Teacher leaders' preparation: Structure and pedagogy

Teacher leaders – current or former classroom teachers working with other classroom teachers and other educators in the school or district – are present in many reform efforts in mathematics and science education. Teacher leaders may engage in a variety of practices, which draw on different kinds of knowledge and skills. 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.

Practice-based Insights on Teacher Leaders' Preparation: Structure and Pedagogy

Advice from experienced practitioners offers guidance to those involved in structuring preparation programs that develop teacher leader knowledge and skills. Insights provided by a group of expert practitioners with diverse backgrounds and experiences in working with teachers included the following ideas:

• Mix it up - Teacher leader preparation programs should engage teacher leaders in a variety of experiences to build necessary knowledge and skills.
• Scaffold learning - Teacher leader preparation should feature explicit structures to scaffold teacher leaders' learning.
• Keep on learning - Teacher leaders' preparation should not be entirely "front-loaded," but continue as teacher leaders implement their work in schools.
• It takes a village - Teacher leader preparation programs should sustain learning among teacher leaders.

Teacher Leadership Matters

Empirical evidence shows that teacher leaders' practice impacts teachers' instructional practice and, in some studies, provides evidence of positive impact on student outcomes. Findings across studies include:

• Teacher leaders' practice, particularly in providing instructional support to teachers, impacts teachers' classroom practice.
• Teacher leaders' practice occurs in a larger context of conditions that impact teachers' practice.
• Teacher leaders' practice is related to positive student outcomes.

Research on Teacher Leaders' Preparation: Structure and Pedagogy

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. While there was little overlap in the specific structures identified in the findings of these studies, two common themes emerged. Studies found that hands-on and interactive activities were linked to positive changes in participants' content knowledge and/or knowledge of pedagogy. Studies also found that the opportunity to practice leadership skills, either as a simulated real-life experience or by actually serving in a teacher leader role, was linked to improved leadership abilities. While most of these studies shared common methodological limitations, two studies (Khourey-Bowers et al., 2006; Lalli & Feger, 2005) described a robust empirical design for research on structuring the preparation of teacher leaders that may serve as examples for the design of future studies.