Teacher Leader Network

Phase 2 – July through December 2010

In August 2010, the Oregon Proficiency Project formed a teacher leader network whose purpose was: 1) to develop a professional learning community within which to examine, challenge, deepen and hone the members’ individual practices in teaching and learning; 2) to collaborate in developing a shared understanding of proficiency-based education, with particular attention to how student engagement, student ownership and formative assessment are at the heart of proficiency-based teaching and learning; and 3) to develop the capacity of the teacher leaders as instructional coaches in proficiency-based education working with their colleagues in their schools.

The network was comprised of 10 teachers from the Academy of International Studies and Wellness, Business and Sports School at Woodburn School District; Sunset High School and Westview High School at Beaverton School District; and Hillsboro High School at Hillsboro District; and Redmond School District. The teachers selected were leaders in their Language Arts or Mathematics Departments – some had official roles as instructional coaches.

The group began by identifying problems of practice with their administrators. In subsequent sessions, the instructional coach from the Center for Educational Leadership, Jenn McDermott, continued the process by leading the group through an examination of their understanding of the relationships between student engagement, student ownership and formative assessment as key components of their proficiency-based work. Early in the process, the group began to converge on a shared understanding of these elements of proficiency-based teaching and learning and began to elevate their understanding of the potential of the practices to reach all students. By the last network session, teachers were able to identify the greatest obstacles to changing teaching practices and to articulate the supports necessary to scale the work. (Phase 2 Final Report, in section entitled Principles and Practices of Proficiency-Based Teaching and Learning Systems, p. 5.)

Teacher Leader Network Narratives
Participant Agenda 8.23.10
How Students Respond to School Tasks
Narrative for Instructional Leaders Networks
Habits of Thinking
5 Dimensions of Teaching and Learning (A complete copy of the 5D Framework along with a detailed description and lesson analysis can be found in Leading for Instructional Improvement: How Successful Leaders Develop Teaching and Leading Expertise.)