Training Teacher-Leaders

This toolkit from Leading Educators is designed to help state teams focusing on teacher leadership study other states’ approaches, identify strategies they can use, and find resources to support district design and implementation. The toolkit sets out a step-by-step process for making the case for teacher leadership; developing a policy, support, and funding plan for seeding teacher leadership in districts; and monitoring and measuring effectiveness.

This report examines promising early results from the Emerging Leaders selective teacher leadership program run by New Leaders; it argues that appropriate preparation strategies and clear expectations must be in place for teacher leaders to be most effective.

The Teach Plus T3 Initiative recruits, develops, and supports highly effective, experienced teachers to lead teams in turnaround efforts in low-performing schools. T3 teacher-leaders serve as full-time classroom teachers while also leading teams of teachers and receive ongoing professional learning. The C2 Initiative offers a series of five-week, teacher-led training sessions focused on the Common Core State Standards, which aims to ensure a smooth transition to the standards.

This two-year, full-time program from National Louis University focuses specifically on training teachers to lead Reading Recovery programs in their schools. 

A joint initiative begun in spring 2014 by the National Education Association, the Center for Teaching Quality, and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, the Teacher Leadership Initiative is an effort to recruit, prepare, and support teachers to lead a transformed teaching profession. The initiative’s goals are to create accomplished-level teacher leader standards, develop training and support to meet those standards, and activate at least 1,000 teachers to be leaders by 2017.

TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement allows teachers to pursue a variety of leadership positions throughout their careers, including mentor and master teacher. TAP provides training and certification services to prepare master and mentor teachers to conduct professional learning activities. Master and mentor teachers take on additional responsibilities and authority, including conducting evaluations, and are required to have a longer work year.

New York City has a variety of opportunities for teachers interested in teacher leadership, from roles for specific instructional hurdles (such as the implementation of the Common Core standards) to more general roles, such as lead teachers or mentors. 

The one-year Emerging Leaders Program is designed to strengthen the leadership skills of talented teachers, coaches, and assistant principals in partner districts and charter management organizations.  

The National Network of State Teachers of the Year provides training workshops led by state teachers of the year for teacher leaders. The workshops are based on the seven domains of the Teacher Leader Model Standards and cover strategies on leading adult learners, creating a collaborative environment, and facilitating highly effective teams.

The National Academy of Advanced Teacher Education (NAATE) two-year program is designed to enable experienced, high-performing teachers to deepen their classroom practice and gain skills to lead other teachers. Each participant uses the case study method, and develops and implements a year-long inquiry project focused on their school’s needs.