When classroom teachers’ insights shape decision making, schools are more likely to introduce educational goals and strategic improvements in ways that last.
In our context, classroom educators are now helping to shape school action plans, lead family engagement strategies, and bring playful, developmentally appropriate learning into daily instruction. Recognizing that classroom educators’ insights are essential to lasting improvement, leadership teams at several schools have expanded to include them. These shifts echo what Donohoo and Katz describe as collective efficacy, or the shared belief that by working together, educators can make a meaningful difference for children and families( 2019).
Based on our work, here are three ways that classroom teachers, administrators, and districts can grow teacher agency and leadership from the inside out:
1. Look for ways to build influence. Leadership begins with small, thoughtful choices that improve children’ s daily experiences and inspire colleagues to do the same. Administrators can make classroom-based sharing a regular part of meetings and prioritize the time devoted to teacher-led highlights. They can also encourage educators to
› Share about a practice that sparked children’ s curiosity or strengthened relationships
› Invite a colleague from another classroom to observe for 10 minutes, then talk together about what they noticed and what they might try
› Reflect on classroom observations of children’ s learning and interactions to ground decisions in real experiences
2. Use communities of practice to strengthen collaboration. Leadership grows when educators have space to reflect with peers, see one another’ s environments, and plan together( Wenger 1998; Schmidtke 2020). To encourage shared reflection, administrators and educators can
› Bring together teachers, assistants, and leaders who work with different ages. This group can meet monthly for 30 minutes to share what’ s working, to reflect, and to choose one idea to test.
› Visit other sites. Administrators might consider providing coverage for one peer visit per semester.
› Make learning visible. Educators can use a one-page template to write down goals, action steps, observations, and next steps. Not only will this capture ideas, it will make growth and achievements easier to share.
3. Deepen leadership through family partnerships. Family engagement and partnerships look different in every setting, but the goal is the same: To build reciprocal relationships that strengthen learning and belonging( NAEYC 2020b). Classroom teachers can be encouraged to
› Share playful learning with children’ s families. Teachers could send home an easy-to-implement activity that links to current classroom interests, such as a deck of math games, a story talk card, or a nature scavenger hunt. They could invite families to share how children engaged with the activity at home and use those insights to inform classroom planning.
› Invite family feedback by providing a QR code, a brief reflection prompt, or a short note connected to classroom learning. Ask families what they are noticing at home, what questions they have, or what ideas they would like to see explored next. Bring these insights into team discussions and classroom planning, so family perspectives actively shape next steps.
› Post photos or notes from families that show children learning at home, and share them in classroom newsletters or during meetings.
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