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Promoting equity is difficult. When quantifying data, it is easy to isolate sub-groups as not meeting the same performance levels as their peers. The reason behind this disparity is the difficult question. Identifying sub-groups that are not succeeding is easy. Creating strategies for addressing these disparities is the hard work.

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While reading "We Can Do Better" I was enlightened by the statement "One way to enter these conversions respectfully is by doing a little bit of reading before hand" was a necessary statement. I have observed that although there is now awareness that there are conversions about Equity that certainly need to be had. The doorway to starting the communications has been a mystery because of the discomfort the conversation may bring about. This statement has provided a platform to prepare yourself for having these conversations. The reading may make the conversation factual therefore research based. This research, may build required confidence.

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"We Can Do Better"

This work starts with the teachers and administrators in the building.  They should serve as the model for students in the ways in which they speak and allocate access for all students. The work lies within the fundamentals of right and wrong, which is something we often forget needs to be taught in some instances.

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After the reading the two articles one sentence stuck out above the rest. “Because we hate the potential of “saying the wrong thing” worse than we hate actual oppression, we have stopped being the kind of caring people that we often profess to be.” For whatever reason it may be, many people are scared of change even when it’s for the positive. People tend to get comfortable with what they deem “normal” and do not want to make the necessary changes to allow everyone to feel comfortable. As leaders we have to try and allow everyone that sense of normal. In order to do this we must be aware of what normal looks like in different races, sexes, genders, cultures, etc.

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Nancy Zazulka_Admin and/or teachers should rotate from North Shore schools to South Shore schools (posted this already, but not sure if original comment is here)

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Nancy Zazulka_Admin and/or teachers should rotate from North Shore schools to South Shore schools (posted this already, but not sure if original comment is here)

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In "We Can Do Better," I agree that we need to move out of our comfort zones and speak up even if we feel that we may not say the right thing. It is better to speak up than not do anything. If we all become more comfortable speaking up and learning from our mistakes then we can learn a lot about how to fix the problems that our society currently faces this in turn can lead us to a deeper understanding of each other.

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"We Can Do Better", begins the equity conversations within our own classrooms/schools. One of the reasons why this has become such an important initiative is because for far too long many of these issues have been ignored. It is time that many of these issues come to light, the problem, as mentioned in the article, is creating some uncomfortable discussions among members. As a Law & Politics teacher who often discusses "hot topic" issues, I have always empowered my students to discuss the issue and share with the class your view, providing they do so RESPECTFULLY! It is important to have these conversations. Oour students are articulate enough to develop arguments and discuss their personal feelings on such issues. It is equally important that our students hear and understand the opposing arguments on such issues. Uncomfortable conversations will be the first step in providing equity to all our students.

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Nancy Zazulka_Admin and/or teachers should rotate from North Shore to South Shore schools (posted this already, but not sure if original comment is here)

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Nancy Zazulka_Admin and/or teachers should rotate from North Shore to South Shore schools (posted this already, but not sure if original comment is here)

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“We Can Do Better”.  Fear is a driving force behind what many of us do or do not do. We live in a time when what people do or say is easily and quickly critiqued and can be misconstrued. I like the suggestions to practice what we will say or do before.  This is a strategy we often encourage in our students; we should take that advice ourselves.

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Lauren Rainbolt One takeaway from the “Teacherpreneurs” article is that these teachers have a 50% teaching load.  Often times, teachers I know are asked to take on this kind of work  with little to NO reduction in teaching load.  Giving teachers time to this work shows commitment and conveys importance. The reason for this is often budgetary.  What can we do to facilitate this kind of work? 

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Lauren Rainbolt One takeaway from the “Teacherpreneurs” article is that these teachers have a 50% teaching load.  Often times, teachers I know are asked to take on this kind of work  with little to NO reduction in teaching load.  Giving teachers time to this work shows commitment and conveys importance. The reason for this is often budgetary.  What can we do to facilitate this kind of work? 

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Brian Landano       The article, Teacherprenuer, left me with the thought of how important it is for principals and other school leaders to think outside the box. In my experiences, I have seen school leaders follow the initiative/ directive as it was derived without alteration. The problem with this at times, is that it becomes a one-size-fits-all model. By being creative and flexible, school administrators are able to to ensure that ALL students are being provided with the opportunity to succeed. Administration needs to trust more in their instincts, rather than always going by the game plan. That is how they are going to score the winning goal. 

