Do Teachers Have to Lead?

“A leader is anyone who is going somewhere and is able to persuade others to go with him.”
-- Unknown

Whether you believe it or not, the teacher is expected to be the leader. On the first day of school, enter any classroom from kindergarten through high school and observe what takes place.

Notice, when the teacher walks into the classroom, everyone’s eyes are on the teacher. If she walks to the front of the class, everyone will look to the front. If she walks to the rear of the classroom, every head will turn. If the teacher asks the class to stand and follow her outside, they will stand and follow her outside.

The teacher, in the beginning, is assumed to be the leader and for that reason she will have the cooperation of the class. But, this initial role as leader is due to position and not to ability. If a teacher doesn’t work to maintain this position she will fall victim to the Law of the Leadership Vacuum and lose her position as leader.

Lose your position as leader and you will
lose control of your classroom.

Like it or not, you are a leader or at least you should be a leader. So, you should know what a leader does. Simply put a leader leads. A leader is someone who is out in front of the crowd and is followed by others. If you are not being followed by at least one other person you are not leading and the following proverb applies to you.

He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no followers
is just taking a walk.
                                                                -- John Maxwell

If you want to do more than just survive in the classroom you can not afford to be taking a walk; the real leaders will run right over you. If leading does not come to you naturally, then you must learn how to persuade others to follow you.

The difference between a quality learning environment and a disaster will be whether or not the teacher accepts the responsibility of leadership.

Teachership - Classroom Leadership