Strategies for enhancing teacher leadership

Strategy 12: Utilize External Professional Teacher Networks
Encourage teachers to participate in external professional teacher networks. Pairing talented
teachers who have the skills and opportunities to lead with other teachers in similar situations
offers limitless capacity for success.
Resource 54: National Writing Project
National Writing Project. (2007). National Writing Project [Website]. Berkeley, CA: University
of California. Retrieved November 1, 2007, from http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/doc/about.csp
The National Writing Project (NWP) is a professional development network that “serves teachers
of writing at all grade levels, primary through university, and in all subjects.” NWP’s mission is to improve student achievement by improving the teaching of writing. “The nearly 200 local
sites that make up the NWP network are hosted by local universities and colleges.” Sites work in
partnership with area school districts to offer educators high-quality professional development
programs. NWP sites share a national program model; these sites develop a leadership cadre of
local teachers, “teacher-consultants,” through summer institutes; in addition, they design and
deliver customized inservice programs for local schools, districts, and universities. NWP,
through its model of developing teacher leaders, enhances the professionalism of teaching.

Resource 55: National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. (n.d.).Teachers: How can teachers get
involved? Arlington, VA: Author.
Retrieved November 1, 2007, from http://www.nbpts.org/get_involved/teachers
This site offers ways in which teachers can become involved in the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).

Resource 56: Teacher Leaders Network (TLN)
Teacher Leaders Network. (n.d.). Why TLN? [Website]. Retrieved November 1, 2007, from
http://www.teacherleaders.org/about_tln/whytln.htm
The mission of TLN is to promote the powerful potential of teacher leadership and to improve
student learning by advancing the teaching profession. The TLN site is a good resource for
teacher leadership research, community, and support.

Recruit Qualified and Effective Teacher Leaders
Resource 57: Establishing High-Quality Teacher Preparation
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. (2007, May). National Council for
Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) [Website]. Retrieved November 1, 2007,
from http://www.ncate.org/public/aboutNCATE.asp
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) is an independent
accrediting body responsible for accreditation in teacher education. One goal of NCATE is to
ensure high-quality teaching throughout a teacher’s career. NCATE has designed a three-phase
continuum of teacher preparation and development. NCATE works with state officials, ETS, and
leaders of NBPTS, to align standards and assessments throughout each phase of the continuum.

Resource 58: Teacher Advancement Program: Professional Growth and Career Advancement
National Institute for Excellence in Teaching. (n.d.). What is the Teacher Advancement Program
(TAP)™?. Santa Monica, CA: Milken Family Foundation. Retrieved November 1, 2007,
from http://www.talentedteachers.org/tap.taf?page=whatistap
The Teacher Advancement Program (TAP) is “a bold new strategy to attract, retain, develop and
motivate talented people to the teaching profession.” TAP envisions multiple career paths on
which teachers can progress along a continuum of increasingly demanding requirements to
become leaders, decision makers, and mentors.

Resource 59: The Effectiveness of the Teacher Advancement Program
Solmon, L. C., White, J. T., Cohen, C., & Woo, D. (2007). The effectiveness of the Teacher
Advancement Program (TAP). Santa Monica, CA: National Institute for Excellence in
Teaching. Retrieved November 1, 2007, from http://www.talentedteachers.org/pubs/effective_tap07_full.pdf
As stated previously, TAP provides multiple career paths for teachers. This key element of TAP
“enables teachers to advance while staying in the classroom and also provides opportunities for
shared instructional leadership—the principal cannot do it alone.” This paper presents an
analysis of the impact of TAP teachers and schools on student achievement in six states.