Here's how you can become an instructional leader in your school or district as a mid-career teacher.

Embracing growth also means being open to feedback and viewing challenges as opportunities for improvement. I regularly sought feedback from my team and students, which helped me identify areas for further development. This approach not only strengthened my leadership skills but also built trust and respect among my peers. Ultimately, adopting a growth mindset has empowered me to become a more effective and inspiring leader. It has reinforced the importance of lifelong learning and adaptability in driving educational excellence.

This is a point we miss, being overwhelmed by the position. I have worked in the district as a cluster coordinator,. but I never embraced any formal workshops as a leader for teachers, hence my experience never grew but stood still.

We evolve as our world evolves…or we don’t and we suffer the consequences. Exploring growth of one’s skill set is important, but growing the application, reach, and transferability of existing skills is an equally powerful moment of growth. For example, I am trained as a music educator. The skills required in that teaching environment include persistent and ongoing assessment and in-the-moment problem-solving. I transferred those skills to work in a policy position in government, an inclusive edtech mentoring position, and now in dual-credit career education. We see our students have moments of joy when they connect learning between two different subject areas. We should absolutely be doing the same as professionals.

My life in education dramatically changed when I started making professional connections beyond the borders of my subject area and outside of my province and country. It is much easier (and unsatisfying) to only connect with those who share our worldview. Existing relationships are enriched and strengthened when we are connecting with people, ideas, and practice from further afield. The best professional relationships are reciprocal, so be prepared to listen and show curiosity. The incredible experiences I’ve had with my new edu-friends are the result of an open mind and a willingness to share what happens behind the scenes.

I think I have won this one while I worked as a district cluster coordinator. I was able to understand students even from other schools which were under my cluster in order to make them comfortable and ready to pursue their tasks successfully.

Reflect on your teaching methods and interactions with colleagues to identify strengths and areas for growth. Embrace professional development opportunities and share your insights with peers. Collaborate on initiatives and be a source of support and inspiration. By continuously learning and leading, you’ll naturally evolve into an instructional leader in your school or district. ????

One of the most important sentiments I’ve ever heard in education is that we are the “experts of our own experience.” Every educator can leverage their expertise and lived experience to show leadership for colleagues. This can be in the form of mentorship or leading new opportunities for others to find greater success in their teaching. We are only limited by our imagination and willingness to collaborate. There’s no bad time to share the narrative of success. Leadership in education is best demonstrated when we communicate the HOW of success, not just the result.

I want to explore such when I return to a district position. I want to do it because now I know a lot better than I was when I was a cluster coordinator. For example I am fond of our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) expo which takes place every November of the academic year. This can be a good way of me enhancing colleagues to encourage students to like the Science fraternity.