LEARNING TEAM C INTERVIEW PRESENTATIONB Y

R H O N D A R A I N E Y

C R Y S TA L L E W I L L I A M S

D A N I TA J A C K S O N

T R A C Y R AY

QUESTION LIST

The qualifications a teacher leader must possess

The dispositional characteristics and traits a teacher leader must possess

The role a teacher leader plays in the dynamics of the school and community

The future of teacher leadership

The relationships between stakeholders, organizations, and teacher leaders

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WILL GO IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER.

Rhonda Rainey

Crystalle Williams

Danita Jackson

Tracy Ray

MRS. KELLY GERSTNER

BACKGROUND: A music teacher with the district for eight years

Enjoys singing in the choir, Also believes that if students are struggling in their core classes, music class is a way to release and express themselves

MRS. KELLY GERSTNER

QUESTION: The qualifications a teacher leader must possess.

ANSWER: Feels that you should be able to meet all standards as a Teacher Leader, and have learning skills necessary to fully master their Job.

QUESTION: The dispositional characteristics and traits a teacher leader must possess.

ANSWER: Feels that you should be open, have conscientious, be extraversion , agreeable and neuroticism.

QUESTION: The role a teacher leader plays in the dynamics of the school and community.

ANSWER: Feels that you should be trust worthy and stand for something, because if you don’t stand for your beliefs, you will fall for anything.

MRS. KELLY GERSTNER

QUESTION: The future of teacher leadership.

ANSWER: Feels that teacher leaders are vital and well needed in society today. Without great teacher leader the students will suffer. Because sometimes the only people the student feel that they can turn to are the teacher leaders.

QUESTION: The relationships between stakeholders, organizations, and teacher leaders.

ANSWER: Knowing that a vital stakeholder is someone who affects or is affected by the school actions, the relationship between the three are vital and each plays a role that is just as important as the next one. The relationships are more effective when it done in unity while doing their part.

THE MUSIC FUNDAMENTAL TECHNIQUE

Intonation Memorization

Tone Quality Musical Effect

Balance/Blend Interpretation

Rhythm Phrasing

Note Accuracy Dynamics

Position/Posture Ensemble Precision

CHOIR AND BAND SONGS

The Great Gate of Kiev

The Marriage of Figaro

Bridge over Troubled Water

God who Madeth Earth and Heaven

Now God be with Us

Savior of the World Divine

In Thee is Gladness

Jesu, Day by Day

All my Heart this night rejoices

VERONICA HARRIS-KING

BACKGROUND: BA Interdisciplinary Studies

MA Curriculum Instruction

Years of Teaching Experience 8 years

Years of Acquaintance 5 years

Current Position- 1st Grade Teacher, Lead Social Studies Teacher, 1st Grade Team Leader

VERONICA HARRIS-KING

Question 1- When thinking about leadership, what changes can you make today that will shape how you are as a leader in the future?

I asked: What comes to mind when you think about the word leadership?

Veronica: Leadership is mentoring, guiding, and motivating others. When I went to the teacher leadership conference, the main topic was about building relationships. You have to be able to relate to someone for them to be able to listen to you, or being able to be a leader.

I asked: What changes can you make today that will shape how you are as a leader in the future.

Veronica: Being more humble.

VERONICA HARRIS-KING

I asked: What do you mean by being more humble?

Veronica: Being modest and more respectful of others thoughts, feelings, and concerns. Being a leader doesn’t always mean being the voice, it also means being a listener. Being a leader is not being a dictator, you build your power not by ordering people around, but by finding areas of common ground.

Question 2-  How do you feel the qualities you possess make you the right person to be a teacher leader"?

I asked: What qualities do you possess that qualify you to be a teacher leader?

Veronica- organization, professionalism, and optimism

 

VERONICA HARRIS-KING

Question 3-   A teacher leader must possess certain characteristics and traits.  Which do you possess and how does it make you qualify for this position?

I asked: What are your characteristics as a teacher leader?

Veronica- As I previously mentioned with the question about qualities, a leader must be organized, professional, and optimistic. I feel each of these describe me, but I can relate more to optimism. I can relate more because leading is about helping someone become better. I want my team, or whoever I’m leading to always remain hopeful and positive.

I asked: How do these qualities help qualify you?

Veronica: The qualities that I possess as a leader help to create a strong foundation for my team. Being optimistic, no matter the situation ahead of us, helps us to establish a positive and supportive environment, where we collaborate and make the best decision based in our student needs.

 

 

VERONICA HARRIS-KINGQuestion 4-   As a teacher leader, what roles do you play in the dynamics of the school

and community?

