Rowing in the Same Direction: Team-Based Approach to Strengthening Instructional Leadership

Outline

CONTENT AND ENGAGEMENT:
During this session, participants will gain a protocol for planning and implementing school-based instructional leadership teams that enhance the capacity of teacher leaders. Session facilitators will share their process for establishing structured teacher leadership roles across all district schools and discuss the initiative's impact, including a pipeline from teacher leader to principal and consistent student growth and achievement.

Participants will begin the session by reflecting on their current model for leveraging teacher leaders in their system. They will analyze their leadership team practices by considering the following questions:
-What are the components of strong leadership teams?
-What tools can ensure meetings are intentionally planned and focused on key goals?
-What roles do school and teacher leaders play in this process to ensure success?
This engagement strategy will allow participants to connect their current practices with the new learning presented in the session.

Session facilitators will model how to plan for instructional leadership teams that build the capacity of teacher leaders to conduct peer observations, plan for weekly job-embedded professional development, and provide ongoing follow-up support for teachers in the classroom. The model will incorporate the 5 Steps for Effective Learning in Leadership Teams planning protocol.
-Identify the need: What is the problem or need identified by the instructional leadership team?
-Obtain new learning: What new learning do the teacher leaders need based on the area of need?
-Develop new learning: How will the teacher leaders implement the new learning to support teachers?
-Apply new learning: When will the teacher leaders use it to shift their practice?
-Evaluate the impact: What data will be collected to evaluate the impact of the new learning?

After the model, presenters will facilitate and guide participants through an interactive and collaborative development process of planning for an instructional leadership team meeting. Participants will use the "5 Steps for Effective Leadership Team Meetings" protocol to plan a meeting to build the capacity of teacher leaders.

TIME:
10 minutes: Overview of structured teacher leadership roles and instructional leadership teams.

5 minutes: Participant reflection and turn-and-talk discussion on the current model for leveraging teacher leaders in their system.

15 minutes: New learning on how to plan and facilitate instructional leadership team meetings to build the capacity of teacher leaders using the 5 Steps for Effective Leadership Team Meeting protocol.

5 minutes: Participants turn and discuss how the 5 Steps for Effective Leadership Team Meetings protocol connects to and enhances their current practices to leverage teacher leaders in their system.

20 minutes: Presenters will facilitate and guide participants through an interactive and collaborative development process of planning for an instructional leadership team meeting using the 5 Steps for Effective Leadership Team Meetings protocol to plan a meeting to build the capacity of teacher leaders.

5 minutes: Session closes with questions from the participants.

PROCESS:
We will engage the audience by modeling the 5 Steps for Effective Leadership Team Meetings protocol throughout the presentation. New learning will be presented, followed by a 5-minute turn and talk to deepen participant understanding. Presenters will facilitate and guide participants through an interactive and collaborative development process of planning for an instructional leadership team meeting using the 5 Steps for Effective Leadership Team Meetings protocol, supporting participants with applying the new learning. Participants will identify ways to strengthen their leadership team meetings using the protocol. Finally, presenters will summarize key learnings and wrap up the session.

Participants will discuss current district practices regarding leadership teams and teacher leaders. They will leave the session equipped to enhance their leadership team meetings using the 5 Steps for Effective Leadership Team Meetings protocol to strengthen teacher and student outcomes.

Supporting research

Unleashing Teacher Leadership: A Toolkit for Ensuring Effective Instruction in Every Classroom (Dr. Joshua Barnett NIET, published by ASCD, 2024).

Unleashing Teacher Leadership Study Guide: https://www.niet.org/assets/Book_Study_Guide_BW.pdf

Research paper illustrating impact of NIET’s work on schools in South Carolina
https://www.niet.org/newsroom/show/blog/south-carolina-school-leaders-build-instructional-leadership

The Gadsden Story: Springboard to Leadership Through Grow-Your-Own
https://www.niet.org/newsroom/show/feature/springboard-to-leadership-grow-your-own-gadsden-arizona

Tips from the NIET Team on Instructional Leadership Teams
https://www.niet.org/newsroom/show/blog/tips-from-the-niet-team-maximizing-instructional-leadership-teams