DEED Spotlight on Teachers as Leaders

DEED Spotlight on Teachers as Leaders

This week’s Spotlight looks a little different. In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, DEED wants to honor ALL teachers!

Teachers are leaders everyday – charged with educating our children and shaping the future. More recently during the COVID-19 crisis, teachers have excelled in their leadership roles more than ever.

In the span of a few short weeks, educators were tasked with rethinking their traditional delivery of education. Teaching would no longer happen inside the walls of a classroom. But, in the face of historic challenge – teachers persevered! Within days, teachers shifted lessons to distance delivery. They strategized ways to keep students connected despite the physical distance. They assembled paper packets, started YouTube channels, hosted Zoom meetings, participated in teacher parades from their cars, reached out to students and families, made signs, filmed videos, and put together care packages. The ingenuity and dedication of Alaska’s educators is inspiring. Teachers have truly exemplified leadership in the face of this unprecedented crisis.

DEED recognizes that teachers are leaders and innovators Because of that, much of DEED’s workforce is comprised of certified teachers and/or staff with experience in school settings. Here is a quick breakdown of the DEED workforce:

• 64 of DEED’s positions require a teaching certification
• Almost 70 members of DEED staff are certified teachers!
• Collectively, DEED leadership has over 160 years of experience in a school setting
• The executive leadership alone holds nearly 100 years of collective experience in a school setting!

Because DEED recognizes the critical importance of teacher input, DEED also formed a Teacher and Educator Advisory Council (TEAC). The purpose of TEAC is to provide an important voice for educators in the state’s decision-making process, and to provide the Commissioner with teachers’ insights, suggestions, and perspectives on critical educational issues. The TEAC group meets with DEED leadership every month.

Teachers are tasked with the most important job – educating and cultivating our future generation. And in the last two months, their jobs took on a new and unique challenge. Without hesitation, teachers around Alaska jumped into action and demonstrated their fierce commitment to student learning. Teachers were on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis; rethinking traditional education, adapting lessons to fit varying delivery methods, guiding students and families through learning from home, and bringing connection and support to their students.    

“In the past few weeks, Alaskans, in fact the entire world, have recognized the important role teachers play in our society,” said Commissioner Michael Johnson. “COVID-19 has stopped travel, sports, shopping, and eating out. But it has not stopped teachers. With resolve and a collective voice, teachers have said ‘We Will Teach!’ Thank you to all of Alaska's teachers. You inspire us with your love of teaching!”

Teachers – thank you for all that you do every day for Alaska’s students! From all of us at DEED – WE APPRECIATE YOU!