Week 5 Instructor Notes: Notes From The Field In Recent Year

Week 5 Instructor Notes Notes From The Field In Recent Years I

In recent years, I have become acutely aware of the need to involve students in decision-making where possible. Even at the college level, I would like to see more student representation on committees where they could serve. I know it is crucial to protect student privacy and those matters. However, I can see where their input would be very beneficial when we decide to overhaul programs. Probably the closest I came to that as a sixth grade teacher, since student involvement in curriculum matters—even student-led conferences—was not even on the radar, would be the report card my students did on me at the end of each school year. They were given the opportunity to tell me what had gone well and what had not gone so well. They took it very seriously and gave me some excellent feedback. I remember well one evening during an Open House at the beginning of the school year. One of my former students who had gone on to junior high school was there with his family (he had siblings still at the elementary school). As I was greeting and talking to parents, he stuck his head in the door and said, “Ms. Dunlap, you might want to teach typing skills to the students this year. If they have typing skills going into junior high, it will be very helpful to them.” Did I do that? You better believe I did. We brought in old typewriters that some of them had, I moved in a couple of computers that were on the floor, and we started out with “j – k – l – ;.†They left having a basic knowledge of where the keys were, and we had a lot of fun learning!

Content Notes: As we think about curriculum development and its application to school improvement, I can think of nothing more important than leveraging teacher leadership. In their book, “Awakening the Sleeping Giant: Helping Teachers Develop as Leaders,” Marilyn Katzenmeyer and Gayle Moller write that “[their] experience with teacher leaders reveals that they are already making a difference in teaching and learning in many schools. It is out of this experience that we recognize the critical nature of the role that teacher leaders play if visions and hopes for schools are to be realized. Teacher leaders provide the key to sustained meaningful change in schools” (p. vii – Preface). As Timothy Waters and coauthors of Balanced Leadership (2009) write, “The future demands on the school principal are massive. In order to meet the needs of all stakeholders, the principal needs to learn to share leadership responsibilities while understanding the implications of introducing change” (reprinted in Educational Leadership, October 2013, p. 62). As new administrators, it is hoped that you will begin to think about teacher leadership, knowing that there is no way in today’s world you can do everything efficiently. Terry Wilhelm, in “How Principals Cultivate Shared Leadership,” shares skills that principals must cultivate for shared leadership. Among those are: 1. Leading colleagues in analyzing student work and achievement data; 2. Facilitating group discussions about improved instructional practices; 3. Locating research-based methods and strategies that may be outside the current collective team expertise; 4. Putting structures in place for team members to hold one another accountable for trying and using the strategies. Mr. Wilhelm points out that “in shared leadership, the principal maintains a delicate balance—giving teachers responsibility without abdicating all authority” (Educational Leadership, October 2013, pp. 62-63). On another note, I wonder what would happen if sometime at the end of one of our units of study, students had the opportunity to present their final product to an audience of teachers and community members. As we talk about the importance of global learning, we could see how students’ ability to connect their knowledge to real-world tasks and help to show them how their work applies to the outside world (Educational Leadership, 1995, p. 45). This would not only be a new experience for students but also involve other stakeholders in the process. Finally, the authors mention the Framework for 21st-Century Learning. As goes with my curiosity, I wanted to learn more about this group. I suggest you visit the website for Partnership for 21st Century Skills. This organization is only about ten years old, and I found a lot of good information about 21st-century learning. There is also a link where you can explore 21st Century Exemplary Schools in several states. I have begun to hear, and perhaps you have as well, that we are not teaching citizenship in our educational programs today. We kind of talk about the need to go to the polls and vote, maybe do a unit on that topic near the time of the national elections, but we are not teaching students in-depth about the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship. In years gone by, we had courses built into the curriculum (often called “civics”) that brought our attention to this topic. It was rather ironic that I found this article at the Partnership for 21st Century Skills website that resonated with me. You might want to check it out. Reimagining Citizenship for the 21st Century: A Call to Action for Policymakers and Educators.

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The evolution of educational leadership and curriculum development has increasingly emphasized the importance of involving diverse stakeholders, especially students and teachers, in decision-making processes. Incorporating student feedback and leadership offers significant benefits for school improvement and educational quality, fostering a participatory learning environment that aligns with 21st-century skills. Simultaneously, empowering teacher leaders can catalyze sustainable change and enhance instructional practices.

