TEACHER TEACHER EMPOWERMENTEMPOWERMENT

The galloping technology has made The galloping technology has made each day each day of our life different from of our life different from the previous day. the previous day.

The changes we have witnessed in The changes we have witnessed in the last the last decade were beyond the decade were beyond the wildest dreams a wildest dreams a quarter century quarter century ago. ago. Common Videos\Sixth Sense.mp4Common Videos\Sixth Sense.mp4

These changes have dramatically These changes have dramatically transformed our ways of thinking, transformed our ways of thinking, our our perceptions and aspirations.perceptions and aspirations.

It is important to understand what It is important to understand what we can we can control and what we control and what we cannot in a dynamic cannot in a dynamic world in world in which we don’t know what is which we don’t know what is going going to happen tomorrow, let alone in to happen tomorrow, let alone in a year. a year.

Why teacher empowerment Why teacher empowerment matters matters Teaching has historically been a Teaching has historically been a profession profession which granted which granted practitioners some practitioners some degree of degree of autonomy in their autonomy in their classrooms, but classrooms, but larger institutional larger institutional decisions decisions affecting their work were still affecting their work were still controlled by administrators and controlled by administrators and policymakers. policymakers.

Everything from hiring, budgeting, Everything from hiring, budgeting, scheduling, textbook and scheduling, textbook and

technology technology selections to selections to professional development professional development and and curriculum is often in the hands of curriculum is often in the hands of others. others.

Empowering teachers as leaders is Empowering teachers as leaders is seen as a wayseen as a way

to put teachers at the center of to put teachers at the center of the reform movement,the reform movement,

to keep good teachers in to keep good teachers in education, education,

to entice new teachers into the to entice new teachers into the profession, and profession, and

to reverse a general trend toward to reverse a general trend toward treating them as employees who treating them as employees who do specific tasks planned in detail do specific tasks planned in detail by other people. by other people.

By introducing these new paradigms, By introducing these new paradigms, the teaching profession will become a the teaching profession will become a truly rewarding experience.truly rewarding experience.

What is empowerment?What is empowerment?

Empowerment has been defined as Empowerment has been defined as a process whereby teachers develop a process whereby teachers develop the competence to take charge of the competence to take charge of their own growth and resolve their their own growth and resolve their own problems. own problems.

Empowered individuals believe they Empowered individuals believe they have the skills and knowledge to act have the skills and knowledge to act on a situation and improve it. on a situation and improve it.

Empowered schools are Empowered schools are organizations that create organizations that create opportunities for competence to be opportunities for competence to be developed and displayed.developed and displayed.

Dimensions of Teacher Dimensions of Teacher Empowerment Empowerment

Six dimensions of teacher Six dimensions of teacher empowerment are –empowerment are – decision-making, decision-making, teacher impact, teacher impact, teacher status, teacher status, autonomy, autonomy, opportunities for professional opportunities for professional development, and development, and teacher self-efficacy. teacher self-efficacy.

1. Decision making1. Decision making

A key element in empowerment is A key element in empowerment is providing teachers with a significant, providing teachers with a significant, genuine role in school decision-making. genuine role in school decision-making. Teachers have increased control over Teachers have increased control over their work environment when their their work environment when their opinions influence the outcome of the opinions influence the outcome of the decision-making process. decision-making process. Teachers are less willing to Teachers are less willing to participate in decision-making if they participate in decision-making if they perceive that their opinions are not perceive that their opinions are not taken in to consideration by the taken in to consideration by the principal when the final decision is principal when the final decision is made. made.

2. Teacher impact2. Teacher impact

The attribute of impact refers to teachers’ The attribute of impact refers to teachers’ perceptions that they have an effect and perceptions that they have an effect and influence on school life .influence on school life . Teachers’ self-esteem and confidence Teachers’ self-esteem and confidence grow when they feel they are doing grow when they feel they are doing something worthwhile and are recognized something worthwhile and are recognized for their accomplishments. for their accomplishments.

Teachers in good schools advanced in the Teachers in good schools advanced in the practice of teaching by receiving respect practice of teaching by receiving respect from parents and community members. from parents and community members.

Teacher impact is one of the Teacher impact is one of the characteristics of transformational teacher-characteristics of transformational teacher-leaders. leaders.

