Educators from Elizabeth City/Pasquotank and Wilson County School Systems are eligible to apply.
Standard I of The North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards requires that teachers demonstrate leadership that extends beyond their own students. They should mentor other teachers, work to advance the profession, advocate for positive change in policy and practice, and participate in the implementation of educational initiatives. Those duties, however, are more often associated with administrators. One of the grand ironies of education is that the most effective practitioners are often rewarded with promotions that take them away from their practice. If ambitious, creative, effective teachers could remain in the classroom while still finding means to have a school- or district-wide impact, the entire system would benefit. In this seminar, we will examine our work settings and our roles in them. We will develop means to integrate intellectual growth and leadership skills into our classrooms and those of our colleagues. We will explore the many options open to classroom teacher-leaders. We will also step out of our comfort zones for a day of engaging with the US Coast Guard to examine their teamwork and leadership models. Finally, each participant will develop an individual action plan for attaining a necessary outcome at their school or district level. Teachers will engage virtually before the residential part of the seminar to make introductions, review leadership resources, and create networks with other educators. This seminar is made possible by a generous grant from BB&T.