Teacher Leader Programme
UCST & ULT, in conjunction with Sheffield Hallam University, first implemented the Teacher Leader Programme in January 2007. February 2012 will see our sixth cohort starting and completing their Teacher Leader work, with more than 40 teachers having already completed their Teacher Leader studies.
The Teacher Leader Programme aims to encourage, recognise and reward excellence in the classroom as demonstrated by outstanding teaching and learning, leading to improved, sustained and high quality student outcomes.
Teacher Leaders are those teachers who demonstrate that they are excellent classroom practitioners, are innovate and inspirational within their school or academy and are eager to share best practice with their peers in the interests of creating and maintaining the best in everyone.
The primary role of the Teacher Leader is to provide an excellent model of teaching and learning within the classroom. Teacher Leaders will be reflective practitioners, constantly looking at ways to improve their own practice and the practice of other colleagues within their school or academy. They will engage in a programme of action research that is relevant to themselves, their institution and the bespoke needs of their students.The timeframe for becoming a Teacher Leader is as follows:
| September/October | Heads and Principals are contacted and asked to nominate teachers within their school who are good to outstanding practitioners and who also have a desire to engage in a programme of action research that will ultimately impact on performance within their school |
| October | Nominees are invited to participate in the Teacher Programme. Nominees are asked to complete two questions relating to their propsed area of research. For further details please see the attached pdf entitled 'TLA Activity' |
| November | Teacher Leader nominees submit their TLA Activity. Successful nominees are invited to participate in the Teacher Leader Programme for that year |
| January | Teacher Leader participants attend a two day training programme in Sheffield where they are exposed to the salient points of action research methodology, educational strategies and thinking skills and information relating to Sheffield Hallam's Professional Learning in the Workplace (PLW) model |
| January - April | Teacher Leader participants go back to their schools and academies and put their action research methodology into place |
| April | Teacher Leader participants attend a third day in London where the focus is on monitoring their progress, offering further support, providing participants with data analysis methods and providing a framework to enable them to complete their Teacher Leader portfolio |
| September | First deadline. Teacher Leaders submit for 30M Level or 60M Level points. Teacher may now be appointed by Head or Principal as Teacher Leader |
| March | Second deadline. Teacher Leaders submit for 30M Level or 60M Level points. Teacher may now be appointed by Head or Principal as Teacher Leader |
