Teacher Leaders

I was catching up on some professional reading last week and was excited to come across Teacher Leader Model Standards showcased in the June 2011 issue of Journal of Staff Development. I then checked out the online resources at www.teacherleaderstandards.org.  Here are a few quotes from the Teacher Leader Standards website and full document:
“Within every school there is a sleeping giant of teacher leadership”
“We must seek to use the expertise that already exists in the teaching force”
“The teacher leader model standards can be used to guide the preparation of experienced teachers to assume leadership roles such as resource providers, instructional specialists, curriculum specialists, classroom supporters, learning facilitators, mentors, school team leaders, and data coaches” (Harrison & Killion, 2007).
Here is a sneak peek of the Teacher Leader Standards.
  • Domain I: Fostering a collaborative culture to support educator development and student learning.
  • Domain II: Accessing and using research to improve practice and student achievement.
  • Domain III: Promoting professional learning for continuous improvement.
  • Domain IV: Facilitating improvements in instruction and student learning.
  • Domain V: Using assessments and data for school and district improvement.
  • Domain VI: Improving outreach and collaboration with families and community.
  • Domain VII: Advocating for student learning and the profession.
Specific functions are then further delineated under each domain making this a very useful document for both developing and acknowledging the contributions teacher leaders can make. Check http://www.teacherleaderstandards.org/ for more information.

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