Ambition, Initiative and Courage: Aledo
I.S.D Teacher Leadership Academy
Erin Griffith
Lamar University
Ambition, Initiative and Courage: Aledo
I.S.D Teacher Leadership Academy
Abstract
The Aledo ISD Teacher Leadership Academy
was formed to help teachers advance in their careers and exert more influence
in district decision making. Teachers and administrators had expressed concern
with current levels of leadership opportunities for teachers that were looking
to take on more of a leadership role in the district. The district looked to
implement a program that would service teachers that were interested in
building leadership and capacity among all teachers, improving their
professional practice, developing a culture of shared accountability and
responsibility for the success of the schools in the district, and
demonstrating ethical principles that uphold the code of ethics and standards
for professional conduct.
Minimum requirements for teachers in the academy
included: a minimum of proficient on each domain on appraisal instrument for
the last two years and a minimum of two years teaching experience. The
candidates must also show evidence of: commitment to academic rigor to increase
student achievement, instruction expertise, professional resilience and
integrity, commitment to continuous learning, strong communication skills and a
commitment to equity and excellence.
On November 27,2012 a survey was sent out
that supported the need for a program to be created. Applications were made
available to all teachers in the district and all interested teachers were
invited to an informational session on December 5, 2012. After applications
were received, 26 teachers were selected and notified of their acceptance into
the program. Selected teachers ranged from all levels and represented 7 of the
9 campuses in the district. The first TLA meeting was held in the Walsh room of
the Aledo ISD administration building on January 15, 2015.
Since the selection of the first cohort
of the TLA, members have participated in a detailed book study, performed
campus needs assessments for summer professional development opportunities,
presented findings to district leaders, and collaborated to restructure and
develop a new summer professional development model. The TLA meetings will be
facilitated by the Director for Testing and Accountability, Denise Dugger and
meeting agendas will be driven by the 26 teachers in the cohort. The academy
will be 2 years in length with the first year focusing on the development of
leadership skills and experiences and the second leading new cohort members
forward.
Introduction
The Aledo I.S.D. Teacher Leadership
Academy was formed after district administrators began to recognize a need for
opportunity to encourage teachers to take on leadership roles in the district. Aledo
I.S.D. has had a reputation for high standards in many areas including: Academics,
Financial Management, and success in student Extra-Curricular Activities (see
chart on page 2.) The district has
recognized that in order to support continued growth in these areas, developing
teacher leaders needs to become a priority.
Aledo I.S.D had an enrollment of 4,713 students
for the 2012-2013 school year. It is home to 9 campuses that include 4 elementary
campuses, a 6th grade campus, a junior high, a ninth grade center, an
alternative learning center, and the a high school. The district services a
rural community outside of Fort Worth, Texas whose students are ethnically
represented as follows: African American –1.41%, Hispanic –10.46%, White –
84.59 %, Native American – 0.62%, Asian/Pacific
Islander – 0.90%. 12.43% of the student population is Economically
Disadvantaged, 2.54% is Limited English Proficient (LEP), 17.42% is At-Risk,
7.24% is Special Education, and 8.11% is Gifted and Talented. The district
served 0.02% migrant students during the school year and 42 homeless students. The district has a total staff of 352
teachers, professional support, campus administration and central office
administration. The turnover rate for staff in 2010-2011 was 12.4%. According to the district comprehensive
needs assessment, Aledo ISD receives state, local and federal funding including:
Title I, II, III, Carl Perkins, IDEA
Formula and Preschool. The district received the state’s highest financial
integrity rating for the eighth consecutive year. The district serves students
from PPCD through 12th grade. Staff includes 59.6% teachers, 8.6% professional
support, 7.4% educational aides, 5.2% campus administration, 1.3% central
administrative staff and 18.0% auxiliary staff. The student-to-teacher ratio during
the 2010-11 school year was higher than the state average at every elementary
grade level and in all secondary subject areas. The overall (total number of students
in the district divided by total number of teachers) ratio for the state was
14.7 students per teacher; the ratio for Aledo ISD was 16.5 students per
teacher.
