Ashleigh Carls

Professor Edgar
SCED 499
24 November 2015
InTASC Standard 10: Leadership and Collaboration
Educators have a unique responsibility of knowing when to be the leader and
when to be a collaborator. As leaders, teachers have to make executive decisions and are
the source of authority in the classroom. However, as a collaborator, educators respect the
voice of the people, who include students, parents, school faculty, and members of the
community, and take their perspectives into consideration. Especially with their
colleagues, teachers often work together to ensure learner growth and progress. These
roles are not mutually exclusive, but may conflict. For instance, as the source of authority
in the classroom, the teacher is ultimately responsibility for doing what he or she believes
is best. The goal, however, is to be an effective leader and collaborator when it is
appropriate. For instance, in social studies especially, there are not always right or wrong
answers. The educator must consider the student perspectives but in the end make a
decision when assessing their work. In some cases, it is better to be flexible and
collaborate with individuals, but in others, people are looking at the teacher for the final
say. As a leader and as a collaborator, educators must take on various responsibilities to
insure learner growth and advance the profession for the benefit of the learners, families,
colleagues, and the community.