A Teacher is a Leader. But How do Teachers Learn to Lead?

“Leading a class begins with the teacher’s presence in front of the class, encompasses what we understand the word ‘caring’ to mean today, and ends with successful project management,” explained Rolf Dubs, who believes that focusing solely on a teacher’s core competence is a bad idea. “Instruction alone is not enough.” According to Dubs, schools need to learn from the business world, particularly when it comes to carrying out projects. On the other hand, teachers should not make the mistake of simply conveying knowledge directly, since the conditions at a teacher’s workplace are completely different.

Manfred Prenzel uses an example to describe the special circumstances found at schools: “A group following a mountain guide will allow the guide to drag them up the mountain if need be, since they want to reach the top, too. But the situation is completely different when it comes to teachers and students.” Teachers need to learn how to lead a group of children to a mutual goal and, at the same time, how to make use of the differences within the group productively. Teachers need to make students clearly understand their goal, and this is something they don’t always accomplish. To do so, they primarily need technical and, as a result, theoretical skills.

But according to Dennis Shirley, an approach to teacher education that is too theoretical also carries certain risks: “We’re establishing an artificial definition of leadership, and then we wonder why teachers vehemently resist it when they are tied up dealing with other issues.” These are usually issues with students who don’t understand the material or are a constant disruption. One thing is for sure: those educating the teachers of tomorrow can only teach leadership skills when they themselves have learnt what teachers have to deal with on a day-to-day basis.

“If the focus moves too far away from practical experience, the university’s teacher education program will completely lose its relevance,” says Dennis Shirley, who is working on closely integrating theoretical education and practical training at Boston College, where he instructs his students together with teachers from schools in low-income areas. By doing so, he gives future teachers the chance to already face practical problems during their education.

The TUM School of Education in Munich, one of the most innovative projects in teacher education, also offers its students similar practical experience. “It is important that students truly feel that they want to be teachers right from the beginning of their degree program. This is only possible if we already begin preparations for their first practical phase during the first semester,” says Manfred Prenzel, Dean of Students. Students training to become teachers need to get an idea of the things that really go on in a school, since it’s the only way they will learn to see the world through the eyes of a teacher. One thing is certain: the need for a program which combines theory with vocational training (similar to the programs many business students complete) exists now more than ever.

“If we don’t give teachers freedom, we destroy our school system,” warns Rolf Dubs. More and more principals are becoming disheartened, since, in the process of coordinating with school boards, the extent of their authority is often unclear. Communication problems between educators and politicians can’t be allowed to stand in the way when it comes to finally giving teachers the freedom they need to grow independently.

Manfred Prenzel doesn’t mince words: “Teachers who aren’t given the chance to solve problems at school independently will never become role models for students whose generation will have much more difficult problems to solve in the future.” One thing is for sure: we also need to trust in the leadership potential of principals and teachers when it comes to administrative duties.

None of the educators even want to think about resigning themselves to accept the status quo. The clear message that individual projects such as Der Deutsche Schulpreis (German School Award) or Studienkolleg für Lehramtsstudierende (Fellowship Program for Students Training to be Teachers) sends out gives them all hope. The next step, says Manfred Prenzel, is working on initiatives that are more widespread. Dennis Shirley also points out the key function such networks play: “Inter-school networks are incredibly important for passing on new findings.” In the end, this exchange of knowledge between schools is reassuring and gives all those involved hope for the future.

(Michael Herm, July 2010)