Presentation for NJ teachers defining teacher leadership and exploring the role of teacher leaders in NJ schools.

1. The Teacher Leader:
Supporting School and Student Success
Dr. Len Goduto, Dr. Judith Nappi,
Maria Kruzdlo and Katherine Santini

2. Agenda
 What is teacher leadership?
 What does teacher leadership look like in the 21st
Century?
 Why teacher leadership?
 What leadership activities/roles are available in schools?
 How do we support teacher leaders in our schools?

3. What is Teacher Leadership?
“Teacher leadership is the process by which teachers, individually
or collectively, influence their colleagues, principal, and other
members of the school communities to improve teaching and
learning practices with the aim of increased student learning and
achievement.”
From meta-analysis of teacher leadership research by York-Barr and Duke (2004)

4. Why Teacher Leaders?
 Assisting supervisors and administrators with curricular and
instructional support
 Grass roots - change goes furthest when it comes from
within and offers the widest reach
 Fosters professional growth through collaboration and
continuous learning
 Promotes a positive organizational culture and climate

5. Ten Roles of Teacher Leaders
1. Resource Provider
2. Instructional Specialist
3. Curriculum Specialist
4. Classroom Supporter
5. Learning Facilitator
6. Mentor
7. School Leader
8. Data Coach
9. Catalyst for Change
10.Learner
Harrison & Killion (2007). Ten roles for teacher leaders. Educational Leadership

6. Mentor
 Serve as a role model and support system for novice
teachers
 Acclimate new teachers to a new school and staff
 Advise new teachers about effective instruction, grade-level
curriculum, school procedures, and best practices
 Provide support to teachers in need of improvement

7. What to Watch Out For
 Identify a mentor that is best suited to work with a new
teacher based on their needs/growth
 Tapping into different teachers’ strengths and personalities
to make a good match
 Administrative follow-through and goal setting

8. Examples of Teacher Leaders
as Mentors
Informal Teacher Leaders:
 Formal mentor
 Building-based, daily support
 Content or grade-specific
guidance and support
Formal Teacher Leaders:
 Formal mentor
 Work with novice or
teachers in need of
improvement
 Lead district-wide first
year teacher training

9. Resource Provider
 Guide teachers by providing instructional
materials, websites, exemplary lesson plans
 Extend teacher learning by sharing professional
resources such as articles, new approaches to
learning, and assessment tools
 Act as a sounding board for teacher questions
and concerns
 Assisting teachers in analyzing data to improve
instruction

10. What to Watch Out For
 Administrative review of resources aligned with
philosophy and standards
 Knowing each staff member’s strengths and tapping
“experts” in certain areas
 The wrong teacher leader can undo positive strides
made earlier
What to Watch Out For

11. Examples of Teacher Leaders
as Resource Providers
Informal Teacher Leaders:
 Content or grade-level
specific resources
 Building-based
presentations and
workshops
 Share exemplary lessons
and activities
Formal Teacher Leaders:
 Newsletters, blogs, websites
 Share professional articles
and best practices in
education

12. Curriculum Specialist
 Serve on curriculum committees or lead curriculum
efforts
 Lead teachers to understand content standards, follow
the adopted curriculum, use common pacing charts, and
develop shared assessments
 Answer questions regarding the curriculum, provide
resources to support the curriculum, offer professional
development for those implementing new curriculum

13. What to Watch Out For
 Administrators should make it a point to
acknowledge leaders as resources in such a way that
staff are encouraged and expected to use them
 Provide teacher leaders with the use of flex time,
coverage, and scheduled time during staff meetings
to share findings and provide specialist support

14. Examples of Teacher Leaders
as Curriculum Specialists
Informal Teacher Leaders:
 Serve on curriculum
committees
 Act as instructional support
when implementing new
curriculum
 Open classroom as lab
class for teachers to
observe
Formal Teacher Leaders:
 Lead curriculum development
efforts and committees
 Act as the “first contact” to
support supervisors
 Become an expert in content
and curriculum
 Provide coaching experiences

15. Catalyst for Change
 Facilitate the dissemination of information
 Organize movement to adopt a new policy
 Have a strong commitment to continued improvement
and seek learning opportunities for the latest and
greatest approaches and practices

16. What to Watch Out For
 Provide experiences that foster teachers’ interests to
encourage positive change
 Administrators must be committed to implementing
changes that are being recommended
 Administrative follow-through to support teacher
leaders in gaining buy-in from teachers and carrying
out change

17. Examples of Teacher Leaders
as Catalysts for Change
Informal Teacher Leaders:
 Sharing a new best practice
learned at a workshop with
staff
 Serve as school leader of
Professional Learning
Community to explore
change
Formal Teacher Leaders:
 Learning about new
approaches and best
practices to provide
professional development to
both administrators and staff
 Leading staff development
and district committees

18. Building Teacher Leaders
Think - Pair - Share
 How can we create a structure that will allow for teacher
leadership?
 What would teacher leaders look like in your school?

19. Why Teacher Leaders?
“Never doubt that a small group of
thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world:
indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
-Margaret Mead
Anthropologist

20. Leonard Goduto, Ed.D.
Associate Professor, Chair, Department of Graduation
Education, Leadership, and Counseling
lgoduto@rider.edu
Judith Stegmaier-Nappi, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor
jstegmaiern@rider.edu
C
O
N
T
A
C
T
S
www.rider.edu/teacherleader
RiderSchoolofEducation
@RiderSchoolofEd