Teacher Leadership, M.Ed.

Program Description

The Master of Education in Teacher Leadership is designed for high-performing teachers whose goal is to support building principals by helping to create a system of shared leadership and by providing job-embedded, differentiated professional learning opportunities to teachers. Graduates are expected to develop a clear vision for educational transformation and work in a leadership role with principals and peers to align student experiences and school programs to support the vision. Graduates will be prepared to interpret research on leadership models and frameworks, learning theory, best practices, teacher evaluation, and motivation and use this evidence base to develop professional learning opportunities and curricula; identify and share student-centered instructional practices, and promote continuous improvement of learner motivation, engagement, and achievement. Course curriculum will address diverse perspectives and culture, personal and professional goal setting, reflective inquiry and practice, teacher leader modeling, and collaborative work with colleagues to achieve quality programming and teamwork among all stakeholders. Assessment and data interpretation, presented as tools for continuous improvement, will be integrated throughout the coursework.

Program Outcomes

1. Apply knowledge of leadership models and frameworks to promote shared governance, capacity building, and collaboration to impact teaching and learning and school and student success. 
2. Demonstrate the ability to assume leadership roles by working effectively with the principal and other adults in a school to improve student learning and achievement. 
3. Model high performance in teaching by demonstrating expert knowledge of curriculum, instruction, assessment, intervention, culture/climate, reflective practice, lifelong learning, original research, intellectual processes, and teacher evaluation models and training. 
4. Advocate for, design, implement, and evaluate job-embedded, differentiated professional learning and development for teachers, including mentoring, coaching, and group or individualized guidance, direction, support, and feedback. 
5. Promote and influence school transformation to achieve school goals and improve learning and achievement for adults and students by fostering a collaborative culture to support educator development and student success. 
6. Employ best practices in working with diverse learners, analyzing and interpreting data, and understanding the impact of instructional models to improve the culture, climate, and learning in a school. 
7. Promote the understanding, development, assessment, and application of cognitive and psychological foundations to increase teacher performance and student achievement. 
8. Employ and assist colleagues in the use of research-based strategies and resources, systematic inquiry, action research, and assessments and data to improve teacher practice and student learning.
9. Promote the utilization of technology-based learning applications and resources to enhance learning and foster higher levels of functionality. 
10. Establish and maintain a climate of mutual respect, trust, collaboration, collegiality, and support to enhance parent, family, and community involvement throughout culturally diverse environments, organizations, and communities based upon ethical standards. 
11. Build leadership capacity throughout the school by utilizing a collaborative data-driven decision-making process to shape choices in a manner reflective of school needs, goals, vision, and mission. 
12. Serve as an advocate for the development of teacher leadership, student learning, and the teaching profession by understanding laws, policies, and ethical standards influencing and impacting education locally, nationally, and internationally. 

Mission Statement

The M.Ed. in Teacher Leadership program prepares committed, competent and ethical teacher leaders to contribute to and transform the professional education community. Through systematic problem solving and data-driven decision making, students create highly effective learning environments and become positive, reflective, and responsive models as teacher leaders.