Course Description:  The purpose of this course is to enrich teacher leaders’ capacity to lead by example in their classrooms, develop knowledge for practice in their content area, and deepen their understanding of the knowledge, purposes, methods, and forms of their content area.   Teacher leaders will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the construction of knowledge through inquiry with internship experiences and by developing a conceptual map of knowledge in the content area, understanding how that knowledge is developed, why it is important, and how that knowledge is communicated to others. In conjunction with CURR 682 and 683 teacher leaders will learn to lead by example through the development of a curricular unit based on the content that they have gained and an emphasis on the process of how they gained that content.

CURR 682:  Leadership in Curriculum (3 credits)

Course Description:  This course explores theories and practices of curriculum development for high quality instruction and enhanced student learning and achievement.  It provides teacher leaders with the habits of mind, skills, tools and resources to lead by example and to analyze and evaluate curriculum quality and effectiveness.  Teacher leaders will study the history and differing models of curriculum development as well as state standards and apply their understandings to design high quality, developmentally appropriate, interdisciplinary, and standards-aligned curriculum for diverse students, including those with special needs and English Language Learners.

CURR 683:  Field Experience in Content, Instruction, and Curriculum (2 credits)

Course Description:  Teacher leaders will deepen their content knowledge by reconnecting with their discipline in a discipline-based experience.  Following this extra-curricular experience, they will implement a curriculum unit of their own design in their classrooms.  Selection and redesign of the curriculum unit will occur in CURR 681 and CURR 682.  Implementation of the unit, evidence of teaching, and a reflection on the discipline-based experience will occur in this field course. 

CURR 684:  Leadership in Self-Study and Research of Teaching Practices (3 credits)

Course Description:  This course guides teacher leaders to develop a form of inquiry that parallels their understandings of teaching and learning. It provides teacher leaders with the tools and resources necessary to examine their own practice as the center of their investigation and later share their findings with other teachers. Participating in a cycle of inquiry, teachers will design a self-study that focuses on an authentic question that has emerged from their teaching in the classroom or school setting. They will utilize a variety of different research methods such as action research and narrative research to collect and analyze data. They will be invited to share their research process with their colleagues to reflect on the process of self-study and the ways in which it has begun to impact their teaching. The research proposal from this course becomes the basis for the Teacher Leadership culminating project concluded in CURR 693.

CURR 685:  Field Experience in Self-Study/Action Research of Teaching Practices (1 credit)

Course Description:  This course taken in conjunction with CURR 684 and a specialization course will provide teacher leaders with the opportunity to examine their classroom practices from a content area specialist/researcher’s perspective. Through this investigation, teacher leaders will design a self-study/action research proposal which features their emerging research question, their description of their context, a literature review, research design, and methods and data analysis. This field experience will provide them with time to collect preliminary data.

CURR 686:  Leadership in Teaching and Learning (3 credits)

Course Description:  This course brings together current ideas and literature in a critical exploration of the interrelationship between learners and instruction. It provides teacher leaders with tools and resources to evaluate and develop their own views of learning, knowledge, and pedagogy and to apply these understandings to their own practice. Teacher Leaders will study examples from a variety of settings that illustrate common interests and concerns in teaching and learning with an emphasis on professional learning, research-based instructional practices, and the quality of reflective practice and self-study of teaching.

CURR 687:  Leadership in Assessment (3 credits)

Course Description:  This course is intended to provide prospective teacher leaders with knowledge and skills for evaluating and understanding student growth and learning across diverse educational settings. It presents theory and practice of assessment for teachers and other professionals, with an emphasis on classroom evaluation and assessment procedures consistent with the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. Teacher Leaders are encouraged to analyze current assessment policies and practices – their own as well as local and national – and to consider assessment practice from the point of view of learners and how they experience learning opportunities, and to relate these aspects to an evaluation of their own assessment practice and its development.

CURR 688:  Field Experience in Learning, Teaching, and Assessment (1 credit)

Course Description:  Field-based self study will take place in CURR 686 in which teacher leaders develop a detailed case study of the teaching and learning environment. Current level of educational performance will be determined through collection of extensive student assessment data in CURR 687. Reflection on the assessment process will be completed at the conclusion of CURR 687.

CURR 689:  Leadership in Professional Development (3 credits)

Course Description:  This course brings together research and practice in a critical exploration of professional development and teacher learning. It provides teacher leaders with the tools and resources to be able to develop their own understanding of the role of communities of practice and professional development in teacher learning. Teacher leaders will study what research tells us about effective and ineffective professional development forms, will examine the role of technology and data analysis in teacher learning, and will explore how they are most effectively used in professional development. Teacher leaders will identify professional development needs in their school and then work to develop professional development plans and programs to meet those needs.

