Teacher Leader Corps Toolkit

Investing in teacher leaders is a proven strategy for enhancing school culture, promoting collaboration, and ultimately improving student outcomes¹. Building a corps of teacher leaders is a sustainable way to promote teacher leadership while accomplishing your school’s educational technology goals.

What is a Teacher Leader Corps (TLC)?

A TLC is a team of forward-thinking educators who advocate the use of technology to enrich learning experiences. These are passionate teachers who meaningfully integrate technology into their lessons to improve student outcomes while providing additional support to their colleagues, which accelerates change across the school campus. TLC members are not necessarily the tech whizzes of the school. Instead, they are enthusiastic individuals willing to embrace new teaching methodologies, regardless of their prior tech experience, and are open to sharing their learning with their peers.

Why does a school need a TLC?

A TLC can diffuse best practices for Powerful Learning propelled by technology across a school campus, facilitate knowledge-sharing and idea generation, and ultimately impact student learning. TLCs provide leadership opportunities for teachers, fostering a sense of responsibility and investment in their school’s success, which translates into increased motivation and a positive ripple effect throughout the school community². Moreover, providing structures for teacher leaders to collaborate in a joint effort to reach technology-infused goals will have a greater impact on their professional development and on student outcomes than teachers going it alone³.

“The TLC has helped build a strong, supportive team that’s all about making our school better. It’s been such a rewarding way to grow together and improve our school community.” Emily Wells, TLC Member, Orange Public Schools

Cultivating leadership teams is a key component of the Leadership for Digital Transformation domain of Digital Promise’s K-12 Digital Transformation Framework.

The phases of building a TLC

Anyone at a school can start a TLC. Typically, a principal, assistant principal, instructional coach, educational technologist, or teacher leader will lead the charge. Building an effective TLC can be broken down into four phases: recruit, onboard, lead, and empower.

• Recruit – Identify who might be open to teacher leadership opportunities through surveys or peer or leader recommendations.
• Onboard – Set up TLC members to be successful through a thoughtful onboarding process that builds enthusiasm and commitment while establishing clear expectations.
• Lead – Guide TLC members to continue building their expertise in technology while encouraging them to begin sharing their knowledge with others.
• Empower – Empower your teacher leaders to lead professional development and encourage those outside the TLC to visit TLC classrooms for model lessons.

What is the TLC Toolkit?

Based on more than a decade of experience with Verizon Innovative Learning Schools, in which TLCs are a core element of a school’s success, the TLC Toolkit was developed to address the growing need for meaningful technology integration in education. The toolkit provides the tools and resources needed to help schools start and sustain a team of teachers who can lead and support their colleagues in integrating technology into the classroom and beyond.

Ready to learn more? Explore our resources on cultivating teacher leadership within your school. Together, let’s create a brighter future for our students.

Do you like what you see? Download this TLC Toolkit 1-pager for editable links to the resources found in the TLC Toolkit.

Recruiting a Teacher Leader Corps

The First Step: Recruiting TLC Members

Teacher leaders play a vital role in building collaborative cultures where innovative technology use enhances Powerful Learning. They are passionate educators committed to improving teaching and learning for all students. A school-based Teacher Leader Corps (TLC) provides a platform for these leaders to come together, learn from one another, and share their expertise.

“This team makes me want to learn more about tech tools and share the wisdom to help my peers become better in the classroom. I knew I was a great leader; I did not know how easy it was to become tech savvy and to share it!” Anthony Neglio, TLC Member, Orange Public Schools

The first step to building a TLC is to recruit the right members. Who makes a good TLC member? It depends on what your school needs!