See chart below for achievement highlights.
|
Academics
|
Financial Management
|
Extra-Curricular Activity
|
|
Class of 2012 had 389 graduates
who earned over $10 million in scholarship offers
|
Aledo ISD received
"Superior" rating for tenth straight year in the state's financial
integrity ratings system ("FIRST" rating)
|
Aledo High School ranked 8th in
State in UIL Lone Star Cup which measures combined scores for all extra-curricular
activities
governed by the UIL
|
|
Aledo HS ranked in top 5% of all
state and national high schools by US News and World Report
Magazine
|
Annual school taxes on the
average home in Aledo ISD
are approximately $3,300
|
Band and One Act Play qualified
for state competition
|
|
Aledo HS finished second in state
in UIL Academics
competition
|
Despite $5 million in state
funding cuts in 201113, no cuts in staff
or programs.
|
8 district championships in boys
and girls athletics
|
|
All state tests scores well above
state and local averages
|
|
4A Division II State Champions in
Football
|
|
Aledo
ISD was in the 28% of districts that met AYP in 2012
|
|
45 student athletes were named Academic
All State
|
After analyzing this data and meeting
with district administrators it was noted that the district is preparing to add
several schools to support impending community growth. Also, with such high
student expectation, the question arose, “What are we doing to raise the bar
for our teachers as well?” The hope was to prepare future leaders in the
district to open new schools and facilitate positive change to support the needs
of stakeholders. I am
currently a 5th grade teacher at Stuard Elementary and am a first
year teacher to the district. After
several collaborative meetings with the Executive Director of Curriculum, Kathy
Allen, and Executive Director of Professional Development and Accountability, Denise
Dugger, we decided to research and develop a plan for implementing a teacher
leadership program for district educators. We discussed expected challenges that
included: teacher buy in, teachers giving up time outside of school,
administrative support at the campus level, aligned vision for change, and a
culture of isolation that has kept teachers strengths and ideas within the four
walls of the classroom.
The need for an increase in leadership
opportunities for current teachers in the district was selected as the target
issue. With the changing expectations of classroom instruction to fit the needs
of our 21st century students, it was imperative that teachers stay abreast
of current research and trends in education. With limited staffing at the administrative
level, teacher leaders could play a major role in shaping the future of Aledo
I.S.D. This study will
address how Aledo I.S.D will create opportunities and support a culture within
it’s schools for teachers, that promote collaboration, sharing of practice,
leading from the classroom, and collective responsibility for the success of
students.
Through the research, development and
implementation of the Aledo Teacher Leadership Academy, educators will become
leaders in the district through leadership development, data driven decision
making, and building leadership skills and capacity among all teachers. Projects that are lead by teachers in the
academy will shape professional development, which will affect all teachers in
the district as well as students on all campuses. Through experience that is
gained in TLA, the hope is to provide teachers with specific leadership skills to
go forward and lead the district in opening new schools and facilitating
positive change for all stakeholders. Participation in this process will give
me experience in many areas of leadership concentrating on my ability to
promote collaboration, decision- making, problem solving, facilitating team
building and developing consensus among district administrators.
Relevant Terms
Title I: ensure
that all children have a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a
high-quality education and reach, at a minimum, proficiency on challenging
State academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.
Title II: (1) increase student academic
achievement through strategies such as improving teacher and principal quality
and increasing the number of highly qualified teachers in the classroom and
highly qualified principals and assistant principals in schools; and
(2)
hold local educational agencies and schools accountable for improvements in
student academic achievement.
Title III: The program helps eligible IHEs to
become self-sufficient and expand their capacity to serve low-income students
by providing funds to improve and strengthen the academic quality, institutional
management, and fiscal stability of eligible institutions.
Limited English Proficient: This means persons who are unable to
communicate effectively in English because their primary language is not
English and they have not developed fluency in the English language.
Carl Perkins: defines vocational-technical
education as organized educational programs offering sequences of courses
directly related to preparing individuals for paid or unpaid employment in
current or emerging occupations requiring other than a baccalaureate or
advanced degree. Programs include competency-based applied learning which
contributes to an individual's academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning,
problem solving skills, and the occupational-specific skills necessary for
economic independence as a productive and contributing member of society.
PPCD: Eligible
children with disabilities, ages 3-21, are entitled to receive a free and
appropriate public education (FAPE) under the Individuals with Disabilities Act
(IDEA).
