What is the Teacher Leadership Network?

It is a collaborative effort between secondary career and technical schools and Temple University's Center for Professional Development in Career and Technical Education. The Network involves teachers in their own professional development, enabling them to connect with goals of the whole school. Actively planning their own professional development allows teachers to

• view the change process as something they can participate in rather than be controlled by;
• reflect critically on their own practice; and
• help each other cooperatively as they learn more about content, pedagogy, and students' learning styles.

Read more about the Teacher Leadership Network >>

Who is eligible to join?

Any career and technical school, its sending schools, or comprehensive school in Temple's service area in the 17 counties of Eastern Pennsylvania is eligible to be part of the Network.

How do schools actually participate in the Network?

Faculties nominate one or more teacher leaders from among their teaching faculty to attend regularly scheduled meetings at another career and technical school in their region.

What happens at these meetings?

Teacher leaders bring suggestions from their schools about what they need in terms of improving student achievement. The teacher leaders have an opportunity to share ideas on programs, teaching strategies and innovative approaches to resolving issues that may also be confronting other career and technical educators in their region.

Who actually coordinates and conducts the meetings?

Regional Coordinators are selected from among the teacher leaders in the region. They are responsible, with the input from all the teacher leaders in their group, for organizing and conducting the regular activities of the Network. Regional Coordinators, along with Temple university faculty representatives, plan the comprehensive program of the Network.

Who are the featured speakers at the regional monthly meetings?

On occasion, there are guest speakers. However, the teacher leaders themselves provide the primary content. They volunteer to share information on topics they feel will benefit the group. The Regional Coordinator also shares information and concerns common to the other regions or even at state or national levels.

How can the participation of one or two teacher leader representatives at these meetings benefit the rest of our faculty?

The teacher leaders who attend the monthly meetings bring the information they have received back to their home school faculty and share the ideas and experiences they have received. The Network has evolved from its origin as an eastern Pennsylvania consortium, guided by a regional agenda, into a process that benefits teachers at the grass roots level. It also allows teachers, both as individuals and as a faculty, to grow and develop professionally by sharing in their own lifelong learning process.

Does it cost anything to join the Network?

There are no membership fees. The only cost possibly incurred by the school is for a substitute teacher to allow teacher leaders to attend meetings.

When can we join?

There is open enrollment in the Network. However, it is most beneficial for schools to begin participating at the start of the school year.

How can my school join the Network?

If you are interested in participating, please email us at cteadvising@temple.edu