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Brian Landano       The article, Teacherprenuer, left me with the thought of how important it is for principals and other school leaders to think outside the box. In my experiences, I have seen school leaders follow the initiative/ directive as it was derived without alteration. The problem with this at times, is that it becomes a one-size-fits-all model. By being creative and flexible, school administrators are able to to ensure that ALL students are being provided with the opportunity to succeed. Administration needs to trust more in their instincts, rather than always going by the game plan. That is how they are going to score the winning goal. 

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Leading uncomfortable conversations is the way to tackle racial equity within our schools.  Utilizing all key players to lead, people with backgrounds of diverse racial, cultural and gender differences or biases will help support the change.  Their involvement is critical.  These group members are the trail blazers for implementing strategic change.  Much like the Teacherpreneuers who are leading change within schools, it is the people of diverse ethnic groups and cultural needs who will lead the changes that address the differences among structures of race and  matters of equity within our society.

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Leading uncomfortable conversations is the way to tackle racial equity within our schools.  Utilizing all key players to lead, people with backgrounds of diverse racial, cultural and gender differences or biases will help support the change.  Their involvement is critical.  These group members are the trail blazers for implementing strategic change.  Much like the Teacherpreneuers who are leading change within schools, it is the people of diverse ethnic groups and cultural needs who will lead the changes that address the differences among structures of race and  matters of equity within our society.

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q

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The work that is currently being done within my school takes some of the components of the "Teacherpreneur" and puts them into practice. Teacher leaders are being identified and put in charge of developing plans for enacting change with colleagues during or Impact Team meetings. Although the teachers that I work most directly with are not often afforded the extra time within the school day to gain specific knowledge regarding leadership and teacher training, we still come together in our Impact Teams to develop strategies that will improve practice in the classroom. This work cannot be done by school leaders alone, and utilizing the leadership capacity held by the teachers within the building would aid in the process of improving student outcomes.

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In the "Teacherpreneurs" article, one quote stood out to me immediately.  "Principals should blur some of the lines of teaching and leading, so more teachers innovate and more students learn the skills needed for 21st century jobs and a rich civic life."  Giving teachers this freedom and opportunity would encourage progressive thinking, which I believe all school districts would benefit from. In addition to that, I found the "We Can Do Better" article to be very powerful and insightful. Minor said that making these changes can be uncomfortable and difficult but it is our duty to move forward. He also said to prepare for missteps, because progress is not made without some mistakes along the way.

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After reading Barry's article, "Teachers as Agents of Reform", I was happy to know that inspiring leaders are beginning with the teachers themselves, as it should be. I feel as though many of us within the SILP are all leaders, and look to lead and educator those we work with to improve all aspects of our educational services. Far too often I have witnesses colleagues becoming too comfortable in their role and no longer energized to improve their role/value within the school community. I am happy to know that a national network of teacher leaders exists, much like that of the one we are all currently enrolled in.

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The article "Teacherpreneurs" says that with so many mandates, and shifts in needs of students, "the principal’s job has
become almost undoable" For this reason, the education system has turned to teacher leaders to assists. These teachers, whilst still handling their classroom duties, side step and help meet the demands.
I agree with what school districts are doing in moving away from using outside consultants and instead using the human resources they have locally to get the many jobs done. Denver even piloted a program where the teacher is in the classroom only 75% of the time while spending 24% of the time learning and keyturning to colleagues.

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After reading "We Can Do Better," one quote really stuck out to me. "Fear of 'saying something wrong' is a comparative luxury." If you are in the position to feel you're uncertain of what to say, you should be grateful and begin learning. Not knowing what to say, is no longer an acceptable reason to not advocate for another human. The time is now. As leaders, we must educate ourselves, so we can, in turn, educate those around us. The goal is equity and excellence for all, and we need to ensure we are armed with the tools and language to make our goals a reality.

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Jodi Personette

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In "Teacherpreneurs," I am so happy to read that teachers are being treated like professionals. If reform is to take place in our schools, it should be executed by those that will be delivering the reform. It is also important for them to be able to try it out and make changes as needed. This way of implementing reform is truly bottom up rather than being dictated from the top. I especially love the use of the term "teacherpreneur" and the comparison to "entrepreneurs," those that take responsibility for their decisions and the results. 

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In "Teacherpreneurs," I am so happy to read that teachers are being treated like professionals. If reform is to take place in our schools, it should be executed by those that will be delivering the reform. It is also important for them to be able to try it out and make changes as needed. This way of implementing reform is truly bottom up rather than being dictated from the top. I especially love the use of the term "teacherpreneur" and the comparison to "entrepreneurs," those that take responsibility for their decisions and the results. 

