Learning and Teaching
Learning and Teaching
Program Description
Instructional Leadership Strand
The Instructional Leadership Strand (IL) is designed for teachers who have at least three years of K-12 teaching experience in mathematics, science, English language arts, or social studies and are interested in becoming teacher leaders in their school or district.
The program is geared toward teachers who are interested in and knowledgeable about their subject, want to work effectively and collaboratively with colleagues, are intrigued by new teaching strategies and curricula, and want to extend their knowledge and expertise beyond a single classroom. Graduates will prepare for a specialized role such as content coach, data analyst, peer evaluator, teacher researcher, induction coordinator, technology specialist, professional developer, department chair, or curriculum developer. These roles may be classroom-based, part-time outside the classroom, or full-time.
Students in the IL strand will take a set of courses and participate in advanced internships in schools, school districts, or at education-related organizations. These internships will complement and enhance course work and deepen the IL student’s learning. Through their work at HGSE in the Instructional Leadership Strand, these teacher leaders will be poised to increase the instructional capacity of their school and district, while benefiting from the opportunities and rewards of an enhanced career in teaching.
The Instructional Leadership Strand not only introduces students to the variety of new leadership roles and perspectives, it provides them with the curricular, pedagogical, political, and organizational skills necessary for implementing new roles. In addition to taking advanced coursework in subject-based pedagogy (mathematics, science, social studies, or English language arts), IL students will acquire knowledge and expertise in three areas: (1) approaches to school and district leadership (e.g., adult learning, supervision, and organizational change; (2) skills in a specialized area (e.g. data assessment, use of technology, or mentoring), and (3) the instructional needs of special sub-groups of students (English Language Learners, late readers, or students with disabilities).
A sampling of the students in the Instructional Leadership strand:
