Pioneers for Professional Learning

31 Hayes Mizell 2004 Pioneers for Professional Learning Whether they are called teacher coaches, instructional leaders, teacher leaders, or school-based staff developers, educators who are responsible for promoting the professional growth of teachers in today's schools are pioneers, says Hayes Mizell, Senior Fellow at the National Staff Development Council, in this speech to the first 55 members of NSDC's School-Based Staff Developer Learning Community. These are new roles in most schools, Mizell notes, and teacher coaches are often inventing their jobs as they go. "As pioneers in this new field of school-based staff development, you are responsible not only for opening new territory in school reform, but also for showing the way for those who follow. You have a great opportunity to set a standard for exemplary school-based staff development... So many educators are desperately searching for the renewal and hope that your leadership for professional learning can provide. They will be guided not only by your courage, your effort, and your results, but by the beacon of your continuous learning." A must-read for new teacher coaches! (25k PDF file)   Citation: Mizell, H. Speech: August 5, 2004 at the initial meeting of the first School- Based Staff Developer Learning Community sponsored by the National Staff Development Council. Retrieved from the Teacher Leaders Network 1 Apr 2008. Link: http://www.teacherleaders.org/old_site/misc/HM_SBSD.pdf http://www.teacherleaders.org/old_site/misc/HM_SBSD.pdf