Literature Review
Teacher Leadership Programs are
becoming more and more critical with a growing focus on the instructional
paradigm shift in education. Schools are looking for leaders who facilitate
collaboration, creativity and growth among their staff. Administrators acting solely as managers who
make every decision authoritatively will no longer cut it. Leaders should build
opportunity for those around them to use their talents. In the Leadership book, “Multipliers, “ by
Liz Wiseman she points out an intriguing point.
“ We’ve all had experience with
two dramatically different types of leaders. The first type drains
intelligence, energy, and capability from the people around them and needs to
be the smartest person in the room. These are the idea killers, the energy
sappers, the “Diminishers” of talent and capability. (Wiseman, 2010)
On the other side of the
spectrum are leaders who use their intelligence to amplify the smarts and
capabilities of the people around them. When these leaders walk into a room,
light bulbs go on; ideas flow and problems get solved. These are the leaders
who inspire teachers and administrators to stretch themselves and surpass
expectations. These leaders use their smarts to make everyone around them
smarter and more capable. These leaders are Multipliers. The educational system
needs “Intelligence Multipliers” right now, especially when leaders must do
more with less.” (Wiseman, 2010)
This quote really captures the type of
leadership we are looking to create in Aledo I.S.D. As stated above, we are being asked to do
more with less. We can do it, and do it well if our teachers are conscious of
their ability to be an Intelligence Multiplier.
A recent article in Education Week Teacher, defined teacher leaders as,
“ Educators who take the reins on
initiatives and projects outside their own classrooms. They might head
professional learning communities, mentor new teachers, work with community
nonprofits, or engage with policymakers at the district, state, or even
national level. Teacher leaders are often trusted sources of advice at their
schools. And in many cases, they're catalysts for school change.” (Link, 2012)
When
we began developing the outline of what Teacher Leadership would look like in
our district, we took a close look at this article. We were inspired to create
opportunities for teachers to “take the reins,” and become the “catalyst for
change” in our schools. We felt that would best be accomplished through forming
a Teacher Leader Academy that would focus on just that. Our district is filled
with teacher leaders who lead in non-traditional and traditional ways. Getting
those teachers to step out from the shadows of the four walls of their
classrooms would be our challenge.
Education Weekly recently published an
interview with National Teacher of the Year, Rebecca Mieliwocki , a 7th grade Science teacher from
Burbank, California. They asked her to describe her definition of teacher
leadership and discuss her role as a teacher leader.
“First
of all, teacher leaders see themselves as an important and vital part of
something bigger than themselves. A teacher leader doesn’t just see his or her
class of 30 or 150 or seven, they see themselves as embedded in the fabric of
an entire school and believe that every kid is their kid. They see themselves
as on a quest to learn and improve. A teacher leader is somebody that has
thrown open the door to the classroom, has invited in as many people as
possible, and has asked for feedback.
A teacher leader expertly and
elegantly finds ways to speak difficult truths to the people that need to hear
them. Not in a negative way. A teacher leader holds another teacher on the
shoulder and says, "When I hear you talk about your kids, it's very
negative. The standard that you verbalize you've set for them is very low. I
would like to hear you talk about how your kids can do anything. When we give
little people a reason to reach, they will.” That conversation is a very
difficult one for professionals to have. But true leaders are not afraid of that
conversation because they've opened themselves up to it in their own careers.”
(Mieliwocki , 2012)
Mieliwocki’s answer is powerful. Her 2012
platform is to restore “dignity and admiration to teachers.” She has also been outspoken about her support for tiered career
ladders—coupled with differentiated pay—as a way to give teachers more
career-advancement opportunities. (Heiten, 2012)
Across the country Teacher Leadership programs are
being established to support the changing needs of today’s teachers. The
National Teacher Leader Academy, which is a signature program of National Geographic,
is one such example.
“NTLA provides
intensive, high-quality professional development for practicing teachers who
are selected for their potential to become state and national-level leaders for
the transformation of geographic education. This two-year program enables
teachers to develop their own teaching skills, become members of a tight-knit
professional community, and prepares them to deliver professional development
and serve as mentors to other teachers in their home communities.
