Teacher Leadership in developing crisis education response

A crisis can be any occurrence which causes an unstable and dangerous

situation and affects a community, a group of people or whole society. A
crisis usually happens at a short notice and triggers the feeling of fear
and threat which cause a sequence of unexpected events. A crisis
creates situations where time is short and a quick and effective decision
has to be taken.

In addition to this, crisis cause elements of surprises, where no one can

predict the outcome of a particular step. crisis cause lack of stability in
the work environment and make the situation worse. crisis don’t only
happen in organizations but they are also a part of everyone’s life. There
are times when we find ourselves in deep waters.

The world is facing a learning crisis. While countries have significantly

increased access to education, being in school isn’t the same thing as
learning. Worldwide, hundreds of millions of children reach young
adulthood without even the most basic skills like calculating the correct
change from a transaction, reading a doctor’s instructions, or
understanding a bus schedule—let alone building a fulfilling career or
educating their children.

Education is at the center of building human capital. The latest World

Bank research shows that the productivity of 56 percent of the world’s
children will be less than half of what it could be if they enjoyed complete
education and full health.

Delivered well, education – along with the human capital it generates –

benefits individuals and societies. For individuals, education raises self-
esteem and furthers opportunities for employment and earnings. And for
a country, it helps strengthen institutions within societies, drives long-
term economic growth, reduces poverty, and spurs innovation.
"It’s never too late for young people to have opportunities to learn.
Our youth deserve to be equipped with the skills they need to thrive
in an increasingly demanding and uncertain job world. Given that
today’s students will be tomorrow’s citizens and leaders, a good
and relevant education is essential to turn aspirations into reality."

Annette Dixon

Vice President, Human Development, World Bank

A global learning crisis

One big reason the learning crisis persists is that many education
systems across the developing world have little information on who is
learning and who is not. As a result, it is hard for them to do anything
about it. And with uncertainty about the kinds of skills the jobs of the
future will require, schools and teachers must prepare students with
more than basic reading and writing skills. Students need to be able to
interpret information, form opinions, be creative, communicate well,
collaborate, and be resilient.

The World Bank’s vision is for all children and youth to be learning and
acquiring the skills they need to be productive, fulfilled, and involved
citizens and workers. Our focus is on helping teachers at all levels
become more effective in facilitating learning, improving technology for
learning, strengthening management of schools and systems, while
ensuring learners of all ages—from preschool to adulthood—are
equipped for success.
Change starts with a great teacher

A growing body of evidence suggests the learning crisis is, at its core, a
teaching crisis. For students to learn, they need good teachers—
but many education systems pay little attention to what teachers know,
what they do in the classroom, and in some cases whether they even
show up.

Fortunately for many students, in every country, there are dedicated and
enthusiastic teachers who, despite all challenges, enrich and transform
their lives. They are heroes who defy the odds and make learning
happen with passion, creativity and determination.

"Given the essential role they play, addressing the learning crisis
requires supporting teachers, who are the single most important
driver of how much students learn in school."

But even heroes need help. We need to be sure that all teachers are
motivated to do their best and that they are equipped with what they
need to teach effectively.

To support countries in reforming the teaching profession, the World

Bank is launching “Successful Teachers, Successful Students.” This
global platform for teachers addresses the key challenges of making all
teachers effective, making teaching a respectable and attractive
profession with effective personnel policies, and ensuring teachers are
equipped with the right skills and knowledge before entering the
classroom and subsequently supporting them throughout their careers.

Technology offers new possibilities for teaching and learning

Rapid technological change is raising the stakes. Technology is already

playing a crucial role in providing support to teachers, students, and the
learning process more broadly. It can help teachers better manage the
classroom and offer different challenges to different students. And
technology can allow principals, parents, and students to interact
seamlessly. Millions of students are benefiting from the effective use of
technology, but millions more in the developing world are not.

