The best–known teachers of all times from around the world have taught one common thing about leadership. It is that true leadership is not being in a superior position and directing the people under you to work as per your orders and instructions – rather true leadership lies in taking everyone along with you and making them follow the ways in which you perform jobs, without actually commanding them around.
For such leadership to be there in the teachers, they have to be charismatic, with a strong personality that would make students look upon them in awe and making them place the teachers in the same place where they place their Gods.
Historical Instances About Leadership Given By Teachers
Turning the pages of history, do you remember Henry Louis Vivian Derozio? He was the young teacher of the Hindu College in Calcutta for a short period between 1826 and 1831. Within that short period his leadership quality brought about sea changes in the thinking of his students. He built protagonists in his pupils, who then went on to change the social foundation of the country.
Then there is the famous Mr. Chips from the novella Goodbye Mr. Chips by James Hilton, where we find an unconventional teacher who declined to accept new policies of producing run of the mill students in the school where he taught.
Effective Leadership Bringing About Revolution in Education
The changes in the education system can happen only if the teachers are willing to take part in the changing process. The teachers are the persons who have direct access to the thoughts and ideas of the children they teach, and can mould them in the easiest possible ways. It is on to them whether the kids are going to accept newer ways of learning, whether the introduction of technology in the learning methodology is acceptable to them or not.
In order to change the way education is imparted, the teachers have to be apprised of the changes first. It is after they accept the fact that the new technologies are going to be beneficial to the students, can you thinking of making the children follow the same route.
The teachers are the best leaders as far as bringing about changes in the mental setup and mindset of the students are concerned. You change the way the teacher thinks, you can also change the way his students do. If you fail to make him understand a particular aspect, you will not be able to instill the idea in the students as well.