Introducing the Teacher Leader Corps Toolkit: Advancing Digital Equity through Teacher Leadership

I was a chemist, not a teacher. As I sat in the principal’s office interviewing for a teaching role at a school closer to my home than the factory where I conducted polymer research and development, I faced a tough question: “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Not here. Not teaching. Maybe exploring the world. Can you say that in an interview? I did. He hired me anyway.

Eleven years later I was still teaching. I beat the national average of 3-5 years for high school math and science teachers. Why? Throughout my career, I was offered opportunities to lead and impact a larger system. For example, I was asked to demonstrate a model lesson during a district professional development day and represented my subject and grade level on a curriculum vertical alignment committee. Both showed me that what I was doing in my classroom was a key piece of a much bigger puzzle and that I was important.

Meaningful opportunities for teachers to build expertise and leadership beyond their classroom add to a sense of professionalism and fulfillment. In an age when the role of technology in education is rapidly changing, why not allow teachers to lead the way?

While the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools partnership is known for providing internet-connected devices, instructional technology coaches, and professional learning and IT support to Title I schools across the country, a lesser-known component of the program is the Teacher Leader Corps (TLC)—a team of passionate and forward-thinking educators who embrace new teaching methodologies and advocate the use of technology to enrich learning experiences, regardless of their level of prior experience with technology. Their primary role is to support the coach in diffusing innovative instructional practices across the campus.

Building a Teacher Leader Corps offers many benefits for principals, instructional coaches, and teachers, including:

• Increased Engagement and Ownership: Empowering teachers with leadership opportunities fosters a sense of responsibility and investment in their school’s success. This heightened engagement translates into increased motivation, higher teacher retention, and a positive ripple effect throughout the school community.
• Enhanced Collaboration and Innovation: Teacher leaders naturally facilitate knowledge-sharing and idea generation among their peers. Expect to see increased collaboration, innovative teaching strategies, and a more dynamic learning environment.
• Distributed Leadership for Shared Responsibility: Encourage a more democratic and inclusive school culture by empowering teachers to share in decision-making. This approach fosters a greater sense of ownership and accountability across the entire staff.
• Exponential Return: A team of teachers working together toward the same instructional goals multiplies the effect of the instructional leadership team.

Wondering how to build a corps of teacher leaders? Access the Teacher Leader Corps Toolkit, a comprehensive website of resources designed to support principals and instructional coaches in recruiting, onboarding, leading, and empowering teachers who will shape the future of powerful learning propelled by technology, one of the five domains of Digital Promise’s Digital Equity Framework.

This toolkit has been developed based on more than a decade of experiences with Verizon Innovative Learning Schools to address the growing need for meaningful technology integration in education. In today’s digital world, teachers need to have the skills and knowledge to effectively use technology to enhance student learning. The Teacher Leader Corps Toolkit provides the tools and resources needed to help schools build a cadre of teachers who can lead and support their colleagues in integrating technology into the classroom and beyond.

Explore the Teacher Leader Corps Toolkit to find resources that are useful to you. Together, we can empower teachers to make a difference in school culture to support powerful learning propelled by technology.

Learn more about Verizon Innovative Learning Schools and the Digital Equity Framework.