Early Childhood Teacher Educators Building Capacities in Future Teacher Leaders

1. Early Childhood Teacher Educators Building Capacities in Future Teacher Leaders --Pamela Owen, Ed.D., Mount Vernon Nazarene University --KrishanaWhite, M.Ed., Mount Vernon Nazarene University --Mary Barbara Trube, Ed.D., Ohio University, Chillicothe --Laurie Katz, Ph.D., with Michele Sanderson, The Ohio State University --William Mosier, Ph.D., Wright State University OAECTE members

2. Our Purpose Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University To discuss strategies and practices used in Early Childhood Education teacher preparation programs to develop teacher leadership skills in pre-service teachers.

3. Teacher Leadership: Defined by the Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University “the process by which teachers…influence their colleagues, principals, and other members of the school community to improve teaching and learning practices with the aim of increased student learning and achievement” (n.d., p. 10). In 2008, individuals from five states, including Ohio, formed the Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium.

4. Teacher Leadership Standards Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University Domain I: Fostering a Collaborative Culture to Support Educator Development and Student Learning Domain II: Accessing and Using Research to Improve Practice and Student Learning Domain III: Promoting Professional Learning for Continuous Improvement Domain IV: Facilitating Improvements in Instruction and Student Learning Domain V: Promoting the Use of Assessments and Data for School and District Improvement Domain VI: Improving Outreach and Collaboration with Families and Community Domain VII: Advocating for Student Learning and the Profession

5. We Propose that… Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University Early Childhood teacher educators intentionally plan for and employ strategies and practices to promote pre-service teachers’ leadership skills in programs of teacher preparation. Pre-service teachers are prepared for their future roles as teacher leaders in order that they develop skills of communication, collaboration, reflective practice, appreciative inquiry, peer mentoring, and/or action research.

6. The Need Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University Early childhood teacher educators may adapt and integrate the seven dimensions of teacher leadership set out in the Teacher Leader Model Standards as our institutions for teacher preparation (e.g. universities, school districts, agencies) move toward the clinical model with strong partnerships and professional learning communities, (Teacher Leadership Exploratory Consortium, 2008).

7. Our ExamplesOur Hope Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University Creating awareness of these standards helps to build capacities for leadership(knowledge, skills, sense of self) in future Teacher Leaders. You can identify and adapt our strategies appropriate at the ECE level to additional licensure areas.

8. Teacher Leader Model Standards (TLMS) were designed for the purpose of promoting teacher leadership and dialogue. Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University These standards have indeed caused me to wonder how I encourage my teacher candidates to become teacher leaders. The TLMS are literally cross-walked with other standards as well as simply reflecting standards of various SPAs. I can see the influence of the NAEYC standards. Thus, several assignments, projects, and strategies I currently use do indeed promote leadership and I will share those ideas here.

9. Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University The TLMS has given me a lens with which to view teacher leadership and show that picture to my candidates. The TLMS are demanding; they outline high but reasonable expectations for teachers. Our candidates will benefit from exposure to these standards as early as possible. My work begins when the candidates are sophomores enrolled in a field experience known as the Preschool Field.

10. Preschool Field Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University • The preschool experience is grounded in DAP. This field is a three hour block of time in the preschool classroom for 15 weeks. Several assignments and procedures are in place to promote the vision of teacher leadership. 1. Journaling grounded in the Five Guidelines of DAP 2. Collaborative Planning & Teaching • I am using this experience to attempt to help them see themselves as professionals. Embedded in that vision is leadership.

11. Journaling Strategy Domain 3 of the TLMS states that, “The teacher leader understands the evolving nature of teaching and learning, established and emerging technologies, and the school community. The teacher leader uses this knowledge to promote, design, and facilitate job-embedded professional learning aligned with school improvement goals.” Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University

12. The observations and journal entries also “facilitates professional learning among colleagues,” domain 3c. Feedback is given to the candidate by the university supervisor; the classroom teacher is aware of the interaction. This triangulation promotes learning and creates a teaching team. It provides the foundation for further collaborative work that is included in the field. Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University

13. Collaborative Planning and Teaching Strategy Candidates use this emerging understanding of the nature of teaching and learning to begin their work to design curriculum that is team-based (university supervisor, cooperating teacher, preschool classroom teacher, and peers) and aligned with the Ohio Early Learning Standards and the specific school goals (Domain 3a). LESSON PLANNING The procedures we use creates a process that ultimately leads to meeting Domain 3e, to “work with colleagues to collect, analyze, and disseminate data related to the quality of professional learning and its effect on teaching and student learning.” Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University

14. Domain 3g, “provides constructive feedback to colleagues to strengthen teaching practice and improve student learning.” Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University

15. Results Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University When the candidates learn to value this process this practice will more naturally flow from them and hopefully they will more easily transition into a role of teacher leader. The preschool field, as a whole, also meets Domain 4, “Facilitating Improvements in Instruction and Student Learning. The teacher leader demonstrates a deep understanding of the teaching and learning processes and uses this knowledge to advance the professional skills of colleagues by being a continuous learner and modeling reflective practice based on student results. The teacher leader works collaboratively with colleagues to ensure instructional practices are aligned to a shared vision, mission, and goals.”

16. Conclusion Pamela M. Owen, Ed.D; Mount Vernon Nazarene University It is understood that these are beginning teachers who are barely connecting to their profession. However, these strategies are effective in enhancing teacher leadership behaviors among our candidates. Our desire to promote teacher leadership could be strengthened by making direct connection to the TLMS within the assignments. More discussion about teacher leadership would also help the candidates make stronger connections to their profession and practice thus improving their focus regarding their professional vision.