Page 130 - Innovative Professional Development Methods and Strategies for STEM Education

The Role of Teacher Leadership for Promoting Professional Development Practices

I think what works well is the teachers who are attending the conference see the value and relevancy
from the teachers who are presenting ideas. The teacher leader who is presenting might say this is what
I did last week and these are teachers that are actually teaching kids with the material they are working
with. (J. Montgomery, personal communication, November 12, 2014).

Teachers are reporting by applying the strategies they are learning their students are explaining their
mathematical thinking. The director has reported “school district administrators continue to fund MBAMP
events and reap the rewards of their teachers participating by asking their MBAMP trained teachers to
do in house PD” (J. Montgomery, personal communication, September 14, 2014).

FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHER-DIRECTED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The flowchart in Figure 6 outlines the steps to follow and the components to include for a Teacher
Leadership Team to direct and produce an MBAMP event. This general flowchart can be applied to any
event whether it is a 1-day conference or a multiple day summer institute. It begins with an informal
discussion of thought and ends with teacher participants at an event.

SOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS:

Supporting Teacher-Directed Professional Development

It is the belief of the program director that a Volunteer Leadership Team (VLT) functions best when it is
composed of teachers who believe in the team’s mission. This earnest commitment not only provides a
common language between MBAMP and the team, but also creates a nourishing reciprocal relationship

Figure 6. Framework for PD

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