CURR 690:  Dynamics of Leadership (3 credits)

Course Description: This course brings together theories and practices of group dynamics and organizational behavior drawn from work inside and outside of schools for critical application to the work of prospective teacher leaders.  A major focus of the course will be on understanding and applying the processes of building collegial relationships and communication across constituent groups.  The course will examine barriers to change and leadership, and will explore strategies for building a community across traditional boundaries while remaining sensitive to school context.  The process of educating for mentoring/coaching expertise, the dissemination of information on teaching and learning, and fostering collaboration among education professionals are also essential topics for this course. 

CURR 691:  Field Experience in Professional Development and Dynamics of Leadership (1 credit hour)

Course Description:  Teacher leaders will implement a professional development plan of their own design in their schools.  Design of the professional development plan will occur in CURR 689 and CURR 690.  Implementation of the plan, assessment of implementation and the plan as a whole, and a reflection on the implementation will occur in this field course.  Feedback and assessment of the plan will be submitted in fulfillment of the course requirement.

CURR 692:  Leadership for Impact: People, policy, and practice (3 credits)

Course Description:  This course brings together theories and practices of education policy and law that have had an impact on teacher education, certification, and licensure. It provides teacher leaders with the habits of mind, skills, tools and resources to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of education policy and law through the lens of teacher education.  Teacher leaders will study the history that has shaped the development of these education policies and laws on local, state, and federal levels, and will consider the impact of politics, the courts, and public opinion. They will apply these understandings in order to critique policies derived from current federal legislation and will explore their roles as advocates for teachers, students, and families.

CURR 693:  Research Mentorship (1 credit)

Course Description:  Teacher leaders will conduct a capstone research project under the close supervision of an assigned faculty member who has expertise in the area of research. Teacher leaders will collect data based upon the proposal designed in CURR 685, analyze that data, and present their findings (in a formal venue). Successful completion of Research Mentorship meets the Graduate School’s Comprehensive Exam/Capstone Project requirement for graduation.

Recommended courses in specialization areas of Literacy, Media and Technology, Assessment, Inclusion (for special needs or English Language Learners) and Content Area Teaching include, but are not limited to, the following:

Literacy:  READ 501; READ 522, READ 525 or SPED 566

Media and Technology:  EDTC 510; EDTC 530, EDTC 550, or EDTC 597

Assessment:  ELRS 578, Special Topics in Assessment or PSYCH 578

Inclusion for special needs:  SPED 567; SPED 587 or SPED 566

Inclusion for English Language Learners:  APLN 530; APLN 525, APLN 502 or EDFD 530

Content Area Teaching:  specialized subject area courses at the graduate level with explicit application to teaching, approval of program advisor required.  Additional approvals from subject area department chair(s) and instructor(s) may be required.

All specialization courses will be selected in consultation with a teacher leadership program advisor and must receive approval of the instructor.

Applications for admission will be accepted in Spring for a Fall start date, or in Fall for a Spring start date.  We anticipate enrolling cohorts of 20 teachers.  If you are interested in learning more or applying to the Masters of Education in Teacher Leadership, contact program co-coordinators:

Dr. Monica Taylor
Department of Curriculum and Teaching
(973) 655-6952
taylorm@mail.montclair.edu

Dr. Jennifer L. Goeke
Department of Curriculum and Teaching
(973) 655-6943
goekej@mail.montclair.edu

The following materials will be considered to make decisions about admission, starred items indicate materials that can be sent directly to the Graduate School at Montclair State University at this time (until state approval is confirmed).

1. *  Minimum three years full-time teaching experience at any grade level.  Require a copy of teacher certification and a statement of number of years of teaching experience. 


2. *  Two letters of recommendation:  One letter MUST be from a supervisor/administrator/principal that speaks to the applicant’s leadership activities and/or potential.  Applicants can select another individual to write the second letter.  The second letter should be from someone who can directly address readiness to engage in advanced graduate study and leadership development.  Please give careful consideration to who you select to recommend you.  Letters from family members will not be considered.


3. *  Must submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Millers’ Analogy Test (MAT).   If an applicant already has a Masters’ degree from a US institution of higher education, then the test requirement can be waived.  The test waiver form is available on the Graduate School website.


4. *  All official undergraduate (and graduate, if applicable) transcripts demonstrating a minimum GPA of 3.0 in upper division coursework. 


5. *  A thoughtful response to the essay prompt:  The Masters of Education in Teacher Leadership program is designed for teachers who want to remain in the classroom.  This is not a program to prepare a teacher to become a school administrator.  What experiences have led you to apply to this type of program?


6. * A completed application and application fee completes the initial application process.


7. * After preliminary review of completed applications, all applicants who meet minimum requirements for admission will be invited to complete an on-site interview and writing sample as part of the admissions process.  


8. * On-site interview will involve responding to a case in small groups.  In some instances, the admissions committee may request a one-on-one interview for an applicant.