

The rough draft of the Declaration of Independence is preserved in Washington. The draft, written by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin before adoption by the Congress.(AP Photo)

There’s no better time of year to talk about declarations than on July 4th, the day the second Constitutional Convention meeting in 1776 approved the Declaration of Independence. Here’s a new one by Jennifer Barnett, a classroom teacher for more than 20 years who decided it was time for teachers to have a declaration of their own and wrote one. Barnett currently serves as Teacher Leader in Residence for the Center for Teaching Quality. A member of the Collaboratory and co-author of Teaching 2030: What We Must Do for Our Students and Our Public Schools … Now and in the Future, Jennifer blogs, manages a tech help wiki, and spends far too much time on Twitter.

By Jennifer Barnett

No historical document speaks to me more deeply than the Declaration of Independence. It’s a fascinating study of history, philosophy, and law embedded with deep nuggets of truth about the human spirit.

But as a teacher leader, what I love the most about the Declaration of Independence is the opportunity for personal reflection it provides. Every time I digest it, I nourish my soul and reinvigorate my purpose as a teacher and a leader.

So I’ve adapted this historical document to fit one of my passions in life: elevating teachers as leaders. Just as our forefathers sought to declare independence from oppressive rule, current circumstances necessitate a bold change in education.

In order for teachers to transform their profession, teacher leadership must permeate every corner of education. I hope teachers everywhere across this great nation will find themselves in these words.

A Declaration of Teacher Leadership