Additional research is needed on how
teacher leader preparation programs impact teacher leader support of instructional materials implementation.
Studies included in this review provided descriptions of the content of
teacher leader preparation programs.
Two studies that drew from the same data sources as part of a single program evaluation indicated that
teacher leader preparation programs can increase teacher leader effectiveness in providing leadership to teams of teachers.
This would allow developers of
teacher leader preparation programs to adapt and replicate these components in future programs for further empirical study.
Teacher leader preparation programs described in these studies addressed a selection of topics regarding disciplinary content knowledge, pedagogy, and / or leadership.
Of the forty nine studies that were identified in the review of the literature that examined
teacher leader preparation programs, few of these studies were designed to investigate the relationship between the specific knowledge and skills developed in a preparation program and the strategies employed by teacher leaders in their practice.
This finding supports the use of peer - led online discussions as a strategy for engaging teacher leaders in such discussions as part of online
teacher leader preparation programs.
Mix it up -
Teacher leader preparation programs should engage teacher leaders in a variety of experiences to build necessary knowledge and skills.
It takes a village -
Teacher leader preparation programs should sustain learning among teacher leaders.
The insights below reflect general agreement among these practitioners around structuring
teacher leader preparation programs and include illustrative examples from their own practice.
An analysis of a third set of studies focused on the topics addressed in
teacher leader preparation programs.
Teacher leader preparation programs should explicitly identify the development of a professional learning culture as an intended outcome.
Accordingly, experienced practitioners suggested that
teacher leader preparation programs utilize a variety of strategies in preparing teacher leaders for their work, noting that «one size fits few teacher leaders.»
The theme of hands - on activities contributing to the development of teacher leader knowledge was found in studies in mathematics and science and all grade levels, indicating that this was considered an appropriate strategy for
a teacher leader preparation programs regardless of the subject area or grade focus.
The insights below reflect general agreement among these practitioners around the knowledge and skills developed during
teacher leader preparation programs and include illustrative examples from their own practice.
In this set of eight studies, Lalli and Feger (2005) was the sole example of a study designed to compare the effects of systematically varied structures in
teacher leader preparation programs.
In a review of the published empirical literature, eight research studies were identified that included findings related to the structure of
a teacher leader preparation program.
For example,
a teacher leader preparation program may feature lectures on content from STEM faculty, problem solving activities, and opportunities to plan lessons around the content presented.
Studies by Brown et al. (2001), Fortner and Boyd (1995), Frechtling and Katzenmeyer (2001) and Russell (1990) examined teacher leader activities to support teacher use of instructional materials, such as a new curriculum or technology, which had been the focus of
a teacher leader preparation program.
Wallace et al. (1999) found that teacher leaders reproduced in their own practice the model of teacher leadership presented to them in
their teacher leader preparation program.
Mimbs (2002) found that, in
a teacher leader preparation program, participants identified providing support to teachers» use of instructional materials as a goal of their future teacher leader practice.
In the discussion of their findings, all three studies suggested that selection should include attention to knowledge or skills that were not developed through participation in
a teacher leader preparation program.
Not exact matches
College and university presidents can play an integral role in improving
teacher -
preparation programs by investing in them philosophically and asking their faculties to do the same, Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley told higher education
leaders last week.
The AACTE is a national alliance of educator
preparation programs dedicated to the highest quality professional development of
teachers and school
leaders in order to enhance PreK - 12 student learning.
The creation of professional standards and the emergence of
preparation programs tailored for
teacher -
leaders, including at the University of Washington, are all signs that the position has become indispensable.
Students would be much better off if policymakers and education
leaders were to focus on student achievement results as a way to assess
teacher quality overall, and to assess the quality of
teacher preparation programs supported by federal and state dollars.
Advice from experienced practitioners offers guidance to those involved in work with
preparation programs that develop
teacher leader knowledge and skills.
While
program leaders attempt to select
teachers who have the requisite background, they will likely want to provide a
preparation and support
program that will develop a common vision, expectations and capacity for the work of
teacher leaders.
Experienced practitioners, including MSP
program leaders, offered insights around the
preparation of
teacher leaders.
Thus, sufficient time within a
preparation program (and beyond) is needed to build and sustain a culture of ongoing, professional learning among
teacher leaders, such that
teacher leaders can draw on their own experiences in promoting a similar culture among
teachers with whom they work.
For example, Maine recommends that districts adopt «longevity pay incentives» and create
teacher leader programs in high - poverty schools.54 The plan also states that the Maine Department of Education will work with
teacher preparation programs to assess the type and level of
preparation afforded to aspiring
teachers wishing to teach in high - poverty schools, isolated schools, and high - risk school settings with the goal of offering more supports, including housing, loan forgiveness, and housing for
teachers in these types of schools.55
Preparation that occurs at the outset (i.e., prior to engaging in
teacher leader practice) is important to get
teacher leaders started, but designers of
preparation programs should be purposeful about what this portion of
preparation is meant to accomplish.
Well - designed
preparation programs are structured to support the development of these knowledge and skills so that
teacher leaders can be effective in their work to improve instruction.
A
program designer might identify institutes and conferences that are particularly relevant given the goals and purpose of
teacher leaders» work, or recruit external experts to serve as an additional resource for
teacher leaders during their
preparation.
After it became obvious that
teacher leaders attending the
preparation program were more experienced and knowledgeable in some strands than others, the
preparation program was modified to reflect a continuum of knowledge and skills.
Teacher leaders bring their own experiences, strengths, and weaknesses to a
preparation program and will have varying needs when it comes to developing knowledge and skills for their leadership work.
It will also help restructure and improve
teacher and
leader preparation programs so they provide educators with those knowledge and skills and evaluate those
programs by using the achievement data of students with disabilities.
For example,
teacher leaders could be given an observation protocol to use in peer observations or guiding questions to use in reflecting upon an activity in the
preparation program.
360 Edition (INSPIRE - 360)-- This instrument enables the educational leadership
preparation program to document leadership practices and school improvement and organizational indicators in the schools where
program graduates work from the perspective of subordinate
teachers and superordinate district
leader (s).
Well - designed
preparation programs help ensure that reform efforts are succesful by equipping
teacher leaders with the necessary knowledge and skills to be effective in their work to improve instruction.
Findings from these studies indicated that what
teacher leaders learned in a
preparation program was replicated in their practice with
teachers.
In doing this, experienced practitioners suggest, it is critical for
preparation programs to clearly articulate the intended outcomes of the
preparation as it relates to
teacher leaders» practice, helping participants to identify their needs and make the best use of a
program's offerings.
Advice from experienced practitioners offers guidance to those involved in structuring
preparation programs that develop
teacher leader knowledge and skills.
The
leader of an MSP
program that distributed
teacher leader preparation over three years commented about the importance of «spreading out the learning to allow for reflection and deeper understanding.»
These studies reported on
preparation programs that provided the opportunity to participants to perform as
leaders, whether in a role - play in front of other
program participants (Nesbit et al., 2001), while working with classroom
teachers in an actual
teacher leadership position in a school or district (Howe & Stubbs, 2003), or with the support of a mentor in a
teacher leader training
program (Harris & Townsend, 2007).
Align
preparation to the work — The knowledge and skills developed in a
preparation program should reflect the focus of
teacher leaders» work in schools.
Therefore, after selecting
teachers with the appropriate background content and pedagogical content knowledge and skills (addressing weaknesses as necessary), experienced practitioners noted that a
preparation program for
teacher leaders should develop and strengthen their abilities to serve as
leaders.
A second set of studies investigated the relationship between a
preparation program and change in
teacher leader knowledge and skills.
One aspect of
teacher leaders»
preparation is the content of the
program; that is, the specific knowledge and skills
teacher leaders are to learn.
The goal is to establish what is being done in the
preparation of
teachers and educational
leaders and what deans, department chairs and other
leaders in the area of preservice training of
teachers and school administrators believe might be done differently to improve those
programs.