Teacher Leadership in Curriculum Proposal

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Summative Assessment: Teacher Leadership in Curriculum Proposal Ilka Jauregui University of Phoenix CUR 506 Dr. Linda Florence

Annotated Bibliography Fisher, D. (2021). Educational Leadership and the Impact of Societal Culture on Effective Practices. Journal of Research in International Education, 20 (2), 134–153. https://doi.org/10.1177/14752409211032531 Schools are becoming increasingly diverse. Therefore, it is important that teacher leaders are aware of the cultural diversity in the classroom as well as be mindful of one’s own cultural background in order to provide effective teacher leadership. According to the study presented in this article, if you do not have a full understanding of the diverse background within your classroom or your staff, you won’t be able to lead effectively. This is because the cultural backgrounds of teachers and staff can impact their expectations on how decisions should be made. The study also found that teacher preparation programs did not have a focus on multicultural awareness. Therefore, new teachers have had to learn about multicultural awareness as they go in the classrooms. Huizinga, Tjark & Handelzalts, Adam & Nieveen, Nienke & Voogt, Joke. (2014). Teacher involvement in curriculum design: Need for support to enhance teachers' design expertise. Journal of Curriculum Studies. 46. 10.1080/00220272.2013.834077. According to this article, teachers are highly responsible for curriculum reform because they are the ones who put reform ideas into practice. For implementation of reforms to be successful, teachers need to have knowledge of reform ideas. However, the article argues that teachers lack the knowledge and skills needed to enact collaborative design processes. Since most teachers are novice curriculum designers, they need the appropriate support to enhance their expertise. The article goes on to explain that beginning efforts to

include teachers in the curriculum design process was poorly supported and structured and that teachers were expected to learn during the actual design process. The article states, “It was expected that by inviting teachers to collaborate in teams during the design process, knowledge and skill-related limitations could be dealt with.” However, teachers need to have more knowledge and support before becoming a part of a design team. Shields, C. M. (2022). Responding to the UNESCO Framework: A Transformative Approach to Educational Leadership. Leading & Managing, 28 (2), 1-10. The purpose of this article is to explain transformative leadership theory and describe a way for leaders to focus on equity, inclusion, and quality in the educational setting. The article explains that when all children feel safe, respected, and included, they can learn better, and will therefore be more successful in school. Focusing leadership in the theory of transformative leadership could provide a framework that would better serve all students. According to the article, as a global community we are falling short of reaching all students, and so certain students are falling behind. But if we focus on access, inclusion, equity, and quality, then students will have more chances to succeed. Stone-Johnson, C., & Hayes, S. (2021). Using Improvement Science to (Re)design Leadership Preparation: Exploring Curriculum Change across Five University Programs. Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 16 (4), 339-359. This article discusses the importance of including powerful learning experiences (PLEs) in existing curriculum. The findings from the study performed for this article imply that in order to change curriculum, teachers must find ways of structuring time to collaborate. However, many teachers are not ready to make necessary adjustments because they are

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not being provided with the necessary resources to do so. The article goes on to discuss important characteristics of high-quality leadership preparation programs. According to the article, a successful leadership preparation program should offer ongoing scaffolded learning experiences to prepare future leaders. One example of this are PLEs. PLEs can be highly successful, yet many universities are facing challenges regarding how to embed them in current curriculum. Watkins, D., & Kritsonis, W.A. (2011). Developing and Designing an Effective School Curriculum: Enhancing Student Achievement Based on an Integrated Curriculum Model and the Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning. FOCUS on Colleges, Universities & Schools, 6 (1), 1-15. In this article, we read about the importance of an integrated curriculum model to improve student academic success. Educational leaders, like curriculum specialists, instructional coaches, and principals, are faced with the challenge of establishing guidelines for the implementation of a curriculum that will help students achieve success. According to this article, an important question for all educators is how to identify and select a curriculum model that will challenge, inspire, and motivate today’s student in a way that will benefit them in the long run as they become adults in a society that requires a high level of critical thinking skills. Current ways teachers are involved in curriculum design leadership There are many ways in which teachers are involved in curriculum design leadership. Within my school district, one way teachers are involved in curriculum design leadership is by being a part of our Curriculum and Design Team (CADT). The district’s Curriculum Specialist

