Recently in Getting Smart, Michael Niehoff wrote about 10 transformational practices that educators can lead. Excerpts of the piece appear below: If educators allow politicians, researchers and pundits to take charge of the evolution in education, it will be delayed and implemented with less clarity. It’s time for teachers to be change agents, thus owning Read more about 10 Inevitable Education Evolutions Educators Can Lead[…]
A new analysis by the National Council on Teacher Quality demonstrates that more states are recognizing the importance of leadership roles for teachers, signaling that state policy is beginning to reflect teachers’ voices. Thirty-five states now have formal teacher leadership policies, with a net of eight additional states adopting formal teacher leadership policies in the Read more about Majority of States Work to Advance Leadership Opportunities for Classroom Teachers[…]
In 2013, The Center for the Future of Teaching & Learning at WestEd collaborated with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to launch the Teacher Practice Network (TPN) initiative, which supports a vast national network of teacher leaders who mentor and coach their peers. By providing high-quality standards-aligned resources and ongoing professional learning led by Read more about Teachers Learning from Teachers: Dynamic Initiative Taps into Educators’ Expertise[…]
Education Evolving has released a new guide designed to address the unique opportunities and challenges that face school administrators using collaborative and distributed leadership models. The guide-which draws on the expertise and experience of eight administrators from teacher-powered schools around the country-is intended for any site administrator working at, creating, or converting to a collaborative leadership model Read more about Collaborative Leadership for Thriving Teams[…]
High-quality, evidence-based mentoring and induction (M&I) programs can transform classroom instruction, improve teacher retention rates, narrow gaps in equitable access to effective educators, and raise student performance. The Center on Great Teachers and Leaders’ updated toolkit helps states and districts design M&I programs that support beginning teachers in strengthening classroom instruction in high-need schools and Read more about Center on Great Teachers and Leaders releases M&I Toolkit[…]
School systems—and the challenges they face—are often complex and diverse; effectively addressing these challenges may require a leadership approach that moves beyond traditional teacher and administrator roles. Teacher leadership is one strategy many states and districts are pursuing to facilitate meaningful change and support better outcomes for their students. To support these efforts, the Teacher Read more about Teacher Leadership Toolkit: Strategies to Build, Support and Sustain Teacher Leadership Opportunities[…]
On the path to strengthen teacher pipelines, support excellent teaching and improve retention, many states have developed opportunities for teacher leadership and advancement. While most states offer advanced licenses to encourage ongoing learning and growth within the teaching profession, many are now also including supports and incentives to encourage more teachers to become leaders in Read more about 50-State Comparison: Teacher Leadership and Licensure Advancement[…]
Candice McQueen and Charla Hurt recently shared the progress of a Tennessee initiative to engage effective teachers as teacher leaders for The 74. Excerpts of their piece appear below: The idea seemed like common sense: Engage the most effective teachers, ask them to come up with ideas for improving schools, and share what they know Read more about Teacher Leadership Works[…]
There is no doubt that teachers exert an incredible influence on students and their learning. But what if teachers hold the key to school and district-wide reform as well? In our March Issue Brief, Core Education explores the many ways schools and districts are offering exceptional teachers opportunities to share their knowledge and extend their Read more about March Issue Brief: Teacher Leadership[…]
In survey after survey, teachers report dissatisfaction with the professional development they receive. Many aren’t satisfied with their professional learning communities or coaching opportunities. Teachers say they want more on-the-job development, career advancement while teaching, and collaboration time. Some teachers are getting what they want. But is that good news for students? Do their students Read more about Study Finds Student Learning Gains in Schools with Multi-Classroom Leaders[…]
While the importance and impact of school and teacher leadership has been widely understood by policymakers and practitioners, the field has lacked a comprehensive, research-based analysis to identify the specific elements of school and teacher leadership that can increase student achievement. Through a grant from the Carnegie Corporation, the New Teacher Center (NTC) partnered with Read more about School Leadership Counts[…]
A new report from a group of the nation’s boldest state and district education leaders finds that improving curriculum is a powerful, but underutilized strategy for school improvement. Curriculum has long been a third rail in U.S. education policy, dismissed by policymakers despite related, highly visible efforts to develop college- and career-ready standards, aligned assessments, Read more about Hiding in Plain Sight: Leveraging Curriculum to Improve Student Learning[…]
Recently on the Brookings blog, authors Michael Hansen and Diana Quintero reviewed the data and put together a profile of the American social studies educator. Excerpts of their post appear below: To get a glimpse of the social studies teacher workforce in the U.S., we look to data from the 2011-12 Schools and Staffing Survey Read more about The State of the Nation’s Social Studies Educators[…]
The Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning at WestEd has produced a new CenterView, focused on teacher leaders as instructional leaders and how districts can enable successful teacher leadership to improve standards-aligned instructional practices. In the current landscape of rigorous standards implementation, teacher leadership is gaining increased attention and interest as a school Read more about Forging Partnerships — A Model for Teacher Leadership Development[…]
With the rise of new academic standards, more rigorous educator evaluation and support systems, and a growing population of students who need additional supports, expectations for public school teachers are rising and, in turn, so are expectations for school leaders. Principals are increasingly expected to focus on “instructional leadership” by engaging more deeply in areas Read more about School Staffing Models Can Support Principals as Instructional Leaders[…]
Public Impact has released a new suite of tools that guide districts and schools to achieve excellence in teaching and learning as Opportunity Culture schools. The tools are based on four years of data that illuminate what school designs and implementation actions work, and what do not, to achieve strong student learning and teacher satisfaction. Read more about How Districts & Schools Can Ensure Strong Learning, Teacher Satisfaction[…]