HomePublicationsLearning to Lead, Leading to LearnPart 1 Chapter 2: Leading Like a TeacherDownload Chapter Book MenuLearning to Lead, Leading to Learn SectionsPart 1Part 2ChaptersPrefaceCourse Overview Chapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Final ClassBook Resources Contributors Playbook Download BookOpen Access PDFdoi.org/10.36284/celelon.oa11ISBN: 978-1-64317-593-5April 20263.2 MBMetrics: 248 views | 61 downloadsISBN: 978-1-64317-592-8April 2026 Emily Isaacs Like all of the contributors to Learning to Lead, Isaacs was a teacher before she was a leader—and not just a teacher, but a good teacher. Good teachers are made, not born, and Isaacs reminds readers about the process of learning to teach. Then, Isaacs tells a story about what happened when, as a leader, she forgot to implement those lessons learned as a teacher, and how she learned as a leader to become the same kind of “reflective practitioner” (Schön 1984) that made her such an effective classroom practitioner. References Schön, Donald A. 1984. The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action. Basic Books. Related Book ResourcesThese videos complement Isaacs’s chapter by showing leadership in action. They highlight how leadership is informed by teaching, observation, and ongoing reflection. Generational Shifts in Perceptions of Leadership Isaacs reflects on how generational differences shape perceptions of leadership, noting how age, experience, and expectations influence interactions and decision-making in higher education. Reflection-in-Action for Teachers and Leaders Isaacs explores Donald Schön’s concept of reflection-in-action, showing how teachers and leaders continuously observe and adapt their practice in response to real-time feedback. Looking for Compromise and the Importance of Communication Isaacs examines how seeking compromise and engaging in open dialogue help leaders navigate resistance and foster collaboration in complex institutional contexts. Observational Leadership and Learning About People Isaacs focuses on how leadership skills transfer across roles and how leaders develop through changing institutional contexts, emphasizing observation, reflection, and growth in understanding people and organizations. Discussion QuestionsIsaacs describes the qualities that made her an effective teacher—and how, as a young leader, she neglected to put those qualities into practice. When have you experienced a moment when you didn’t draw on previous experience—when you didn’t effectively reflect on your experiences and transfer what you know from one context to another? What have you learned from the experience? Cite this Chapter Isaacs, Emily. 2026. “Leading Like a Teacher.” In Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn: A Collaborative Syllabus for Higher Education Leadership, edited by Linda Adler-Kassner and Chris W. Gallagher. Center for Engaged Learning. https://doi.org/10.36284/celelon.oa11.2 Share:
