Teacher Leadership Development Initiative launched at Kennesaw State

12/12/00 - As part of an on-going effort to prepare educators to take the lead in professional development in their home schools and districts, the Kennesaw Mountain Writing Project (KMWP), housed at Kennesaw State University and part of the National Writing Project (NWP), has launched the Teacher Leadership Development Initiative (TLDI).

The TLDI will study and create models to foster teacher leadership and help other NWP sites promote the growth of teacher leaders. "As research in education continues to show that developing teacher leadership is crucial to school reform efforts, the NWP is devoting increasing resources from its federally funded teachers-teaching-teachers program to supporting the development of teacher leaders," KMWP Director Sarah Robbins said. "The KMWP is proud to be providing support to the NWP's effort by refining and disseminating model programs for teacher leadership."

Members of the TLDI, headed by Project Coordinator Jennifer Scrivner, wrote a curriculum focused on teacher leadership development that will be presented at NWP meetings throughout the year. The team also will provide technical assistance to NWP sites that want to improve their models of teacher leadership development through on-site visits to audit those programs and to consult with them about implementing progressive initiatives.

The KMWP's teacher leadership development initiative is yet another way that Kennesaw State University has become involved in promoting teacher development. The goal of the newly created Georgia Teacher Center, also located on the KSU campus, is to support teachers-teaching-teachers in an effort to create sustained increases in student achievement in Georgia schools.