Teachers are regularly asked to use data to inform their instruction. In the past, teachers examined student work in isolation. Now, however, teachers increasingly have dedicated meeting times. So how can teachers collaboratively examine student work and use their findings to improve instruction? In this article, a team of teachers at Hilltop…

Rural schools face challenges that are very different from their urban or suburban counterparts. Fewer resources supporting rural schools mean smaller staffs and larger responsibilities for everyone. At the same time, rural schools and districts must meet the same standards as their larger, better-funded counterparts. One key to making the most of…

The idea of teacher leadership holds an immense and intuitive appeal. Most educators agree that teacher leaders are essential to fostering a climate of authentic and robust leadership and learning across a school. Teacher leadership is peer leading at its most authentic, demanding, and empowering. While the value of teacher leadership may be…

Having data about student academic performance motivates school leaders to perform better as educators, and tells them where they need to concentrate their efforts to improve. As principal of Ernie Pyle Middle School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this author finds that the constant use of relevant data helps him stay focused on his instructional…

Teachers are leaders when they function in professional learning communities to affect student learning, contribute to school improvement, inspire excellence in practice, and empower stakeholders to participate in educational improvement. From an equity perspective, teachers also lead when they serve as change agents who collaborate to use…

In 2003, the Mathematics and Science Unit of the South Carolina Department of Education developed the Mathematics and Science Coaching Initiative. The model--one coach, one school, one content area--requires participating schools to commit to a three-year partnership. The three-year commitment ensures sufficient time for coaching to become an…