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Nancy Zazulka_Rotate admin and/or staff from "failing" schools to "successful" schools. 

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Nancy Zazulka_Rotate admin and/or staff from "failing" schools to "successful" schools. 

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This will be hard work, but "avoiding work because we fear those mistakes us to dress inequity in 'nice' clothes. To date, this has not worked for us" ("We Can Do Better")

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While reading "We Can Do Better" I appreciated the honesty that Cornelius Minor uses when he talks about why most people don't speak up about inequalities. It can be difficult to address certain issues especially when you are unsure of how to talk about it. Sometimes we fear that we will say something offensive and instead of speaking up when we see something wrong, we take a step back, and in doing so we sometimes cause more harm than we think. Working on achieving equity is not easy, and it starts with having open minds that are willing to listen and see the other perspective.

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It is important for the teacherpreneurs (between teachers, schools, faculty, administration, community) to use the models that are identified in the Literacy Today article. If these teacher leaders are trained, they must be at the forefront in engaging in the equitable uncomfortable conversation. The teacherpreneurs could be the ones to help our society navigate through the process. These two articles are directly connected.

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As someone who has always taken on a leadership role no matter what my position may be, the Center for Teaching Quality has found a way for teaching and leadership roles and responsibilities to coexist. When taking on a leadership role as a teacher and trying to further your professional growth, finding the balance can be hard. Time spent out of the classroom is time being taken away from your students instructionally. However, the CTQ design makes it possible to grow professionally and not have the guilt of leaving your students. Teacherpreneurs can also take their professional learning and turnkey it to other teachers within the school building.

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A quote that I think encompasses the main idea of the reading is, "the principal of a school need not be its sole or even primary instructional leader." It takes a village to impact each and every single student that walks into our schools. It is the Principal's duties to their school community to empower teachers to take on more leadership positions.

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Teacherpreneurs is an innovative way to memorialize school reform.  Having teachers lead the initiatives of change is a direct  way of supporting schools.  The work that CTQ is doing is helping to move teachers from the audience into the direct process of instructional change and it easier to get support from the community with teachers, those who work with students everyday, leading the work.  

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Teacherpreneurs is an innovative way to memorialize school reform.  Having teachers lead the initiatives of change is a direct  way of supporting schools.  The work that CTQ is doing is helping to move teachers from the audience into the direct process of instructional change and it easier to get support from the community with teachers, those who work with students everyday, leading the work.  

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Lara

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The article on equity had a few points that rung true for me. Paraphrasing: black people did not create racism and should not be the ones who have to clean it up. Reflecting on several PD courses I've attended recently in regards to diversity it seems that some believe we are responsible for "pushing change." It was refreshing to read the author's perspective of the opposite. Additionally, the author referenced the need to speak up without fear. In our society, we are so careful to not say the wrong thing as not to offend, we have shifted away from saying the right thing and offending if necessary. Wrong will be wrong, always. It should be the job of educators to speak these things when we hear or see them and apologize when necessary. Waiting for someone else to speak is not an option.

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As I read the article "Teacherpreneurs", I was enlightened by the link between the District mission to see teachers as life long learners and the article. The article supports this view and provides excellent reasons to support how beneficial it is for a school when teachers are viewed as professional leaders and their individualized strengths are acknowledged and supported. It also highlights how providing high quality teacher training and allowing teachers identified as strong teacher leaders amongst their colleagues is a great way to gain buy in from other teachers. As the teacher leaders provide turn-key feed back from the high quality training to their colleagues and support each other in implementing classroom best practices essential  production is ultimately developed for the students. Overarching this process works because the teachers feel empowered as the important leaders they are. Furthermore, they feel accomplished and eager to make and maintain a tremendous impact in their school.

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I find it vital to incorporate the staff within your own building to help with improving the culture of that building and pedagogies. When I first started teaching, I often found myself wondering why outside consultants would come into our school community to front load some new initiative without truly knowing our school community. Over the years, our school has implemented a similar vision as the one in the article Teacherpreneurs. Our coaches and instructional leads understand our community and are able to reflect and collaborate with other members of our school in order to share their expertise.

Public School 69 is the school I work at and it is a very diverse school. It falls in the heart of Staten Island which provides our school with many different cultures, religions and personal beliefs. It is always difficult to have conversations that reflect around some of those above topics, especially in today's political climate. If we stray away from having these conversations in a proper manner, it can cause more of a divide. As a future leader, I feel it is vital to understand your surrounding community, and vital to have these conversations so you yourself can be culturally responsible and teach others to be the same.