Leadership is probably one of the most discussed topics in history. With good leadership skills, world leaders have managed to lead their countries to do amazing things, like going to the moon.
Unfortunately, the same goes for the opposite. Individuals with good leadership skills have also led others to do terrible things, Hitler being a good example. This shows you just how much power there is in developing good leadership skills.
Now, we hope you don’t plan to take over most of the world, but here are some ways to improve your leadership skills as a teacher.
What is Leadership?
For those who desire to lead, it would help to know what leadership is exemplary. In the broader sense, leadership is defined as the skill or ability to influence or guide others from A to B to achieve a set goal or desired outcome. But not all leaders are the same.
Some use different methods to lead or guide others. Some lead by getting others to fear them, while others lead because they inspire people. One models a good form of leadership, while the other an abusive, negative form of leadership.
Usually, teachers lean more towards charismatic leadership. They aim to inspire and encourage their students to perform and follow their example, which is fantastic. But there are other leadership styles a teacher can implement in a classroom, including:
- Democratic Leadership
- Transformational Leadership
- Servant Leadership
- Coach-Style Leadership
- Facilitative Leadership
- Adaptive Leadership
- Inspirational Leadership
- Transactional Leadership
- Transformational Leadership
- Exemplary Leadership
Tips to Improve Your Leadership Skills As A Teacher
Set Vision and Goals
Setting a vision for your students is a solid method of giving them a goal to strive towards. Ever heard of the saying, “Always have the end in mind from the start?” Well, it applies here. If you can get your students to see the end goal of what they’re doing and get them excited about that, you should be able to encourage them to work towards it.
This doesn’t just benefit your students, though. Setting a vision allows you to align your actions, values, and decisions to your vision, prioritising what you need to do accordingly. It also allows other staff and students to clearly see where you’re headed. This way, they know where they stand and can get on board with you.
It may help to write down your goals so that you can review this list often. Using a pyramid powerpoint approach can help you clearly outline and visualize your goals, making it easier to review and track your progress regularly.
Embrace introspection and feedback.
Feedback can be challenging to hear, but it’s necessary for a developing leader. You should welcome any constructive feedback when given and shrug off feedback that isn’t constructive.
Think of it this way: You’re building towards something, in this case, developing your leadership skills. Constructive criticism helps you build towards that goal, so it’s good. With feedback, you can identify strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to adapt and improve.
In addition to good feedback, introspection is vital. These two often go hand in hand, but checking and assessing yourself is also an effective way of developing as a leader.
Consider how you dealt with students in a tough situation. Were there better ways to do that? How can you improve? This will help you improve how you lead.
Collaborate and network
Next, collaborating and networking with other teachers or educational professionals can significantly improve your leadership skills. We can learn so much from others, especially those who are more established in the education field.
Share resources with other teachers and lean on them to deal with situations you need clarification on. As time goes by, you’ll find that you’ve learned some valuable skills from them.
Innovate and experiment
While this might be difficult or uncomfortable for some, experimenting and trying a different approach to leading could be the improvement you’re looking for. Consider changing how leadership works in your class.
Experiment with other activities and even involve a bit of innovation by using tools or technology to help govern how things function in your class. You’ll never know if it works or not if you don’t try.
Empower those around you.
Good leaders actively develop other leaders by empowering them. This doesn’t have to be a huge deal; it’s as simple as giving your students a choice when doing certain activities and encouraging others to have a voice, providing them with the confidence to speak their minds appropriately. By inspiring learners and other staff members, you actively build trust between you and them, which should result in class engagement and respect.
Lead by example
One of the most effective ways to lead is by example. This involves demonstrating the leadership ideals you desire to see in others by how you do them. This could include staying true to school standards or your moral values. Leading by example also involves participating in school projects with enthusiasm to encourage others to do so.
Study further
Last but not least, you can study further. A graduate certificate in education can be an effective way of improving your leadership skills and providing you with other key methods to benefit your skills as a teacher.
Improve Your Leadership Skills As A Teacher Now!
As teachers, you play a vital role in preparing and shaping the next generation’s minds. Improving your leadership skills as a teacher is a significant way to benefit these students and enhance your role in their lives. We hope these tips help you take steps towards developing your leadership skills. Cheers.