agreements and

expectations for behavior Establish a set of consequences for

infractions Determine due dates for projects

and tests Examine and pursue methods in

which they learn best

Wait Time

Student Outcomes

Increases in contributions by students who do not

participate as much when wait-time is limited

Expansion of the variety of responses offered by

students

Decreases in student interruptions

Increases in student-student interactions

Increases in the number of questions posed by

student

Improvements in the student achievement

Increases in the number of higher cognitive

responses generated by students

Increases in the length of student responses

Increases in the number of unsolicited responses

Decreases in students’ failure to respond

Teacher Outcomes

Flexibility of teacher responses, with teachers

listening more and engaging students in more

discussions

Increases in teacher expectations regarding

students usually thought of as slow

Expansion of the variety of questions asked by

teachers

Increases in the number of higher cognitive

questions asked by teachers.

Rethinking Classroom Leadership

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Classroom leadership is

first modeled by the

teacher’s authentic efforts

of demonstrating genuine

concern and interest in

developing the leadership

skills of students.

Demonstrating authenticity

usually involve simple acts of

kindness such as

Smiling

Interest

Eye Contact

Encouragement

High Expectations

Respect

Value of Differences

Adult Voice

*Pass the Crown by

allowing students to

Develop and ask high

level questions on

content

Determine testing format

Teach the content

Facilitate the

understanding of peers

Lead groups and class

discussions

*Passing the Crown requires

specific agreed upon expectations, procedures

and competencies

The Adult Voice

Communicates deep concern for students’

thoughts/ideas

Conducts class meetings; establishes democratic

practices

Uses respectful language

Uses humor appropriately

Feels confident to express emotions

Doesn’t use bribes or threats

Focuses on self-improvement

Characteristics of the Adult Voice

Non-judgmental

Free of negativity

Negotiating

Non-verbal

Factual

Question format

Win-win attitude

Used for changing behavior