Want to be a teacher leader in Tennessee? New guide offers a roadmap

The Tennessee Department of Education on Wednesday released its third annual guide to provide teachers with leadership opportunities.

The 2015-16 Tennessee Teacher Leader Guidebook highlights 15 teacher leader models developed by 28 districts across the state.

Teacher leadership opportunities are viewed as a way to improve school culture by promoting collaboration among administrators and teachers. They also help with retention by letting teachers develop and take on new responsibilities without leaving the classroom for administrative jobs or other fields.

In Tennessee, opportunities range from district initiatives to fellowships from groups such as the Hope Street Group and the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE).

“The development of teacher leaders can be a powerful tool to continue our positive, upward trajectory of increased educator effectiveness and student growth,“ Education Commissioner Candice McQueen said in introducing the resource.

The guide builds upon Teacher Leader Model Standards, which the State Board of Education adopted in 2011, and the department’s Teacher Leader Network, which launched in 2013 to develop adaptable teacher leader models and now includes 28 districts.

“These 28 districts represent the geographic and demographic diversity in our state and provide a powerful roadmap for all schools and districts to support their teachers as they serve our most important customer in K–12 education: students,” McQueen said.

Districts highlighted in the report are:

  • Bartlett City Schools
  • Blount County Schools
  • Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools
  • Chester County Schools
  • Decatur County Schools
  • Hamblen County Schools
  • Haywood County Schools
  • Jackson-Madison County Schools
  • Knox County Schools
  • Oak Ridge City Schools
  • Obion County Schools
  • Robertson County Schools
  • Stewart County Schools
  • Union County Schools
  • Washington County Schools