One of the most interesting, large scale educational technology efforts is

being led by EkStep, a philanthropic effort in India. EkStep created an
open digital infrastructure which provides access to learning
opportunities for 200 million children, as well as professional
development opportunities for 12 million teachers and 4.5 million school
leaders. Both teachers and children are accessing content which ranges
from teaching materials, explanatory videos, interactive content, stories,
practice worksheets, and formative assessments. By monitoring which
content is used most frequently—and most beneficially—informed
decisions can be made around future content.

In the Dominican Republic, a World Bank supported pilot study shows

how adaptive technologies can generate great interest among 21st
century students and present a path to supporting the learning and
teaching of future generations.

We know learning happens best when instruction is personalized to meet

the needs and strengths of each child, individual progress is tracked, and
prompt feedback provided. Adaptive technology was used to evaluate
students’ initial learning level to then walk them through math exercises
in a dynamic, personalized way, based on artificial intelligence and what
the student is ready to learn. After three months, students with the lowest
initial performance achieved substantial improvements. This shows the
potential of technology to increase learning outcomes, especially among
students lagging behind their peers.

In a field that is developing at dizzying speeds, innovative solutions to

educational challenges are springing up everywhere. Our challenge is to
make technology a driver of equity and inclusion and not a source of
greater inequality of opportunity. We are working with partners worldwide
to support the effective and appropriate use of educational technologies
to strengthen learning.

When schools and educations systems are managed well, learning

happens

Providing quality education requires building systems that deliver

learning, day after day, in thousands of schools, to millions of
students. Successful education reforms require good policy design,
strong political commitment, and effective implementation capacity. Of
course, this is extremely challenging. Many countries struggle to make
efficient use of resources and very often increased education spending
does not translate into more learning and improved human capital.
Overcoming such challenges involves working at all levels of the system.

At the central level, ministries of education need to attract the best

experts to design and implement evidence-based and country-specific
programs. District or regional offices need the capacity and the tools to
monitor learning and support schools. At the school level, principals need
to be trained and prepared to manage and lead schools, from planning
the use of resources to supervising and nurturing their teachers.

No change can happen without data. Governments need to know

what their education systems are missing — or what’s being done
right — to take the right steps to improve. The World Bank, along with
the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the UK’s Department for
International Development, is developing the Global Education Policy
Dashboard. This new initiative will provide governments with a system for
monitoring how their education systems are functioning, from learning
data to policy plans, so they are better able to make timely and evidence-
based decisions.

Education reform: The long game is worth it

By their nature, the payoffs from investing in education require patience

and persistence. In fact, it will take a generation to realize the full
benefits of high-quality teachers, the effective use of technology,
improved management of education systems, and engaged and
prepared learners. However, global experience shows us that countries
that have rapidly accelerated development and prosperity all share the
common characteristic of taking education seriously and investing
appropriately.

As we mark the first-ever International Day of Education on January 24,

we must do all we can to equip our youth with the skills to keep learning,
adapt to changing realities, and thrive in an increasingly competitive
global economy and a rapidly changing world of work.

The schools of the future are being built today. These are schools where
all teachers have the right competencies and motivation, where
technology empowers them to deliver quality learning, and where all
students learn fundamental skills, including socio-emotional, and digital
skills. These schools are safe and affordable to everyone and are places
where children and young people learn with joy, rigor, and purpose.

Governments, teachers, parents, and the international community must

do their homework to realize the promise of education for all students, in
every village, in every city, and in every country. 

About Education Crisis response

In the past twenty years, education rates in Nigeria have been the center
of change, but not always for the better. After years of educational
prosperity, rates dramatically dropped to approximately 70 percent in
2008, and continue to be low today.
Creative, an international development organization has created a
program to boost education in Nigeria. According to the organization,
“the three-year Nigeria Education Crisis Response program works to
expand access to quality learning opportunities for displaced, out-of-
school children and youth ages 6 to 17.”
Creative has joined forces with more than 30 Nigerian organizations as
well as traditional and religious leaders in order to enhance efforts.
Following this pattern has helped to provide safe and accessible classes
as well as increase community support.
The organization notes that “using a proven curriculum, the displaced
children receive basic education, with an emphasis on math and literacy.
In addition, the centers provide vital psychological and social services to
the often traumatized pupils—many of whom have witnessed horrendous
acts of violence.”
Another key element to the Education Crisis Response Program is the
class size and finding individuals who gain training to become teachers.
These teachers are found in the communities where displaced children
reside, then trained in order to prepare them for the hard task of helping
traumatized children catch up.
In order for this to happen, the program has enlisted and trained
government officials to continue on once the program phases out.
Various leadership roles of teachers.

