Teacher Leadership, M.Ed.

Teacher Leadership (GaPSC Rule 505-3-.53) prepares teachers for “providing professional development, building a school culture of continuous improvement and becoming change agents while maintaining the role of classroom teacher” (GaPSC Guidance for Educators, May 9, 2012). Graduates of this performance-based program will be teacher leaders who plan and lead professional development; who mentor and coach other teachers; who align curriculum, instruction, and assessment; who model best teaching practices; who analyze data and improve learning through data-informed decision-making; who apply research-based approaches to instructional challenges; and who collaborate with all stakeholders to improve student learning.

The MED in Teacher Leadership program includes a minimum of 36 hours of study in three areas and a six-month residency. In the residency, the teacher leader candidate works with the Candidate Support Team to develop an Individual Growth Plan (IGP) and a Residency Project Proposal, then seeks out opportunities at multiple settings to develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of effective teacher leaders. Candidates present their Residency Project and Capstone Portfolio as evidence of their accomplishment in the areas specified by the Teacher Leadership standards.