INTASC 10. Leadership and Collaboration

The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.

 

     It is important for a social studies teacher to be leaders and collaborators. Social studies teachers should take the lead in making sure students are succeeding in their classroom. Teachers should also be able to collaborate with parent, other teachers, administrators, and the community to help students learn. This collaboration can also help everyone understand the importance of teaching social studies today.

     Throughout my time in the education program I have engaged in leadership and collaboration. In my Schooling in American Society class, I worked with James Berry in writing a paper on school funding in Virginia, then presenting our findings to the class (See Evidence 1). Then in my Fall methods course I worked with Nicholas Baker on a Social Studies Skill Builder lesson (See Evidence 2 and 3). Also, in the Fall I worked with Michael Smith on our NCSS Lesson Plans and then I also worked with him on my Case Study in the Spring (See Evidence 4). During my Fall internship and Spring student teaching I had the opportunity to collaborate with my cooperating teachers in lesson planning. In the Spring I also went to weekly team meetings to discuss student issues and major upcoming events. I also sat in a couple of parent meetings and one IEP meeting during the Spring.

     I will continue to engage in leadership and collaboration as a social studies teacher in the future. I will work with students, parents, other teachers, administrators, and the community. I will also take a leadership role in willing to help out with school extracurricular activities and become involved in the community I end up teaching up. I will have to be careful not to become overtaxed; however, teachers must be well rounded individuals. It is important that I practice what I preach in a social studies classroom in terms of me practicing the NCSS theme of Civic Ideals and Practices by going out into the community to help others. That’s one of the many reasons teaching social studies today is so important.

 

Evidence