Inside the Team: Questions and Answers Facing Teacher Leaders

Janet Burgess · Donna Bates

Jul 2014 · Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

About this ebook

Inside the Team: Questions and Answers Facing Teacher Leaders is a book for K-12 teachers and leaders who face dilemmas leading teams of peers. With little formal training, few venues for professional conversation, and more responsibilities to lead groups of peers, teacher leaders are seeking answers and direction that will help them build strong professional teams to support student learning. Inside the Team acknowledges a number of changes that are having a profound impact on schools today. Technology, copious information accessible via the Internet, a focus on standards and test scores, fewer teachers with more students, and the never ending cycle of change all impact teaching and learning. Teacher leaders and teams have been asked to step up and shoulder more of the responsibilities to make schools work. However, good intentions aren’t enough. Using Q/A scenarios and building context for leadership in practice, the authors provide answers, useful, practical tools, resources, models and conversation starters that move teams forward.

About the author

Jan Burgess spent 24 years in school administration as an elementary and middle school principal, following eight years as a teacher and counselor. Her work with teachers and teacher leaders over those years framed her understanding of shared leadership, what it takes to create a culture to sustain learning, and how teaching practices impact learning.

Donna Bates has over 30 years of elementary and middle level teaching experience. During her years of teaching, Donna served as an elementary team leader, middle level curriculum leader, teacher association president and was a participant on a number of district and state committees.