Teachers are leaders all day. They lead by example in the way they act,
speak, and behave. They lead their students through challenging
activities and rigorous learning. Then, they take on additional teacher
leadership roles inside and outside the classroom. Activities, events, and
extracurricular programs are what build positive school culture and often
require additional leadership support from teachers. Endless academic
and social oportunities for students within schools benefit from teacher
initiative and leadership capabilities.

Leadership Styles
In schools, there are always selfless teachers who support students at all
costs. Trusted by students and staff alike, these teachers are known to
make decisions based on students’ needs. Their dedication to improve
students’ academics and social experiences is proven by their
willingness to dedicate lunches and after-school hours with students to
grow their activities and programs.

According to Dr. Tiphanie Scroggins who runs the American University

School of Education’s administrative program, there are a few key
leadership qualities vital to success as an educator. “The heart of an
educators work is students’ learning and well being,” says Dr. Scroggins.
“They need to be focused, strategic, innovative, and collaborative.”
These qualities not only help teachers improve learning outcomes, but
also help build community, encourage inclusivity, and create a culture of
continuous improvement for themselves, their colleagues, and their
students.

Of course, there are many ways educators can lead, so no two teachers
will share the same leadership style. Here are five leadership styles that
teacher leaders can use inside and outside the classroom.

 Authoritative Leadership
Authoritative leaders push their teams to pursue common goals.
They balance maintaining a high bar and inspiring their teams to
success. According to Dr. Scroggins, authoritative leaders rely
heavily on strategy, using data to set high expectations and take
thoughtful risks. Authoritative leaders can also be relentless in their
pursuit of meaningful growth and demonstrate determination and
resilience. In education, this means authoritative leaders may be
teachers with many years of experience or higher degrees. The
National College for Teaching and Leadership names authoritative
leadership the most effective in education.

 Affiliative Leadership
Affiliative leaders are people who their teams can trust and feel
safe going to. They validate their colleagues and build camaraderie
among their teams—qualities that promote inclusivity, equity, and
culturally responsive practices, according to Dr. Scroggins. A
school’s success largely depends on building culture and values.
This requires affiliative leadership to push staff and students alike
in the same direction.

 Democratic Leadership
Democractic leaders are the first to seek feedback and share
 decision-making responsibilities. In education, this often means
gathering feedback from students, staff, administrators, and
families to implement school-wide changes and policies.
“Democratic leadership is about believing students, parents, and
the community have a voice,” says Dr. Scroggins. “This approach
helps build community and nurture partnerships among
stakeholders.”

 Pacesetting Leadership
Pacesetting leaders essentially focus on the practice of leading by
example inside or outside the classroom. They do it all, setting the
tone of a school and inspiring other teachers by their skills,
dedication, and achievements.

 Coaching Leadership
Coaching leaders take young or struggling teachers under their
wings to mentor. This style of leadership is usually time-consuming
and requires much empathy and patience on the leader’s part.
However, it has significant benefits to teacher development and
student academic success.

Leadership Opportunities

The Teacher Leadership Competencies, published by the National Board

for Professional Teaching Standards, clearly states that “teacher
leadership is no longer optional.” It’s part of the job. And there’s no
shortage of teacher leadership roles for educators. Teachers have
endless opportunities to lead initiatives and programs on and off campus
to enhance the educational experiences of their students. Sometimes
these opportunities are formally appointed or open for applications; other
times they’re volunteer-based. Below are ideas of leadership
opportunities most schools will offer.

