Curriculum and Teaching
Coordinator: Monica Taylor
Office: University Hall, Room 2142
Phone: (973) 655-6952
Email: taylorm@mail.montclair.edu
Program Goals and Philosophy
The overarching goal of the program is to provide practicing teachers with the requisite knowledge, skills and dispositions they need to remain in the classroom and actively engage with their profession, their peers, and the community in an ethical manner as leaders in teaching, learning and professional development. Teacher leaders facilitate, empower, and support lifelong learning, pedagogical excellence, and collaboration at ground level amongst colleagues, parents, and students. Teacher leaders engage others in dialogue and action to strengthen student performance. The Masters of Education in Teacher Leadership program was designed in partnership with the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) and their New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning (NJCTL).
The goal of the program is not to prepare teachers to become administrators, perform administrative tasks or report directly to administration. This program will not prepare teachers to formally evaluate the performance of their colleagues. If a teacher is interested in one of these roles s/he should inquire about the master's degree or certification programs in the Department of Counseling & Educational Leadership.
Teacher Leadership is not a formal role, responsibility, or set of tasks. Rather, it is a form of agency in which teachers are empowered to lead efforts and build grassroots capacity to directly impact the quality of teaching and learning. Teacher Leaders lead within and beyond the classroom through four core commitments upon which this program is conceived:
- Teacher Leadership is grounded in knowledge of learners and subject matter.
Teacher leaders lead by example. We are committed to fostering teaching expertise through knowledge of learners and content. This commitment involves the construction and implementation of curriculum that is based on a deep understanding of teaching and learning and how schools really work.
- Teacher Leadership is a moral commitment.
Teacher leaders lead with their moral commitment(s). We are committed to providing leadership to advance high-quality teaching and learning, close performance gaps among diverse students, and raise public awareness of the teacher's critical role as a professional in designing curriculum and promoting student achievement.
- Teacher Leadership is collaborative and inclusive.
Teacher leaders lead through collaboration. We are committed to a "new professionalism" based upon mutual trust, recognition, empathy, sensitivity to school personnel, families, and communities, and the investment of leadership roles with dignity, not simply power over others. We draw upon and strive to develop the potential in all teachers to be professionals, make decisions and choices in their classrooms, and ultimately have ownership of their teaching and the types of engagements that they have with their students.
- Teacher Leadership is transformative.
Teacher leaders lead for transformation. We are committed to a focus on amplifying the teacher's voice and actions to engage the public and work with the policy community in advocating for more effective and inclusive educational policies and programs.
Program Overview
This 35 credit program consists of a course of study that is designed to pair academic courses with a one-credit field experience for a total of 7 credits in most semesters. A two year commitment (five semesters), including one summer, is the minimum time in which the program can be completed if taking two academic courses and a field experience per semester.
| Course semesters |
Course of study |
Assessment |
| Leading by example |
- CURR 681: Leadership in Content and Instruction (2 SH)
- CURR 682: Leadership in Curriculum (3 SH)
- CURR 683: Field experience in Content, Instruction and Curriculum (2 SH)
|
- Summer collaborations with content intensive experiences through Bronx Zoo and Newark Museum
- Assessment developed in field experience: A curriculum unit of study in the content area
|
| Leading through a moral commitment |
- CURR 684: Leadership in Self-Study and Action Research of Teaching Practices (3 SH)
- Specialization course (3 credits)
- CURR 685: Field experience in Self-Study and Action Research of Teaching Practices (1 credit)
|
- Assessment developed in field experience: Draft of research project proposal
|
| Leading by example and through a moral commitment |
- CURR686: Leadership in Teaching and Learning (3 SH)
- CURR 687: Leadership in Assessment (3 SH)
- CURR 688: Field Experience in Teaching, Learning and Assessment (1 SH)
|
- Assessment developed in field experience: A case study of a learner or learners.
|
| Leading with collaboration |
- CURR 689: Leadership in Professional Development (3 SH)
- CURR 690: Dynamics of Leadership (3 SH)
- CURR 691: Field Experience in Professional Development and Dynamics of Leadership (1 SH)
|
- Assessment developed in field experience: Professional Development Plan.
|
| Leading for transformation |
- CURR 692: Leadership for Impact: People, Policies, and Practice (3 SH)
- Elective specialization course for deeper study (3 SH)
- CURR 693: Research Mentorship (1 SH)
|
Assessment: Completion of research, presentation, and exit portfolio interview/submission. |
Program Flexibility
Using this same program template, students can be admitted who are unable to follow the cohort schedule. The following chart shows the program structure for individual students who enter in spring or fall semesters and are only able to take one course a semester. It will take 10 semesters to complete the program.
| Individualized Schedule: FALL start |
| |
Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
| First Academic Year |
CURR 686/687/688 |
CURR 689/690/691 |
CURR 681/682/683 |
| Second Academic Year |
CURR 684/685 and Specialization course |
CURR 691/692 and Specialization course |
|
| Individualized Schedule: SPRING start |
| |
Spring |
Summer |
Fall |
| First Academic Year |
|
CURR 686/687/688 |
CURR 681/682/683 |
| Second Academic Year |
CURR 689/690/691 |
CURR 684/685 and Specialization course |
CURR 691/692 and Specialization course |
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 566, SPED 567, or SPED 587
- Inclusion for English Language Learners: APLN 502; APLN 525, APLN 530 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.
What do we do now?
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 the program coordinators:
Dr. Monica Taylor
Department of Curriculum and Teaching
(973) 655-6952
taylorm@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).
- * 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.
- * 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.
- * Must submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Millers' Analogy Test (MAT). If an applicant already has a Master's 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.
- * All official undergraduate (and graduate, if applicable) transcripts demonstrating a minimum GPA of 3.0 in upper division coursework.
- * 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?
- * A completed application and application fee completes the initial application process.
- * 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.
- * 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.
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