Veronica: I am a 1st grade teacher, a cooperating teacher to a student teacher, a mentor to troubled students, the lead Social Studies Teacher, and the 1st grade team leader. I take on a vital part of school leadership to mentor those in need of growing. I am all for developing minds into becoming someone for the better.

Question 5- What do you feel are the relationships between stakeholders, organizations, and teacher leaders? Please tell of an example

Veronica: All of them present a form of growing an individual or group. An example I can give would be that as a leader I still do not know all the answers to all questions, or assist all needs. But as a leader I can provide resources and show you where to get your information. I believe in our school community, everyone has a job. Jobs in our community/school are given for the purposes that are to meet the needs of students. We are here to rely on each other for support, everyone has an important role. We need our crossing guards and school patrol for the safety of our students, our teachers to educate our students’ minds and hearts for the desire to learn. Our teachers need the support of administration, team leaders, and educational development to provide a rich-teaching environment for our students. Our school nurse, custodians and food nutrition provide our students with clean, safe environment and keep our students body healthy. Not one person is responsible for the success of our students, all of us hold an important role. As a leader, that is the most important aspect. That is not to take credit, but to give and share credit. It takes a village to raise a child, and our school community is that village.

DEB BORSDORF

DEB BORSDORF

Teacher Leader: Deb BorsdorfBackground: literacy coach for 8 years, masters in Reading as a specialist, served on various

committees in a leadership capacity, implemented different initiatives within district and building. (4square writing, word walls, ruby Payne, etc.)

 Question: When thinking about leadership, what changes can you make today that will

shape how you are as a leader in the future?  Answer: I feel that I can try to be more patient with all the changes that are taking place.

Change takes time, we should not expect it all at once. Question: How do you feel the qualities you possess make you the right person to be a

teacher leader? Answer: She knows her subject matter, and can talk about it thoroughly. She can be very

empathetic and yet still know what areas need improvement and try to reach other teachers and tutors sensibly. Also has to serve at other capacities. (Taking on roles for the principals and teachers.) Believes that to be effective, you have to be able to communicate with teachers to make sure they have everything they need to be successful.

 

DEB BORSDORF

Question: A teacher leader must possess certain characteristics and traits. Which do you possess and how does it make you qualify for this position?

Answer: Insightful, respected, trusted, tactful, caring, an expert in the area working in, avoids conflict and always looking ahead, respectful and articulate. I am respected, I am an expert at what I do and I try to look ahead for difficulties and a plan to correct if needed.  I care about the people I work with and respect how difficult their job can be.   I try to be tactful when correcting something that needs to done in a more satisfactory manner and provide the tools necessary to getting the job done.  Hopefully, I work in a building where I have built relationships with my colleagues.  Nothing gets done without positive relationships….you do not have to be best buddies…just respectful of each other.

 

Question: As a teacher leader, what roles do you play in the dynamics of the school and community? Answer: In the school, I help as a liaison between principal and teachers. Sometimes it is easier for me to approach

the principal then the teachers.  I can also be a barometer for what is stressing the teachers and communicate it to the principal.    Also, a communicator to the teachers from the ROE, which is an extension of our educational system on a broader basis.  I provided the training teachers need, on a building basis, to extend learning of new programs and systems that teachers are expected to become experts in.

Question: What do you feel are the relationships between stakeholders, organizations, and teacher leader? Please tell of an example.

Answer: Stakeholders would be the teachers, the organization would be the school/school district and teacher leader would be Pat S. or myself.        I feel the relationship is bonded between teachers and myself….I always remind myself that I am STILL a teacher.  Some of the teacher leaders in our district have forgotten that they have not been elevated to a Type 75 certificate because they are a teacher leader or a coach.  Because I am connected as a teacher, I can be empathetic to the struggles teacher work thru daily.  For example, our district has chosen to implement more than one new initiative within the district.  This is very stressful to the teachers.  One new initiative is Acuity Testing….teachers have received little instruction or ideas on how to implement this within the class day and continue teaching.  During our last PLC, on Wednesday, I was able to speak for the teachers and invite some of the administration and other “teacher leaders” to go into classroom and observe how this new implementation was a struggle and time consuming for teachers.

 

 

DEB BORSDORF

Question: As a teacher leader, what roles do you play in the dynamics of the school and community?

Answer: In the school, I help as a liaison between principal and teachers. Sometimes it is easier for me to approach the principal then the teachers.  I can also be a barometer for what is stressing the teachers and communicate it to the principal.    Also, a communicator to the teachers from the ROE, which is an extension of our educational system on a broader basis.  I provided the training teachers need, on a building basis, to extend learning of new programs and systems that teachers are expected to become experts in.

Question: What do you feel are the relationships between stakeholders, organizations, and teacher leader? Please tell of an example.

