IBSE Final

Epilogue Science Teachers as 21st-Century leaders

tHE tEACHING OF SCIENCE: 21 st-CENTURY PERSPECTIVES 167

perspective. Enhancing learning includes placing curriculum materials, instruc-

tional strategies, classroom assessments, and continuous professional develop-

ment in the foreground of the leader’s vision. This perspective centers on the

instructional core and clearly contrasts with contemporary political issues such

as school choice, charter schools, and vouchers as means of higher levels of

student achievement.

Leaders work in increasingly complex education systems. The time has

passed when, for example, a leader could facilitate the selection of curriculum

materials and trust that all would be well with their use and that, ultimately,

there would be higher levels of student achievement. Now the complex system

of science education includes political, economic, and social factors, as well as

education issues. Effective leaders must recognize the multiple factors, varied

components, and different aspects of the education system as they implement

their plans.

Providing Leadership as a Science Teacher

Leadership qualities are sometimes attributed to individuals because of person-

ality; we say they have charisma. In some cases, people are leaders because they

have unique abilities that qualify them to lead. In other cases, there are people

who are leaders because they are in positions of power and authority. It would

be nice if, as a summary, I could say that science teachers were leaders because

they had all of these qualities: charisma, competence, and control. The truth is,

few teachers possess all of these qualities. Teachers do have some power and

control because of their position, and one assumes they are competent in their

scientific knowledge, teaching methods, planning skills, classroom organiza-

tion, and management. Individuals may or may not have the enthusiasm and

personality for charismatic leadership.

Leadership in the Classroom

Leadership in the science classroom involves developing a climate that sustains

efficient and effective work by the classroom group while fulfilling personal

needs and education goals. In other words, leadership requires management

of the total classroom—science content, the physical environment, individual

student needs, and the students as a group. However, it would be misleading

to leave the impression that leadership is solely a function of the teacher. One

needs only to recall the pleasant surprises that await substitute teachers to

realize that leadership can originate from the ranks of students. In less extreme

examples, leadership is commonly seen when students work in small groups

on science activities. The two major functions of classroom leadership are facil-

itation and maintenance.

The tasks of facilitation that contribute to effective leadership include