How can you help teachers become better leaders and advocates?

To help teachers become better leaders and advocates, I suggest to offer leadership training, mentorship, and opportunities for collaboration. Encourage participation in professional organizations, workshops, and community initiatives. Foster a growth mindset, emphasizing resilience and adaptability. Develop strong communication skills and provide guidance on effective advocacy for educational issues. Instill confidence in their ability to drive positive change and lead by example.

While at Tatva there was this practice of maintaining a journal book. Each teacher had her own book. This was mainly for her to reflect on what went well, what was not good, how I could have done it better. This practice helped to evaluate the work on a regular basis and to improvise on it. Even how we react to a particular situation or spoke to the kids in class was noted down

If administrative management is in charge in school leadership, its accountable but also bureaucratic which often leads to instructional leadership which is usually necessary for achieving the goals given above. Pedagogical leadership in charge instead means building a professional learning community. In this case administrative management is merely a necessity for the school as an organization

Having an open door to offer support, hear ideas and embrace initiative is so important. Knowing that there is a culture of innovation makes it easier for teachers to develop. It allows discussion and ideas to take shape in a natural way. Encouraging teachers that look at education in a new way is always good as it inspires and renews. Showing people how or who to pitch an idea to or pointing them in the right direction I think is enormously rewarding for all. I also think being congruent as a teacher is important. A school that promotes active learning by modeling how to reward creativity and leadership in students can have a huge impact. This culture of teaching and learning in turn helps develop our own confidence to lead.

In my survey I asked principals their opinion what is the mail goal for principal to achieve. One principal answered: To create a culture together with a school staff, pupils and their parents and to engage them to mutual educational goals.

Instructional leadership is often seen as the sole domain of school principals and it is firmly connected with New Public Management idea of a manager who can solve all problems. Likewise it might seem tempting as a staff-member to continue to hold the top responsible for whether or not change happens. And that is apt to disempower the staff even more leading to an “I just work here” attitude.

Best times are those events time, like Annual day, carnival, sports day etc. Teachers who take additional responsibilities in organizing these events should be encouraged and appreciated in front of larger audience, peer groups

Every teacher teaches a particular subject. But, the innovative ideas she brings to the class, how engaging, is she able to cater to needs of all the children (multiple intelligences) makes the difference. Sharing the best practices during the weekly meetings, feedbacks shared by parents or students can really make them go that extra mile to deliver the best in the class. Even the non-teaching staff and helpers should be included in this process. They are the ones working behind the scenes.

Trust is critical to build to be able to help them flourish. As with all forms of teaching "They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care"

I agree with Jacob. Trust is essential. TRUST, TRAINING (courses, workshops and online information to keep up with relevant data.) and TIME allocation (extra admin, planning and preparation) for duties required.