Growing Teacher Leaders Who Reimagine Education One Idea at a Time

Outline

0–5 Minutes | Welcome and Spark
• Content: Brief introduction to the purpose—how empowering teacher leaders drives change in classrooms and communities.
• Engagement: Interactive word-cloud poll (Mentimeter or Poll Everywhere) where participants share one challenge they’d love to solve in their school.
• Process: Quick pair-and-share to connect personal purpose to collective energy.

5–15 Minutes | Stories of Change
• Content: Short digital “Change Cards” highlighting real teacher-led innovations—family nights, walking paths, tech-enhanced collaborations.
• Engagement: Participants access these examples via QR codes or a shared Padlet, discuss patterns of impact, and post quick digital reflections.

15–35 Minutes | Design Sprint: Identify and Innovate
• Content: Small groups use a collaborative EmpowerED Thinking Scaffold (Google Slides or Canva template) to identify a school “sticking point” and brainstorm a teacher-led solution.
• Engagement: Live collaboration on shared devices; facilitator prompts energy and creativity.

35–45 Minutes | Technology as a Thought Partner
• Content: Mini-demo on how digital tools or AI can accelerate planning, communication, and stakeholder engagement.
• Engagement: Participants test one guided prompt to refine their idea; share takeaways in chat or on a shared board.

45–55 Minutes | Gallery Walk and Debrief
• Engagement: Groups post prototypes on a shared digital wall (Padlet or Miro). Participants circulate virtually, add feedback, and “like” favorite ideas.

55–60 Minutes | Reflection and Call to Action
• Engagement: Digital takeaway form collects each participant’s next step and resource request.
• Takeaway: Attendees leave with a downloadable scaffold, a prototype idea, and renewed inspiration to empower teacher-led innovation.

Outcomes

After this session, participants will be able to…
1. Identify authentic challenges or “sticking points” in their own school communities that can be addressed through teacher-led innovation.
2. Leverage technology and collaboration frameworks to co-design solutions that build partnerships among educators, families, and community members.
3. Create a prototype for a teacher-led project using an adaptable reflection and planning scaffold provided during the session.
4. Apply strategies for sustaining a culture of innovation and shared leadership within their own schools or districts.

Supporting research

1. Katzenmeyer, Marilyn, and Gayle Moller. Awakening the Sleeping Giant: Helping Teachers Develop as Leaders. 3rd ed., Corwin Press, 2013.
2. Darling-Hammond, Linda, Maria E. Hyler, and Madelyn Gardner. Effective Teacher Professional Development. Learning Policy Institute, 2017.
3. International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). ISTE Standards for Educators and Education Leaders. ISTE, 2017, www.iste.org/standards.
4. Hargreaves, Andy, and Michael T. O’Connor. Collaborative Professionalism: When Teaching Together Means Learning for All. Corwin Press, 2018.
5. Brown, Tim. “Design Thinking.” Harvard Business Review, vol. 86, no. 6, 2008, pp. 84–92.