The 10th InTASC standard, Leadership and Collaboration, requires a teacher’s active engagement in his/ her learning community. Teachers who lead and collaborate improve learning outcomes for students and advance the education profession. Three of the most critical ways a teacher can demonstrate Leadership and Collaboration are by: communicating with colleagues as part of an instructional team to plan and coordinate instruction, collaborating with other teachers, paraeducators, specialists, and administrators to meet the needs of all students, and actively engaging in school-wide efforts to create a cohesive and positive school environment.
The first way that a teacher demonstrates the 10th InTASC standard is through communicating with colleagues as part of an instructional team to plan, coordinate, and improve instruction. Consistent communication is imperative for the school to work effectively for learners and provides an opportunity for a teacher’s personal professional growth. During my student teaching assignment, I demonstrated this standard by being an active participant in weekly planning meetings. During these meetings we discussed strategies to engage students with the curriculum, shared information about individual student needs and progress, and offered one another feedback on lesson plans and implementation.
The second way a teacher demonstrates the 10th InTASC standard is through collaborating with other teachers, paraeducators, specialists, and administrators to meet the needs of all students. Working with special education teachers, administrators, and other specialists gives teachers the resources they need to meet diverse student needs. During my student teaching I demonstrated this standard through working closely with the special education teacher who co-taught the first block of the day with me as evidenced by this IEP which she reviewed with me.
The third way a teacher demonstrates the 10th InTASC standard is by actively engaging in school-wide efforts to create a cohesive and positive school environment. Engaging in whole school efforts to improve the learning environment can help ensure clear and consistent expectations for students throughout the school building as well as improve the success of interventions and programs. I demonstrated this standard by attending Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings where everything from student achievement in the school overall to the school wide Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) implementation was discussed. This allowed me to remain informed and gave me the opportunity to seek support, clarification, or make proposals to administrators and other education professionals in the building.