In a public school system as large and diverse as New York City’s, there is an enormous amount of untapped expertise and creativity among teachers. The UFT wholeheartedly believes that a fellow teacher’s voice is the most effective tool for supporting a colleague. That’s why we pushed for the creation of teacher leadership positions in our current contract. 

At MS 88 in the South Slope in Brooklyn, Lynn Shon is one of seven model teachers. Shon is modeling a program called Basecamp, a project-based personalized learning program the school is using this year for the first time. With Basecamp, the students do their work independently while the teachers are there to assist with the learning and to answer any questions. Furthermore, the school day is actually flipped — schoolwork is done at home and homework is done in school. I watched as the students, all from integrated co-teaching classes or English language learners, eagerly worked at their own pace. 

Shon has opened up her classroom to colleagues who watch her use Basecamp with the expectation that the program can be expanded to include more students and teachers next year. 

As we all know, using a different teaching method or technology or trying out a new program can be daunting. But it is less so when you can watch and work with a colleague who is there to assist and not judge.

Teacher leadership is, after all, about sharing best practices. It is about working together, not working in silos. Helping fellow teachers hone their craft and grow professionally is the sign of true leadership. Shon says she has always worked with her colleagues; her new title simply helps to “legitimize” her supportive role.

Teacher leadership positions also enable the school system to attract and retain exemplary teachers. For too long, the only form of advancement available to teachers was to take a supervisory position. Teacher leadership positions within career ladder programs offer possibilities for teachers to explore career opportunities without actually leaving the classroom. The philosophy is to keep good teachers in the classroom doing what they do well — actual classroom teaching — while using their teaching expertise to improve the entire school. 

Megan Liles, an ELA model teacher at MS 88, says she wants to remain in the classroom for the duration of her career because she loves teaching. She exemplifies the basic premise of these teacher leadership positions — serving one’s school as a school leader from the classroom.

The implementation and rollout of teacher leadership positions has not been without a few hiccups. The seven model teachers at MS 88 said the biggest obstacles they faced initially were overcoming resistance and encouraging their colleagues to venture into the unknown. The program at MS 88 was not an instant success. Adjustments had to be made along the way. But the teachers say these positions have resulted in creative and productive changes for their school, their students and the faculty. 

This year, schools can self-fund teacher leadership positions, and since the school needs only to come up with the money for the additional stipend, it’s not a heavy financial lift if the will is there. If you think your school would benefit from teacher leadership positions, please speak to your chapter leader and ask for the topic to be part of the next consultation. The application for teacher leadership positions is available online through May 15. 

If implemented properly, teacher leadership is one pathway to a great teaching force and a phenomenal school system. As our sixth president, John Quincy Adams, long ago said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”