The TLC Masters of Education with a Specialization in Instructional Leadership is organized around four strands of instructionally-focused teacher leadership:
- Equity-driven educational leadership: Connecting educational policy, organizational and leadership theories with teachers, teaching and school renewal, understanding moral and ethical leadership, and building cultural competencies and practices.
- Content-focused instructional leadership: Demonstrating deep knowledge of selected focus content area; strong knowledge of common core standards, instructional frameworks and content-specific instructional practices; differentiated instruction; and assessments of student learning.
- Teacher leadership and professional learning: Practicing teacher leadership in the context of school renewal; facilitating inquiry-based learning in professional communities and teacher study groups; coaching and mentoring adult learners; and leading data-based instructional conversations.
- Inquiry-focused teacher leadership: Conducting and leading inquiry in classroom, school, and district settings. Prepare to identify job-embedded problems of teaching and leadership practice, pose appropriate inquiry questions, collect and analyze related data, reflect on and interpret findings, share inquiry outcomes with local and non-local audiences, and take action steps to improve professional work.
In addition to academic coursework (36 credits), you will complete 9 credits leading to a job-embedded, inquiry-based culminating project that will be carefully guided through the advice and support of program faculty, as well as an action research course. The project will be grounded in a problem of practice in your own school or district setting. You will present your project in a public setting scheduled in the last quarter of your program. Core faculty and advisors will attend the public presentations, review students' completed project reports, request revisions, and provide final evaluation and approval.
