Teacher Leadership Tool Kits

Teacher Leadership is the process by which highly effective and empowered teachers serve as catalysts to facilitate continuous improvement resulting in an enhanced culture of teacher engagement, student learning, and achievement.

Teacher leadership is gaining momentum across Georgia as a viable strategy for improving teaching and learning, and retaining teachers. The Tool Kits provided here were developed by Georgia educators and teacher educators who served as members of the Teacher Leadership Task Force, convened and collaboratively facilitated by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC), the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE), and the Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI). The Tool Kits present a cohesive belief statement defining Teacher Leadership, as well as guidelines for teachers, principals, central office personnel, and policy makers for developing teacher leaders within schools and districts. Teacher Leadership, deployed effectively within local schools and districts, empowers teachers, accelerates instructional improvements, and ultimately benefits students. Aimed at encouraging the cultivation and effective deployment of teacher leadership in schools and districts across Georgia, the Tool Kits will be periodically updated and expanded to include additional resources, including videos depicting teacher leadership in action in Georgia schools. Select a section above to preview and download your Teacher Leadership Tool Kit!

Certainly, a challenge in defining Teacher Leadership and in developing teacher leaders stems from the question: Are teacher leaders naturally motivated to lead within their schools, or must they be formally trained to fulfill this lofty role? We believe the answer to this question is that teacher leaders are cultivated through both pathways. Teacher leaders can emerge as those who voluntarily seek opportunities to lead by assisting their peers or serving in informal leadership capacities. Likewise, those desiring to become teacher leaders in a more formal sense can pursue state certification in Teacher Leadership through completion of a degree program or an endorsement program through a GaPSC-approved program.

Please refer to the following sites for more information regarding formalized Teacher Leadership credentialing via GaPSC-approved programs:

Georgia DOE
GLISI
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