teacher leaders and technology

One important point that Schrum and Levine highlight (p. 112 in Leading 21^st Century Schools: Harnessing Technology for Engagement and Achievement) is the importance of utilizing teacher leaders.  This can be tricky depending on the school culture as often teachers do not want to “put themselves out” in front of their peers.  This may seem more applicable to new teachers but veteran teachers also share this apprehensiveness particularly in an unhealthy school culture.  However, the use of technology to support teaching and learning is one place that teachers can take a leadership role in a less threatening manner, particularly if it is not mandated by administrators where a teacher risks being seen as carrying at the agenda of administration (more so when the initiative is deemed disconnected from what “really” happens in classrooms).  Because the curiosity about technology in supporting teaching and learning is building rapidly and because teachers are intensifying their increase in using technology, this seems a natural place for teachers to promote their own enthusiasm for this cause.  In my school I have one particular Science teacher who is passionate about the use of technology.  She Skypes with other teachers from around the world and aggressively looks for ways to find technological tools to support the teaching and learning of Science.  I would generally not consider her a vocal informal leader in general but she is a vocal champion for the use of technology.  By developing teacher leaders around technology you can change the culture of the school in two ways.  One, creating a culture where teacher leaders are supported, thus promoting distributive leadership.  And, two, creating a school that also champions the use of technology.  Of course, I always stress patience in technological promotion in teaching and learning.  Rather than “throwing spaghetti at the wall” it is important to find a handful of meaningful technology tools that your teacher leader can promote.  Give him or her the opportunity to support these efforts and structure time for your teacher leader to teach and for others to learn.  It is about building curiosity and supporting the fostering of that curiosity through strong and clear support and modeling.  It is always more comfortable to have something modeled form a colleague rather than an administrator, as you know.  This is why the teacher leader can be, as Shrum and Levin note, a powerful way to build a school’s culture.