• Determine the gaps or goals a Teacher Leader Corps will meet on your campus. Do you know your school’s strengths and areas of opportunity related to Powerful Learning propelled by technology? Use classroom walkthroughs or teacher survey data to uncover trends. Identify competency areas for improvement and compare with your school’s mission, vision, and goals to determine a focus for the TLC. Once you know the focus, you can begin to identify members.
• Brainstorm teachers who could be considered experts in the digital competencies you’d like to build across your campus. A diverse team of teacher leaders ensures a variety of perspectives and experiences are represented. Ideally, your school’s TLC will have members that represent all grade levels, multiple subject areas, varying levels of technology experience, and a mix of new and veteran teachers. Using a tool like the Who to Recruit Worksheet will help identify a diverse group of teachers who will support the goals identified.
• Develop an incentive plan for participation. Providing opportunities for leadership honors the professionalism of teachers, and they should be rewarded or compensated for their efforts. Consider these as options to incentivize full participation in a Teacher Leader Corps:
  • Stipend for participation
  • Lunch provided during “lunch and learns”
  • Additional planning period
  • Excused from additional duties such as bus room, athletics gate, yard duty, etc.
  • Voucher for a period off
  • Graduate credit hours with a teacher credentialing agency
  • Recertification credits
  • Paid professional conference attendance

Advertise your school’s incentives for participating in a Teacher Leader Corps when recruiting: add them to your flyers, highlight them in your recruitment emails, share them at staff meetings, etc.

• Communicate the opportunity to teachers. Finally, it’s time to get the word out! Use this Sample TLC Recruitment Email to recruit specific members identified by your Who to Recruit Worksheet. An editable version is available in the TLC Toolkit 1-Pager. While you may focus special recruitment efforts on the teachers identified, there may be others who are eager to join. Print or post a TLC Recruitment Flyer to make the opportunity available to everyone.

Toolkit Recruiting Resources

• Who to Recruit Worksheet
• TLC Recruitment Flyers
• Sample TLC Recruitment Email

Ready to get started? Download the TLC Toolkit 1-pager for a list of editable resources.

Onboarding a Teacher Leader Corps

The Second Step: Starting Strong through Onboarding

When it comes to creating a successful Teacher Leader Corps (TLC), starting strong is essential. As principals and instructional coaches, respecting teacher time is crucial. A thorough plan will set the tone that membership in this group will be both valued and valuable. During onboarding, create clarity around the roles and expectations of TLC members. This includes defining their purpose, outlining their responsibilities, and establishing clear goals and objectives.

“The TLC has inspired me to take initiative in my department to be another resource available to my colleagues for tools that I know would benefit each of us.” Melissa Garcia, TLC Member, Orange Public Schools

• Host an initial meeting. You’ve recruited your members and are ready to get started, but how do you begin? The first meeting should allow members to get to know each other a little better, explain the purpose of a TLC, and begin to plan for the year. Check out the TLC Kickoff Meeting Slide Deck for ideas on how to use an action plan and roles and responsibilities sign-up. The TLC Toolkit 1-pager has a link to an editable template with comprehensive slide notes that will make designing your first TLC meeting a breeze.
• Create an action plan. Allow the group to co-create an Action Plan. The action plan should be based on the gaps and opportunities discovered during the recruitment phase. An action plan asks the group to commit to a big purpose, set one or more goals, identify action steps with timeframes, and determine the benchmark indicators to know if the goal is met. Setting an action plan at the beginning of the year will allow the group to have a unified purpose with measurable results. The action plan provided in the TLC Toolkit has a completed example that may be useful to review as your group begins to craft your own.
• Delegate responsibilities. Once the team’s purpose and actions are outlined, it’s time to determine who will do what. Use a tool like the Teacher Leader Corps Roles and Responsibilities Template to have teachers sign up based on their skills and interests. On the TLC Toolkit 1-pager, you’ll find an editable template where you can change the layout to meet your needs.

Toolkit Onboarding Resources

• TLC Kickoff Meeting Slide Deck
• Example Action Plan Template
• TLC Roles and Responsibilities Sign-up Template

Ready to get started? Download the TLC Toolkit 1-pager for a list of editable resources.

Leading a Teacher Leader Corps

The Third Step: Leading the TLC

After you have recruited and onboarded a TLC, it’s time to lead them to success. A dedicated TLC leader, such as the instructional technology coach, an assistant principal, or even a member of the TLC, is essential for the success of the corps. This individual is responsible for organizing meetings and activities and supporting the professional growth of the members. The TLC leader should have a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities of teacher leadership. This individual should also be an effective communicator and a skilled facilitator. Some of the leader’s responsibilities might include:

• Organizing meetings. One key aspect of leading a TLC is the logistical task of organizing regular meetings. Many TLCs meet once a month before or after school or during a lunch block. The TLC Meeting Scope and Sequence Guide provides an example of the kinds of activities that can be done in meetings over the course of a year. Of course, you may need to change activities based on the purpose, goals, activities, and timelines outlined in your TLC Action Plan.
• Curating learning resources. Often, TLC members are eager to learn and grow. The TLC leader should be prepared to provide learning resources to members that will support them in staying on the cutting edge of educational technology innovation in the classroom. Learning opportunities for teachers through Verizon Innovative Learning HQ provide learning on a variety of topics related to Powerful Learning propelled by technology. Many are also associated with micro-credentials that teachers can earn to recognize their accomplishments.
• Coaching teacher leaders. A sometimes overlooked responsibility of the TLC leader is to support the professional growth of the TLC members. The leader of the TLC will essentially be coaching teacher leaders. This 5 Tips for Coaching Teacher Leaders resource provides suggestions for working with teacher leaders.
• Reporting progress. Undoubtedly, at the end of the year, the TLC will have accomplished a lot! Garner support and interest for the next year of the TLC by sharing a TLC progress report. The TLC Toolkit Progress Report Template provides ideas for what and how to report out. The TLC Toolkit 1-pager contains a link to an editable template so that you can make it your own.

Toolkit Leading Resources

• TLC Meeting Scope and Sequence Guide
• Professional Learning through VIL HQ
• 5 Tips for Coaching Teacher Leaders
• TLC Progress Report Template

Ready to get started? Download the TLC Toolkit 1-pager for a list of editable resources.

Empowering a Teacher Leader Corps

The Final Step: Empowering Teacher Leaders to Share Best Practices Broadly

TLC members regularly drive innovation within their own classrooms. However, their impact can extend far beyond a single classroom. While not all teachers aspire to become national conference presenters or social media influencers, there are numerous smaller-scale opportunities for them to expand their spheres of influence. These opportunities can occur at various levels. By providing teacher leaders with diverse opportunities to extend their leadership, we unlock their full potential to influence and inspire positive change well beyond their classroom walls. Some of these opportunities might include:

• Organizing classroom visits. TLC members can host classroom visits for other teachers to observe and exchange techniques (like this Pineapple Chart Strategy). This How-to Guide provides considerations for setting up a pineapple chart classroom visit initiative. Watching a TLC member implement a strategy in real time with real students is a great way for other teachers to gain the confidence they need to try something new.
• Publishing newsletters. A great way to share information with a lot of people quickly is a newsletter. TLC members can share tool tips, success stories, upcoming professional development opportunities, and much more through a staff newsletter. Thinking more broadly, how might you communicate with families about the Powerful Learning propelled by technology happening in your building? How about having TLC members contribute to a community newsletter or social media posts? If contributing to newsletters will be part of your TLC strategy, consider adding it to the Roles and Responsibilities Sign-up you create as part of onboarding.
• Promoting teacher-led professional development. TLC members are often experts in platforms, software, or classroom management related to educational technology. They are well-positioned to lead professional development for their peers. This teacher-led professional development resource suggests several types of professional development a TLC member could lead at the school, community, regional, or national level. Empowering TLC members to lead professional development will continue to build their leadership skills.

“Being a teacher leader has given me a huge leg up as I contemplate becoming an instructional technology coach. You’re a hot commodity if you have tech experience and experience as a teacher leader planning professional development related to the use of digital technologies.” Caitlin Williams, TLC Member, Irving Independent School District

Toolkit Empowering Resources

• Pineapple Chart How-To Guide
• Staff Newsletter Template
• Community Newsletter Template
• Teacher-Led Professional Development Examples

Ready to get started? Download the TLC Toolkit 1-pager for a list of editable resources.