creates these teams for each grade level and subject area, and she recruited one teacher from each school site and subject to be a part of it. This team puts together pacing guides for each unit we are required to teach. The team meets before each new unit starts to review the pacing guide and make any necessary changes. They also include helpful resources and instructional strategies in the guide. However, any final decisions are only made by the Curriculum Specialist. In my opinion, teachers should be more directly involved with curriculum design, since we are the ones who work directly with students in the classroom and know what will benefit them. Our role in curriculum design is to build lessons that are meaningful for students and that will encourage them to be active participants. Teachers know their students’ needs better than others who are involved in the curriculum design process, and so we can provide insights into the specific skills that need to be addressed and the activities that should be included in the curriculum. Teachers at my school site meet during prep periods or after school on collaboration days to discuss the pacing guide and plan lessons together. During collaboration time, teachers discuss the standards that will be taught, create common objectives, and share ideas on how best to deliver instruction. Need for increased teacher involvement in curriculum design leadership To have an effective and successful curriculum, teachers need to be more involved in the design. Teachers have knowledge, experiences, and competencies that make them an integral part of curriculum design and implementation. “ In addition to keeping the subject matter knowledge up-to-date, teacher designers have to become familiar with the difficulties learners have regarding the subject matter knowledge and why learners experience these difficulties. These insights can be used to design materials that effectively support learners in their learning process” (Huizinga, Handelzalts, Nieveen, Nienke & Voogt, 2014). Teachers are the experts in

their respective subject matters and have insights on the needs of their students. This knowledge is essential in designing and implementing a successful curriculum where all students will be the same opportunities to succeed. Additionally, since schools are becoming increasingly diverse, it is important that teacher leaders are aware of the cultural diversity in the classroom as well as be mindful of one’s own cultural background in order to provide effective teacher leadership. Because teachers work directly with students, we also have knowledge of their cultural backgrounds and can use that when planning meaningful lessons. Plan for increasing teacher involvement in curriculum design leadership To increase teacher involvement in curriculum design, teachers should be provided with appropriate knowledge and skills that will help them contribute to the development of the curriculum. Therefore, it is essential that teachers receive appropriate professional development to help them gain expertise in curriculum design. Teachers should also have more autonomy when it comes to making decisions on the curriculum. As stated before, teachers know their students’ needs best, and so using that knowledge we can create a curriculum that will target those needs. Another way that teachers can increase their involvement in curriculum design leadership is by holding collaborative meetings throughout the school year to provide and receive feedback on what is and isn’t working with the curriculum. By collaborating with each other, teachers will have a support group to help them implement successful instructional strategies and activities. Personal goal related to teacher leadership in curriculum design

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Even though I am currently a part of my district’s Curriculum and Design Team, I do not feel as if I am in a leadership role or as if I can make a real contribution to curriculum design. This is mostly because the Curriculum Specialist makes all the final decisions about the curriculum and what to include in the pacing guides. Therefore, a personal goal related to teacher leadership in curriculum design is to speak up more during our CADT meetings and be more confident in voicing my concerns over the current curriculum that we have. To contribute to leadership effectiveness, our textbook offered several key recommendations. One was to lead from our core values. “Deeply held values become an operating platform that works in two directions: compelling constant internal alignment and driving outward actions. In an age of increasing transparency, both functions are essential” (Glatthorn, Boschee, Whitehead, and Boschee, 2019). Another key recommendation was to h ave the courage to connect. “As a leader of a school community, it can take a measure of courage to stick to ideals and share vulnerabilities. A commitment to fairness leads a leader to suspend preconceived ideas or assumptions as they go into potentially tough meetings. Having a strong set of beliefs falls short and often backfires without the courage and humility to share and connect with others” (Glatthorn, Boschee, Whitehead, and Boschee, 2019). My goal is to work on being transparent and on collaborating with my colleagues to learn from one another and share our successes with the curriculum.

Teacher Leadership in Curriculum Proposal

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