- Year 2016
- NSF Noyce Award # 1239946
- First Name Sarah
- Last Name van Ingen
- Discipline Mathematics
- Co-PI(s)
Robert Potter, University of South Florida, potter@usf.edu; Larry Plank, Hillsborough County Public Schools, larry.plank@sdhc.k12.fl.us
- Presenters
Sarah van Ingen, University of South Florida, vaningen@usf.edu
Farrell Rogers, Hillsborough County Public Schools, farrell.rogers@sdhc.k12.fl.us
Need
An extensive body of research suggests that teacher leaders are key to professional development (PD) of other teachers within their school and school district. Building on the teacher leadership and the professional development research literature, the MTF Project develops teacher leadership by integrating each of these PD features into the design. This thoughtful design includes developing a linked professional development model comprised of tightly coupled school district and university learning opportunities that are stranded and recursive across time. In addition, it includes creating a community of learners which will likely have a marked effect on mathematics and science teacher learning, prospective mathematics and science teacher learning, as well as student learning.
Goals
Goals of the Tampa Bay Robert Noyce Master Teacher Fellows (MTF) Program are:
** Recruit and select 20 content knowledgeable mathematics and science teachers with a proven track record of effectiveness who will participate in a program for developing teacher leaders.
** Prepare MTF to assume leadership roles within their schools and school district so that they can mentor and support beginning and veteran inservice teachers.
** Prepare MTF to assume leadership roles as part of the USF teacher education program so that they can support prospective mathematics and science teachers by serving as mentors, supervising teachers, guest presenters, and co-instructors.
Approach
During the first three years of the program, 20 experienced teachers were recruited to participate in the program and completed a teacher leadership certificate program. As part of their work in the certificate program, each fellow completed a series of activities aligned with the Model Teacher Leadership Standards, and allowing for demonstration of mastery of these standards. These activities included development and implementation of an Individualized Professional Development Plan and completion of the fifth through eighth modules of the Teacher Leadership Academy. Each Fellow was involved in presenting at the district’s STEM Academy.
Outcomes
During the next academic year, Fellows will continue to prepare for and engage in school and district leadership roles. Fellows will complete reporting on their 2015-16 Individual Professional Development Plans, and design their plans for 2016-17 academic year. The expectation is that through experience gained through implementation of their first two IPDPs, new plans will be refined in their construction, will be more centered on data collection/analysis, and will make better use of resources. To support this goal, several Fellow support sessions will be held during the year. Topics during these sessions will be based on areas of weakness in the prior cycle of plans. Once Fellows complete their annual reports in July, fellows will have additional feedback to guide plan revision. Lessons learned during the 2015-16 academic year will guide implementation of the plans. The focus will be to sustain the work that has been done, broaden the scope of efforts, and, through the use of developing teacher leadership skills, help colleagues to become involved in school improvement efforts.
Broader Impacts
Through their engagement in the MTF program, Fellows have developed professional development plans designed to engage their colleagues. The plans developed indicate faculty involvement in the design and delivery of PD activities, collaborative data collection and analysis, and sharing of findings with administrators, colleagues and students. Several Fellows have been engaged with preservice teacher education. Fellows are engaged in leadership activities which have already impacted the district. Fellows are working with content supervisors to design PD activates, are preparing preservice teachers, some of whom have been hired by the district, and are presenting their work to colleagues across the district.
