Discussions with 13 teachers nationwide examined what they thought about their roles as teacher leaders, highlighting benefits of teacher leadership, necessary supports, finding time, who to talk to for support, and what has been helpful in their role as teacher leaders. Respondents were genuinely concerned about their students, eager to…

Research suggests the need to provide leadership opportunities for teachers within school settings in order to increase professional collaboration and community. This research explored one rural district's professional development model, which was evaluated to determine its potential in developing teacher leaders. This district's professional…

There is a rich history of researchers developing curricular materials aimed at enhancing student learning in American classrooms. Though many of these innovations have been successful on a small scale, institutionalizing them so they become part of a district's instructional culture has been a challenge. As large districts try to scale up and…

The 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education was designed to provide up-to-date information and to identify trends in the areas of teacher background and experience, curriculum and instruction, and the availability and use of instructional resources. A total of 7,752 science and mathematics teachers in schools across the United…

This book examines how to generate successful professional development programs. There are 14 chapters in five parts. Part 1, "Set the Stage for Powerful Professional Learning," includes: (1) "The Case for Powerful Professional Learning"; (2) "Stretch Goals, Deep Change, and a Compelling Vision"; and (3) "A…

This article describes the stages of a formative evaluation process for a professional development project. It was designed to support teachers in urban schools as they implement student-centered practices. The four stages of the evaluation that can serve as a road map for this type of collaboration are: (1) the program vision and anticipated…

This report presents information from a study of teachers of the year regarding their personal experiences with teacher leadership. It highlights: reasons to promote leadership (e.g., teachers have the most expertise and knowledge of how to improve education for students and can form a critical mass with their peers for positive or negative change…

This book approaches the subject of leadership among science and mathematics teachers during times of educational reform from the perspective of local decision making, personal action, and respect of peers. The view of leadership presented in this book elevates the profession rather than the status of individuals, and the view is supported by…

Teacher leadership is increasingly being seen as a key vehicle for school improvement and renewal. However, research on this phenomenon is limited, especially outside of the US. This article presents findings from an empirical study of teacher leadership in the UK, aimed at exploring both the ways in which teacher leadership can influence school…

This report pays tribute to the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Rural Systemic Initiatives (RSIs), an investment of more than $140 million to improve mathematics and science education in some of rural America's most impoverished communities. The report illustrates the impact of NSF's RSI program on a national scale. Each RSI planned a project…

This booklet for teachers reports what participants in the U.S. Department of Education's 1996 National Teacher Forum had to say about teacher leadership. Forum participants were 120 exemplary public and private school teachers nationwide. The report also includes thoughts of teachers who used e-mail to share their ideas on teacher leadership.…

Describes the Building Resource Teacher (BRT) position in one Colorado school district. Each elementary and middle school has a BRT who works with other teachers as a resident mentor, coach, and resource provider. The paper discusses what makes the BRT program successful. Three sidebars present lessons of the BRT program, how the program was…

As qualified teachers are central to children receiving a high-quality preschool education, many policy initiatives aimed at improving program quality are thwarted when insufficient attention is paid to the professional development of the workforce. One response to this issue has been to create teacher leadership roles so that teachers mentor…

Profound change in school begins with profound change in leaders that radiates to others and into the system. Profound change requires more than structural change--it requires changing the brains of teachers and administrators. Creating such change requires that leaders think, speak, and act differently on a daily basis, clarifying their ideas and…

This book addresses the contemporary realities of schools and teaching, focusing on both the constraints and possibilities embedded in practice. It uses the words and experiences of teachers and principals to show what growth and change look like from the inside, focusing on what change requires, how differences in context and personnel are…