The NTLA model, teachers attend one-week, residential institutes in two successive summers, with ongoing participation in online professional communities during the academic years. During the first academic year, teachers practice and reflect upon what they have learned. In the second summer, teachers return for a program focusing on teacher leadership. In this institute, they learn and practice the facilitation of professional development, mentoring, and coaching, in the context of the content and pedagogy that was the focus of their first year. During year two and beyond, they utilize these teacher leadership skills by providing professional development in their own schools, districts, or states through conferences, workshops, and ongoing communities of practice.” ("National Teacher Leadership," 2013)
The NTLA model, teachers attend one-week, residential institutes in two successive summers, with ongoing participation in online professional communities during the academic years. During the first academic year, teachers practice and reflect upon what they have learned. In the second summer, teachers return for a program focusing on teacher leadership. In this institute, they learn and practice the facilitation of professional development, mentoring, and coaching, in the context of the content and pedagogy that was the focus of their first year. During year two and beyond, they utilize these teacher leadership skills by providing professional development in their own schools, districts, or states through conferences, workshops, and ongoing communities of practice.” ("National Teacher Leadership," 2013)
Through
the Aledo Teacher Leadership Academy, we hope teachers will spend the first
year perfecting their craft and the second facilitating professional
development for other future teacher leaders. “With desire and commitment the leader builds
a fire inside that catches others on fire. No matter the odds, the leader knows
that any task can be accomplished.” (Wong, 1991)
Action Research Design
Subject
In conducting our research for the
Teacher Leadership Academy we wanted to target teachers ranging from Pre-K to
12th grade, including support staff such as campus librarians,
instructional technologists, and counselors. The leadership survey was sent out
to all 352 teachers in the district. We hoped to include teachers from all
campuses and a variety of teaching backgrounds to encourage district wide
collaboration and alignment.
Procedures
To address the need for increased
opportunity for teachers to advance in their careers and exert more influence
in district decision making a Teacher Leadership Academy was formed. The process began with several meetings
between the Director of Testing and Accountability, Denise Dugger and myself.
Our first meeting was November 6, 2012. Our agenda was to brainstorm ideas for
the TLA, develop guidelines for participants and establish goals for the
members. We decided during the meeting
to send out a Survey Monkey to all Aledo ISD staff that included the following
questions:
- Do you feel there is ample amount of teacher leadership opportunities available in the district?
- Would you be interested in a Teacher Leadership Academy that would allow you to influence others through collaboration and action research?
- Do you believe teachers can influence positive change in their colleagues? If so, are you interested in becoming a change agent at your campus?
- What activities would make this a worthwhile experience for you?
- Would you be willing to give time outside of the school day to participate in a Leadership Academy?
We used the feedback from the survey to
develop goals and a time frame for the first cohort of the TLA. From the survey we were able to decide on a
firm timeline and identify some of the activities that would be accomplished in
the first meeting. The time line went as follows:
- Broadcast Leadership Academy Interest Survey November 30, 2012
- Conduct overview meeting on December 5th at 4pm in the Walsh Room. Will use the PPT with some additions.
- Applications due on December 17th.
- TLA Cohort I announced on December 14th.
- First meeting January 10th, 4-6pm, Walsh Room. Will review other meeting dates at that time with the group.
- Multiplier’s Books ordered (TLA book study.)
For the informational meeting that
was held on the 5th of December, we sent invitations and created
Power Point that would guide the meeting.
Forty teachers attended the informational
meeting where we reviewed the points from the Power Point and passed out
applications. Completed forms were due December 6, 2012 and accepted applicants
would be notified on December 12, 2012. Minimum requirements included a
proficient rating on each domain in their appraisal instrument for the past two
years and two years teaching experience. Teachers accepted into Cohort 1 were
notified via email that included expected meeting dates. The message was as
follows:
CONGRATULATIONS!
You have officially been selected to participate in the 1st
Annual Teacher Leader Academy!
It is an honor and a pleasure to work beside each of you as
we TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Learning and growing together
Looking forward to seeing you in January!
Here are the dates for the TLA Cohort 1 meetings for 2013:
January 15, 2013
February 12, 2013
March 19, 2013
April 9, 2013
May 21, 2013
All meetings are in the Walsh room from 4:00 – 6:00pm.
Unfortunately we are not able to offer daycare services
during our meeting times.
Data
Collection
To collect data for this project we used
a variety of resources including the comprehensive district needs assessment
that was posted on the district website, the Aledo Plan on a Page, several
meetings and collaborative discussions with administrators and Survey Monkey to
establish timelines and guidelines for the project. Questions in the survey were yes and no
questions with the option for input.
Findings
Through our Survey Monkey we were able to
gather information that allowed us to establish goals and parameters for the
TLA. The survey was broadcasted out on November 30, 2012. Three hundred and
fifty two teachers received the survey and we received feedback form 73. The
results were as follows:
Question
1: Do you feel there is ample amount of teacher leadership opportunities in the
district?
Key:
Blue:
Teachers that felt there was enough opportunity for Teacher Leadership
Red:
Teachers that felt there needed to be more
Green:
Weren’t sure
Question 2: Would you be interested in a Teacher Leadership
Academy that would allow you to influence others through collaboration and
action research?
Red: No
Blue: Yes
Green: Possibly
Question 3: A.Do you believe teachers can influence positive
change in their colleagues? B. If so, are you interested in becoming a change
agent at your campus?
Part A:
Red: possibly
Blue: No
Green: Yes
Part B
Red: Possibly
Blue: No
Green: Yes
Question 4: What activities would make this a worthwhile
experience for you?
This question was open ended and received a variety of
answers.
Question 5: Would you be willing to give time outside of the
school day to particiapte in a Leadership Academy?
Blue: No
Red: Yes
Green: Possibly
Conclusions and
Recommendations
In conclusion to the
data that has been collected through interviews, surveys and feedback from
teachers after implementation of the Aledo TLA, I feel it is a succesful
intervention for proffesional growth oppurtunities in the district. Twenty six
teachers were invited to join the first cohort in December and the first
meeting was held January 10, 2012. Since the launch of the TLA, members have participated in a detailed book study,
performed campus needs assessments for summer professional development
opportunities, presented findings to district leaders, and collaborated to
restructure and develop a new summer professional development model. The
meetings are facilitated by the Director for Testing and Accountability, Denise
Dugger and meeting agendas are driven by the 26 teachers in the cohort. The
academy will be 2 years in length with the first year focusing on the
development of leadership skills and experiences and the second leading new
cohort members forward. The TLA has created a sense of ownership and
collaboration between the members and has created a forum for teachers to share
ideas and find their voice in the district.
I found the information from the survey
to be both interesting and helpful in the development of the plan for the TLA.
There were teachers who had absolutely no interest in being involved with the
program and others who expressed a marked interest. In the beginning stages of
planning for the TLA, we envisioned between 20 and 30 teachers participating in
the first year. This would be our sample group that would really establish a
precedent for what TLA would accomplish. Our predictions were pretty accurate. The
26 members in the first cohort are actively engaged in becoming change agents
for both their campus and the district as a whole. I feel that the most
significant factor that has made the TLA a success is that the teachers drive
the meetings and create an atmosphere of “Intelligence Multipliers.” (Wiseman,
2010) The director of the TLA, Denise Dugger, acts as a facilitator and
supports the initiatives of the group.
This has empowered the members of the group and encouraged them to take
risks and take on leadership roles on their own campuses. I fell that a program
like this would benefit every school district as it encourages collaborative
problem solving and brings teachers together to form an overall consensus on
issues.
Work Cited
Heitin, L. (2012, October 18). National Teacher of the Year.
EdWeek. Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2012/10/17/tl_mieliwocki.html
Link, L. (2012, July 31). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teaching_ahead/the-value-of-teacher-leadership-todayand-tomorrow/
Mieliwocki, R. (2012, October 17). Interview by L Heitin [].
National Teacher of the Year: Give us a Career Path., Retrieved from http://www.edweek.org/tm/articles/2012/10/17/tl_mieliwocki.html
National Teacher Leadership Academy: Ng's Signature
Professional Development Program. (2013, January). Retrieved from
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/program/ntla/?ar_a=1
Wiseman, L. (2010). Multipliers. (1st ed., Vol. 1, p.
251). NewYork, NY : HarperCollins.
Wong, H. (1991). The first days of school: How to be an
effective teacher. Sunnyvale, California: Harry K.Wong Publications.
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