Essay on Are Teachers Servant-Leaders?

If one wanted to look at a prime example of the practice of Servant Leadership, a person doesn’t have to look very far. It is found in every school in the form of teachers and educators. But recently implemented reforms like the Common Core have stymied teachers in their role of servant leaders.

Teachers should be continually learning and assessing their teaching practices through reflection and collaboration with other teachers. It is the role of the teacher to use these teaching practices to develop in students the abilities and skills that will remain with them throughout life. Teachers should be role models for their students, to provide encouragement and praise, reassuring their students that they can achieve their dreams and reach their goals. Teaching should not only focus on academics but it should also focus on character education. Students need to be prepared to enter into their community and have the ability to interact with people from different backgrounds, cultures, religious backgrounds, social status, and values. It is important that teachers work with students to help them learn the skills of cooperation, patience, communication, empathy, understanding and teamwork, these skills are extremely important for the successful integration into further education, the workforce, family life and other social interactions. Teachers can achieve this through focusing on and encouraging group work, peer tutoring as well as games and activities that focus on social behaviors.

Back in the 1950s, teaching was considered a noble profession. The men and women that chose the field of education as a career were well respected by parents, students, and the community as a whole. I sat down with a retired teacher, a current teacher and a student working on their education degree, all three from the same family. Mr. Charles Faren is a retired high school teacher, head football coach and assistant principal, Ms. Cheryl Faren is currently a middle school reading teacher for the Clark County School District, and Mr. Matthew Barth is a student at College of Southern Nevada working on his degree in secondary education who is currently working as a gear up tutor at one of the county’s middle schools. The role of a teacher hasn’t necessarily changed over the years, the requirements and expectations have however. Today the educators of America are required to teach what is called common core, they have to prepare students to take standardize exams, with the technology of the internet and social media comes new forms of bullying and harassment that shows up in schools, low wages and now a lack of support and respect that today’s teachers now have to work through.

Education will always be the primary source of student’s success in the workforce, community, nationwide and globally. Teachers carry the weight of ensuring students are learning what is required to become productive members of society. As a teacher, the success of my students is the most important goal. There are so many pedagogies, philosophies, strategies, and materials teachers are able to use to be productive in the classroom. Every teacher has their own preferred

Leaders believe people have an intrinsic value beyond tangible contributions as workers. As a result, genuine interest in the spiritual, professional and personal growth of all employees is demonstrated.

“To hell with your career, what is your calling?” It was this quote that led me to the classroom just five years ago. I was convinced that teaching was indeed my calling. I was compelled to make a difference in the world, and felt that there was no better way to do it than by educating young children, that in many ways, whether through life experiences or appearance, resembled me. I knew that this was no easy feat. In fact, it’s no secret that teachers do not make significant amounts of money, and the profession of teaching does not always receive the respect and dignity it is due. But it was that day, in the spring of 2009, after hearing Dr. Joseph E Lowery speak these words, I promised myself to never chase a career, but instead, to always

Based on Plato's idea teachers should be like a man who left the cave and saw the real world and came back to take students' hands to see the real world. For the teachers, in order to be like that man you have an open mind, looking for a truth everywhere, and hard worker to help the students. To help students, teachers should teach them how to learn, think , and solve problems in the real life. It is not acceptable from the teachers to just give the students knowledge and ask them at the end of the school year. They should give them the key to joy the life. "Don't give me a fish, but teach me how to fish."

Prior to the course, my leadership style could be defined as a combination of elements of both the servant and situational and styles. From the outset of my career in education, the idea that leadership is about trying to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served (Spears, 1996) has been important. I have also been cognizant of the effect that this process has on the least privileged in our society, to ensure they will benefit or at least not be further deprived (Greenleaf, 1970). One of my guiding questions has always been, “Am I doing harm?” At the heart of my philosophy has been the desire to identify and meet the needs of students, players, colleagues, and learning communities where they are at (not where I think they or anyone else should

Finding the balance between enabling and empowerment has always been difficult but teachers know that I am there for them for whatever assistance they need. Possessing a servant leadership philosophy becomes the force that disseminates and additionally helps with the shared vision needed in

Servant leadership can be very effective when applied appropriately to many setting found in profession of the emergency medical services. From the beginning of EMS in the earliest form the most dominant style of leadership has been a more transactional approach but more the servant style of leadership is slowly becoming more acceptable and recognized throughout the industry.

This past semesters has been an eye opening experience that has changed my views on teacher. Ever since I was little, I have always wanted to be a fourth grade teacher. However after being placed in a second grade classroom my views have changed. I liked the idea of teaching fourth grade because my fourth grade teacher was my inspiration in life. When I was in Ms. Petro’s class I enjoyed being able to watch the students progress over time. Being able to see the drastic improvements in little children is very rewarding and that is why I want to continue to teach lower grades. I have learned that being a teacher requires a special someone, a person who knows that sometimes you will have to deal with tough situations leaving you exhausted and feeling like you are not able to help more. But at the same time, being a teacher allows one to be a visionary for the world and those who surround you.

“What the educator does in teaching is to make it possible for the students to become themselves.” 1A teachers objective should not be to shape the students as a reflection of that educators image, instead they should see themselves as the medium of which the information in communicated, they should see themselves a person who elevates that students to higher concepts of learning, aspiration and liberation. A good teacher must recognize the strength and weaknesses in skills of the individual and class and reflect on how to leverage strength amongst learners to

When I think about teachers that I have had in the past, several different ones come to my mind. Each of these educators stands out in my mind for a variety of diverse reasons. Whether it is their sense of humor, their tactfulness, their love of the subject matter, their fanatical and sporadic behavior, or their yearning to be childish themselves, I can still remember at least one quality of every teacher I have ever encountered. Every one of these teachers conveyed subject material to their students just as they were educated and employed to do. However, I trust that every professional in the world has an abundance of opportunity for improvement; teachers could discover and improve themselves merely by having

What has always staggered me the most about being a teacher is that every citizen in the community happens to think that he or she is an expert on what a teacher does for a living. Everyone thinks he or she is your boss. And when a teacher happens to talk with members of the community, people instinctively know exactly how you must execute your

We, as a teacher should promote proper values that conduct the best behavior for students. We are the ones who encourage every student to be involved in “serving” on any social activity gatherings. We also initiate values towards environment and acting appropriately and behaving publicly is always a must in our responsibility towards our student. “The teacher should provide equitable opportunities for all students to develop their individual abilities, regardless of culture, socio-economic class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or faith (Sorenson. L, n.d)”.