3. Teacher’s status3. Teacher’s status

This attribute of empowerment refers to This attribute of empowerment refers to the sense of esteem, respect, and admiration the sense of esteem, respect, and admiration showered by students, parents, community showered by students, parents, community members, peers, and superiors to the members, peers, and superiors to the profession of teaching. profession of teaching. The Simple Truths of Appreciation by Barbara A. The Simple Truths of Appreciation by Barbara A.

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Many times these teacher-leaders have Many times these teacher-leaders have proven themselves competent in decision-proven themselves competent in decision-making. Therefore, faculty members are making. Therefore, faculty members are more likely to accept changes suggested by more likely to accept changes suggested by teacher-leaders than they would from others.teacher-leaders than they would from others.

As a result of their contributions to the As a result of their contributions to the school, lead teachers receive recognition school, lead teachers receive recognition from the administration for their efforts from the administration for their efforts enhancing their status among faculty enhancing their status among faculty members. members.

4. Autonomy4. Autonomy

Autonomy is the dimension of teacher Autonomy is the dimension of teacher empowerment that refers to teachers’ beliefs empowerment that refers to teachers’ beliefs that they can control certain aspects of their that they can control certain aspects of their work life such as scheduling, curriculum, work life such as scheduling, curriculum, textbooks, and instructional planning.textbooks, and instructional planning.

The foundation for autonomy is the sense of The foundation for autonomy is the sense of freedom to make certain decisions and the freedom to make certain decisions and the confidence to express opinions while also confidence to express opinions while also learning from and engaging with others in learning from and engaging with others in learning . learning .

Autonomy is fostered when school Autonomy is fostered when school environments support risk taking and environments support risk taking and experimentation by teachers. experimentation by teachers.

They also tend to experience greater They also tend to experience greater satisfaction in the workplace as autonomy satisfaction in the workplace as autonomy increasesincreases

5.Professional growth5.Professional growth

Professional growth refers to teachers’ Professional growth refers to teachers’ perception that the school in which they perception that the school in which they work provides them with opportunities to work provides them with opportunities to grow and develop professionally, to learn grow and develop professionally, to learn continuously, and to expand one’s own skills continuously, and to expand one’s own skills through the work life of the school.through the work life of the school.

This enhanced knowledge and skills make This enhanced knowledge and skills make them confident of taking part in decision them confident of taking part in decision making. making.

6. Self- Efficacy6. Self- Efficacy

Self-efficacy refers to teachers’ Self-efficacy refers to teachers’ perceptions that they have the skills and perceptions that they have the skills and ability to help students learn, are ability to help students learn, are competent in building effective programs competent in building effective programs for students, and can effect changes in for students, and can effect changes in student learning. student learning.

Self-efficacy develops as individuals Self-efficacy develops as individuals acquire self-knowledge and the belief that acquire self-knowledge and the belief that they are personally competent and have they are personally competent and have mastered skills necessary to affect desired mastered skills necessary to affect desired outcomes. outcomes.

To develop empowered teachers the To develop empowered teachers the following steps are helpful.following steps are helpful.

There are three areas where the school There are three areas where the school Principals will have to work on the teachers Principals will have to work on the teachers for empowerment.for empowerment.

Knowledge,Knowledge, Skills Skills andand AttitudeAttitude

Periodic training and exposure to improve Periodic training and exposure to improve their knowledge and skills.their knowledge and skills.

Nurture their talents and push them into Nurture their talents and push them into leadership positions slowly and gradually till leadership positions slowly and gradually till they are confident of taking independent they are confident of taking independent decisions.decisions.

Attitudes are not formed overnight.Attitudes are not formed overnight.

Any thing done regularly over a period of time Any thing done regularly over a period of time becomes a habit and habit continued becomes a habit and habit continued becomes an attitude.becomes an attitude.

Empowerment should become a habit.Empowerment should become a habit.

CoveyCovey defined a habit as "the intersection of defined a habit as "the intersection of knowledge, skill, and desire". knowledge, skill, and desire".

Knowledge is the what to do and the why. Knowledge is the what to do and the why.

Skill is the how to do. Skill is the how to do. Common Videos\Abbott And Costello 13 X 7 is 28.flvCommon Videos\Abbott And Costello 13 X 7 is 28.flv

Desire is the motivation, the want to do. Desire is the motivation, the want to do.

In order to develop a habit, all three have to In order to develop a habit, all three have to be incorporated.be incorporated.

Thank youThank you