We’ve got something unique here in Washington state in terms
of education organizations that work with teachers. Yeah, we have some great districts, state education agencies, unions. In
addition to all that, here in Washington, we’ve got an independent nonprofit
with a focus on teaching—and that organization, the Center for Strengthening
the Teaching Profession, is celebrating its ten year anniversary this month!
So what does CSTP do?
Just a few of the activities:
Community Dialogue
and Advocacy. What’s different about
CSTP advocacy training? No talking
points provided! Whether online or in
person, CSTP advocacy training gives teachers the opportunity to develop their
own messages for their own audiences, whether that audience is local, state, or
national. At an advocacy training
before a recent legislative session, one teacher, a tad frustrated, asked, “Where
are the talking points?” The facilitator’s
response: “The talking points will be better if you, the teachers, develop
them!”
The communication is not just limited to speaking—writers’
retreats (and this blog!) have given educators the opportunity to develop writing
skills.
Teacher Leadership.
Very frequently, in K-12 school cultures, the term “leadership” is used
interchangeably with the term “administration.” The Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession
has worked to expand that definition with the development of the Teacher
Leadership Skills Framework.
The NBCT Leadership Conference, one of CSTP’s
signature events, has been a launchpad for many newly certified NBCTs to not
only hone leadership skills, but also to develop their own personal network of
statewide teacher leaders.
CSTP doesn’t just strengthen the teaching profession, CSTP
strengthens individual teachers. One
teacher recently said, “There’s a whole lot going on besides what is
going on in my own little classroom, and CSTP helps me learn about it.”
Research. CSTP commissions research to help all sorts
of agencies and organizations better understand teaching and learning, as well
as support for teaching and learning, in Washington state classrooms.
And hey, the audience for all this is definitely not limited
to teachers! CSTP pulls together
instructional leaders of all sorts in work such as helping train and
support the Instructional Framework Feedback Specialists for our new state
teacher principal evaluation system. In
another example of working with administrators and teachers across the career
continuum, CSTP developed a module designed to help principals better assist
new teachers in their buildings.
Advocacy, leadership, and research? It’s been an amazing ten years. So where is CSTP going in the next ten?
Tom, you’re so right.
At every CSTP workshop I’ve attended, I have the chance to meet educators from all over, who teach a variety of subjects, and who are given the chance to drive the conversation. They are the best workshops I’ve attended.
CSTP is an amazing medium for learning how to be empowered politically and, at the same time, become a more skilled teacher.
The beautiful thing about CSTP, as far as I’m concerned, is that they have encouraged and enabled teachers to be leaders without leaving their classrooms. It sounds crazy, and sometimes it feels a little crazy, but it’s so important. There’s nothing at all wrong with teachers who move away from teaching and take on leadership positions, but in addition to those people, it’s absolutely vital that the profession listens to the voice of practicing classroom teachers.
And CSTP exists to do just that.