Answer: Stakeholders would be the teachers, the organization would be the school/school district and teacher leader would be Pat S. or myself.        I feel the relationship is bonded between teachers and myself….I always remind myself that I am STILL a teacher.  Some of the teacher leaders in our district have forgotten that they have not been elevated to a Type 75 certificate because they are a teacher leader or a coach.  Because I am connected as a teacher, I can be empathetic to the struggles teacher work thru daily.  For example, our district has chosen to implement more than one new initiative within the district.  This is very stressful to the teachers.  One new initiative is Acuity Testing….teachers have received little instruction or ideas on how to implement this within the class day and continue teaching.  During our last PLC, on Wednesday, I was able to speak for the teachers and invite some of the administration and other “teacher leaders” to go into classroom and observe how this new implementation was a struggle and time consuming for teachers.

  

DEB BORSDORF

Question: What do you feel are the relationships between stakeholders, organizations, and teacher leader? Please tell of an example.

Answer: Stakeholders would be the teachers, the organization would be the school/school district and teacher leader would be Pat S. or myself.        I feel the relationship is bonded between teachers and myself….I always remind myself that I am STILL a teacher.  Some of the teacher leaders in our district have forgotten that they have not been elevated to a Type 75 certificate because they are a teacher leader or a coach.  Because I am connected as a teacher, I can be empathetic to the struggles teacher work thru daily.  For example, our district has chosen to implement more than one new initiative within the district.  This is very stressful to the teachers.  One new initiative is Acuity Testing….teachers have received little instruction or ideas on how to implement this within the class day and continue teaching.  During our last PLC, on Wednesday, I was able to speak for the teachers and invite some of the administration and other “teacher leaders” to go into classroom and observe how this new implementation was a struggle and time consuming for teachers.

 

TRACY’S SLIDES 

  When thinking about leadership, what changes can you make today that will shape how you are as a leader in the future?

I think that I can learn from my mistakes. The great quote is definitely true that we must learn from our mistakes so we are not destined to repeat them. I want to make sure the mistakes I make today don’t haunt my students of tomorrow. I also have to be willing to always be learning. I have incredible staff that bring a wealth of knowledge to the table that can help me in that journey.

·         How do you feel the qualities you possess make you the right person to be a teacher leader"?

Because I am direct, I am able to bring honesty to the table with my staff. They always know where they stand with me. I am also open and that allows my staff to know that they can come to me to work towards a solution to whatever they might be struggling with. My staff also know that if they bring a problem to me, I am going to ask what type of solution they think might fit best, and we can work from there.

TRACY’S SLIDES CONTINUE

    A teacher leader must possess certain characteristics and traits.  Which do you possess and how does it make you qualify for this position?I am direct, honest, optimistic, encouraging and a team player. All of these qualities help me be a better leader.

·         As a teacher leader, what roles do you play in the dynamics of the school and community?

I think I play a vital role in the dynamics of the school for sure. For example the way I respond to any given situation sets the tone for the staff and students alike. I have to make sure that I am responding with the best possible approach so that my staff and students in turn know how to structure their days and responses. In the community it makes a difference how I act when I encounter members of the community. I have to make sure that I take time to speak with concerned citizens whether it is a big or small issue. I can’t always take time right at that moment, but it is important that I be accessible and available to answer questions and alleviate concerns community members might have.

 

DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP

Dynamic leadership build for a life time of durable leadership in families, careers, and communities. Also they tell the truth and keep promises. They also stand for their beliefs, because if you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.

THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN STAKEHOLDER, ORGANIZATIONS AND TEACHER LEADER

Knowing that a vital stakeholder is someone who affects or is affected by the school actions, the relationship between the three are vital and each plays a role that is just as important as the next one. The relationships are more effective when it done in unity while doing their part.

THE FUTURE OF TEACHER LEADERSHIP

Formal and informal connections play a vital role for our future. While looking at our connections formally. Connections with our teacher leaders show us what a effective leader should be. Informally we can still leader; however, informally sometimes we can’t present openly. The future of a teacher leader is vital and well needed in today’s society. Many students engage or participate in their own decision making and sometimes make the wrong choices. As teacher leaders should show how to make the right choices. Choices can affect your future, so it is vital to make sound decisions.

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES OF THE TEAMS INTERVIEW

SIMILARITIES DIFFERENCES

Honesty Everybody didn’t use a picture of their chosen Teacher

optimistic All of our interviews were with people

Some where teachers, while others were principals

encouraging All teachers were different grades

OUR CHILDREN

Children are our future and we need to teach them right from wrong. It is our duty to raise our children with balance and integrity. Our children are looking to us for guidance and leadership. Be a role model and mentor so that our children can be successful in whatever they put their minds to.