RIGHT COLUMN TITLE
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Teacher Leadership Network?
It is a collaborative effort between secondary vocational schools and Temple University's Center for Professional Development in Career and Technical Education. The goal of the Network is to involve teachers in their own professional development in a way that connects with the goals of the whole school. Actively planning their own professional development allows teachers to 1) view the change process as some thing they can participate in rather than be controlled by; 2) reflect critically on their own practice; and 3) help each other cooperatively as they learn more about content, pedagogy, and students' learning styles.
Who is eligible to join?
Any vocational-technical school, its sending schools, or comprehensive school in Temple's service area in the 17-county eastern portion of the state can join.
How do schools actually 'participate' in the Network?
Faculties nominate one or more teacher leaders from among their teaching faculty to attend monthly meetings at another vocational school in their region. There are four regions in Temple's service area North, Central, South. So the meetings are never held too far away from your school.
What happens at these meetings?
Teacher leaders bring suggestions from their schools about what they need in terms of improving student achievement. The teacher leaders have an opportunity to share ideas among themselves regarding programs, teaching strategies and innovative approaches to solving problems and issues that may also be confronting other vocational educators in their region.
Who actually coordinates and conducts the meetings?
There are four Regional Teacher Leadership Coordinators -one in each region- who are selected from the entire group of teacher leaders in the region. They are responsible, with the input from all the teacher leaders in their group, for organizing and conducting the regular activities of the Network. These four Regional Coordinators along with Temple university faculty representatives, plan the comprehensive program of the Network.
Who are the featured speakers at the regional monthly meetings?
On occasion, there are guest speakers, but the content is primarily provided by the teacher leaders themselves who volunteer to share information on topics they feel will benefit the group. The teacher leaders refer to this as the "mini-versity" approach. The Regional Coordinator also shares information and concerns common to the other regions or even at a state or national level.
How can the participation of one or two teacher leader representatives at these meetings benefit the rest of our faculty?
The teacher leaders who attend the monthly meetings are expected to bring the information they have received back to their home school faculty and share the ideas and experiences they have received. In this way, the re is an evolution of the Network from its original beginnings as an eastern Pennsylvania consortium, guided by a regional agenda, into a process that benefits teachers at the grass roots level. It also allows teachers, both as individuals and as a faculty, to grow and develop professionally by sharing in their own lifelong learning process.
Does it cost anything to join the Network?
No membership fees are charged to become a participating school. The only cost incurred by the school is for substitute teacher fees for those teachers who attend the monthly meetings.
When can we join?
There is open enrollment in the Network, but it is most beneficial for schools to begin participating at the start of the school year.
How can my school join the Network?
If you are interested in participating, contact
Dr. Edward S. Lyba
Teacher Leadership Network Coordinator
Partners in Education
One South Church Street
Hazleton, PA 18201
(570) 450-6314
edlyba@temple.edu
What are some benefits to being part of the Teacher Leadership Network?
This is what some educators have to say about their participation in the Network:
"The Temple Teacher Leadership Network provides a unique professional growth opportunity for a cadre of teachers in curriculum, instruction, management, and in the enhancement of leadership skills. Lead teachers facilitate staff development and promote mentor/peer collegiality. Our lead teachers play a vital role in the process of improving education at Lehigh Career & Technical Institute." - Dr. Clyde Hornberger, Director, Lehigh Career & Technical Institute
"It gave me an opportunity to share both my ideas and those of others from participating schools to enhance the learning environment at my school." - Mr. Peter Laviola, Auto Mechanics Instructor, Center for Arts and Technology/Pickering Campus
"... our teacher participants have not only served as a source of valuable pedagogical information, but they have developed into genuine teacher leaders who have inspired our staff to further professional growth."- Mr. John Gnall, Director of Secondary Education, Wallenpaupak Area School District
"It has enabled our teachers to take greater ownership in the improvement of the teaching/learning process across all aspects of the curriculum." - Dr. Bob Lees, Director, Middle Bucks Institute of Technology