Extracurricular Activity Sponsor

Extracurricular activities are crucial to involve students in their school

communities and engage them in topics outside of general K-12
curricula. Countless studies show that student involvement in
extracurriculars is directly beneficial to their academic success and
personal perseverance. Teachers can take the initiative by starting a club
or sport and host students after school or during lunch for meetings.
Leading a club is also a way for teachers to share their personal interests
or past professional experience with students and help students think
about future career choices that interest them.

Grade Team or Content Team Lead

Schools often organize by grade or content when dividing into specialty

groups. Each group, or department, is facilitated by a team lead who’s
responsible for meetings, action items, and data review. When teams are
organized by grade, a leader is responsible for creating interventions for
struggling students, incentivizing specific behavior or achievements, and
planning grade-wide events or trips. When teams are organized by
department, the lead oversees developmentally appropriate, rigorous
content for multiple grade levels, along with academic standard growth
and proficiency analysis. Team leads dedicate many extra hours to
ensure communication and cooperation in their departments.

Academic Coach

Many schools look to veteran teachers to coach teachers on behavior

management or content specialty. Coaches observe teachers in practice
and then set goals, plan lessons, and review data. Academic coaches
can give in-the-moment feedback to teachers during class through
nonverbal cues, ask students about what they learned that day, or record
class to review with the practicing educator. Coaches also write plans for
each teacher to outline specific benchmarks and student outcomes as
goals. This leadership role is focused on staff development but impacts
students directly and requires a veteran teacher’s experience and
expertise.

New Teacher Mentor

Whether a first-year teacher or an experienced educator new to a school,

a new staff member requires special attention and onboarding. Getting to
know a new school involves many details that are essential for all
teachers. Having a go-to person for general questions makes the
transition to a new school much smoother. Being a new teacher mentor
is a leadership opportunity for veterans who know the ins and outs of the
school, as well as teachers who recently transitioned to the school and
have a fresh perspective on information necessary at the beginning of
the school year. A new teacher mentor should be honest, understanding,
and patient to best support a new teacher and strengthen teacher
retention.
Community Outreach Coordinator

A transformative outside-the-classroom leadership opportunity is the

school community outreach coordinator, who arranges after-hours or
weekend events that involve students and their families and community
members. An event like a fundraiser is an impactful way for schools to
raise money for special supplies, field trips, and scholarships. Teachers
who can gather resources to manage events like this are how schools
and communities intertwine and benefit each other. This teacher leader
is a go-getter who can access resources, motivate volunteers, and
ultimately support students and their families.

Expanding Leadership

For teachers with advanced leadership skills, there are many

opportunities in education that require visionaries with the ability to lead.
Teacher leadership roles go beyond the classroom, as many school
administrators and nonprofit organization leaders are former teachers or
were previously involved in education.

School Administrator Roles

School administrators not only manage the day-to-day functions of a

school but also are the driving force behind its mission and vision.
Administrators are the leaders who inspire teachers, staff, and students
to create a strong culture and a love for learning. Strong administrators
influence teachers to take leadership roles and make their schools
encouraging, safe, empowering places for students to be. School
administrators additionally have a larger role in managing school
budgets, evaluating teachers, and collaborating with school districts.

Nonprofit Leadership Positions

Depending on how a nonprofit organization is structured, a board of

directors supervises various executive, management, and administrative
roles. The different leadership roles include overseeing finance,
operations, marketing, community affairs, and human resources
departments. Educational nonprofit organizations often benefit both
teachers and students in the classroom. Many specifically focus on
training teachers and school administration. Others raise funds or
supplies for teachers, who are able to better lead when classroom
funding is sufficient. Educators who choose to take a leadership role at a
nonprofit organization can maintain their connection to schools outside
the classroom.

Take the Lead in Education

Teachers who strive to lead should be strong educators with an

understanding of how to best serve students. Graduate programs
strengthen students’ understanding of leadership and prepare future
educators to be future leaders