Extending the Reach of Mathematics Teacher Leaders

University Of Northern Colorado, Greeley CO

Investigators

Abstract

This project will explore the development of mathematics teacher leaders' capacity to engage in systemic leadership activities. The model for developing this capacity will be based on the concept that teacher leadership work can be conceived of as having levels, similar to the idea of management levels. In this model, Tier I teacher leadership activities are those that leverage teachers' knowledge, experience, and motivation to support effective instruction in classrooms outside their own. Tier I teacher leadership activities have a close proximity to and thus directly influence teachers' instruction. Tier II teacher leadership activities are those that leverage teacher leaders' knowledge, experience, and motivation to improve systems that support effective instruction. This model is predicated on two positions: (1) Tier II leadership activities necessitate the employment of knowledge and skills different from those required for Tier I leadership activities; and (2) Productive systemic change can occur by supporting teacher leaders to expand their work into Tier II leadership activities. This project will develop teacher leaders' knowledge and skills to engage in Tier II activities and to further theorize and evaluate the conceptualization and operationalization of Tier I and Tier II leadership activities in teacher leadership development. This project will implement and evaluate a teacher leader development model that will build the capacity of Tier I and Tier II teacher leaders in their respective leadership capacity. In the teacher leader development model, Tier II teacher leaders will receive training and mentoring to 1) train Tier I teacher leaders to implement the professional development with classroom teachers and 2) oversee broader implementation issues, such as developing district support for the professional development and supporting the creation and implementation of an evaluation plan for the professional development. The professional development will consist of a sequence of nine, 90-minute sessions that will support elementary teachers in developing a rich conceptualization of multiplication of whole numbers. Through this vehicle of implementing a mathematics professional development program, both sets of teacher leaders will receive training and mentoring to develop their knowledge, skills, and dispositions to engage in their tier of teacher leadership activities. Teachers will then be positioned to leverage their increased leadership capacity to engage in other Tier I and II teacher leadership activities that support the improvement of STEM education. The evaluation of the implementation of the leadership development model will help the field understand the key characteristics that support the effectiveness of the training. Additionally, in their roles as ambassadors for K-12 mathematics education, Tier II teacher leaders will work at the nexus of policy, practice, and STEM education research through Tier II policy activities. Teachers will then be positioned to leverage their increased leadership capacity to engage in other Tier I and II teacher leadership activities that support the improvement of STEM education. The design of the teacher leader development model can be scaled through any STEM professional development, when it is paired with the teacher leader training of Tier I teacher leaders. Although the project involves mathematics teachers and teacher leaders, it has the potential to inform teacher leadership development and effectiveness across the STEM fields.