Student involvement in decision-making, once limited to simple activities such as student-led conferences and end-of-year evaluations, has broadened over recent years. Engaging students in reflection on their learning experiences and giving them voice in curriculum topics nurtures responsibility and enhances motivation. For example, the anecdote of the sixth-grade teacher who incorporated typing skills based on student feedback exemplifies how student input can directly inform instructional strategies, improve engagement, and prepare students for future academic challenges. Such involvement not only fosters a sense of ownership but also helps develop critical skills such as self-assessment and communication—valuable competencies that extend beyond the classroom (Dunlap, 2023).

The significance of teacher leadership cannot be overstated in the quest for meaningful school reform. Katzenmeyer and Moller (2001) highlight that teacher leaders are already making a substantial impact on teaching and learning environments. Their role is vital for sustaining change, especially in the context of school improvement initiatives requiring shared vision and collaborative effort. Effective teacher leaders facilitate essential activities such as analyzing student achievement data, leading instructional discussions, and discovering research-based strategies. These leader roles foster a culture of collective responsibility, which is crucial for adapting to rapidly changing educational demands (Waters et al., 2009).

Moreover, the concept of shared leadership, where principals step back from traditional authoritative roles to foster collaborative school cultures, aligns with the demands of modern education. Wilhelm (2013) suggests that principals need to develop skills in analyzing data, facilitating teamwork, and establishing accountability structures. This approach empowers teachers, promotes professional growth, and results in more responsive and effective instruction. The balance between authority and responsibility maintains the integrity of leadership while encouraging teacher agency, which ultimately benefits student learning outcomes.

Innovative practices such as student presentations of final projects to teachers and community members exemplify real-world connections integral to global learning. Such practices facilitate experiential learning that enhances student engagement and demonstrates the practical relevance of their academic work (Educational Leadership, 1995). These activities provide opportunities for stakeholders to observe student competencies in real-world contexts, fostering community involvement and supporting the development of essential workforce skills.

Understanding and integrating frameworks such as the Partnership for 21st Century Skills’ (P21) Learning Framework is critical for preparing students for modern challenges. P21 emphasizes skills in critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and digital literacy—competencies that are vital to navigating a 21st-century global economy (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2019). Schools implementing innovative curricula aligned with these standards are better poised to cultivate adaptable and workforce-ready students.

The discussion of citizenship education highlights a significant gap in current curricula. Once a core component through civics courses, in-depth education about civic responsibilities and rights appears undervalued in many schools today. Reimagining citizenship education involves fostering active engagement in democratic processes and understanding societal obligations, which are essential for cultivating informed and responsible citizens (Reimagining Citizenship, 2022). Incorporating comprehensive civic education aligns with the broader goals of preparing students for active participation in democratic societies.

In conclusion, advancing educational leadership involves fostering student voice, cultivating teacher leadership, promoting shared responsibilities, and aligning curricula with 21st-century skills. These strategies collaboratively contribute to building responsive, innovative, and democratic learning environments capable of meeting the complex demands of contemporary society.

References

• Katzenmeyer, M., & Moller, G. (2001). Awakening the Sleeping Giant: Helping Teachers Develop as Leaders. Corwin Press.
• Waters, T., Marzano, R. J., & McNulty, B. (2009). Balanced Leadership: What 30 Years of Research Tells Us About the Effect of Leadership on Student Achievement. Educational Administration Quarterly, 45(3), 331–354.
• Wilhelm, T. (2013). How Principals Cultivate Shared Leadership. Educational Leadership, 71(2), 62-63.
• Educational Leadership. (1995). Linking Students to the World Beyond School. 53(3), 44-47.
• Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2019). Framework for 21st Century Learning. Retrieved from https://www.battelle.org/
• Reimagining Citizenship for the 21st Century: A Call to Action for Policymakers and Educators. (2022). Partnership for 21st Century Skills. Retrieved from https://www.p21.org/
• Educational Leadership. (2013). Leadership for Learning in the 21st Century. 71(2), 62-65.
• Waters, T., & Stetson, V. (2010). Balanced Leadership: What 30 Years of Research Tells Us About the Effect of Leadership on Student Achievement. ASCD.
• Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2010). Exemplary Schools List. Retrieved from https://www.p21.org/
• Dunlap, L. (2023). Personal reflection on student feedback and engagement strategies.