Teacher Leader - Fifth Year

Regular Admission Requirements

To be eligible for regular admission, candidates must have fulfilled the requirements below BEFORE admission to the program and registering for their first course.

1. General admission to graduate study
2. A baccalaureate degree
3. A valid teaching certificate or statement of eligibility
4. Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5

Requirements for the Degree

1. Satisfy general degree requirements.
2. Must apply for completion at the beginning of the term in which all requirements will  be completed. Students can access the completion forms online at www.moreheadstate.edu/graduate or visit the Graduate School, 701 Ginger Hall, Morehead, KY 40351. The completion form can also be faxed to 606-783-5061.
3. Maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA in all courses taken after completing the bachelor's degree.
4. Candidates must successfully complete a capstone project in a venue approved by their advisor. The capstone project may include a presentation before a panel of educators, a presentation as a part of an educational conference, or professional development the candidate has written and planned. The capstone project may also include publication in a peer reviewed professional journal.

Program Requirements

Teacher Leader Core

Professional Education

Candidate chooses six hours graduate level education courses that align with his/her professional growth plan. The candidate's advisor and department chair must approve the courses.

Academic Support

Candidate chooses six hours graduate level academic support (content) courses that align with his/her professional growth plan. The candidate's advisor and department chair must approve the courses.

Courses from Professional Education and Academic Support must align with candidate's professional growth and career goals.

Student Competencies

The following list includes the student competencies for the Teacher Leader program and the course(s) in which each competency is discussed (D), enhanced (E), assessed (A), and/or contains a critical performance (CP).

1. Be leaders in their schools and districts [EDTL 601 (A), EDTL 602 (D), EDTL 604 (D), EDTL 605 (D), EDTL 606 (D)].
2. Evaluate high-quality research on student learning and college readiness [EDTL 601 (D), EDTL 603 (A), EDTL 605 (CP), EDTL 606 (E)].
3. Delivers differentiated instruction for P-12 students based on continuous assessment of student learning and classroom management [EDTL 602 (E), EDTL 603 (E), EDTL 604 (E), EDTL 605 (D), EDTL 606 (A)].
4. Gains experience in content knowledge (within areas of specialization).
5. Incorporates reflections that inform best practice in preparing P-12 students for postsecondary opportunities [EDTL 601 (E), EDTL 602 (E), EDTL 605 (CP), EDTL 606 (E)].
6. Supports P-12 student achievement in diverse settings [EDTL 601 (A), EDTL 602 (E/A), EDTL 603 (E), EDTL 604 (A), EDTL 605 (D/E), EDTL 606 (D)].
7. Enhances instructional design utilizing the Program of Studies, Core Content for Assessment and college readiness standards [EDTL 601 (A), EDTL 606 (CP)].
8. Designs and plans instruction [EDTL 602 (D), EDTL 604 (A), EDTL 605 (D), EDTL 606 (CP)].
9. Creates and maintains a learning climate [EDTL 601 (CP), EDTL 602 (E), EDTL 604 (E), EDTL 605 (E), EDTL 606 (E)].
10. Implements and manages instruction [EDTL 604 (A), EDTL 606 (E)].
11. Assesses and communicates learning results [EDTL 601 (A), EDTL 602 (D), EDTL 604 (A), EDTL 605 (E/A), EDTL 606 (A)].
12. Demonstrates the implementation of technology [EDTL 601 (E), EDTL 606 (A)].
13. Reflects on and evaluates teaching and learning [EDTL 601 (A), EDTL 602 (D/E), EDTL 603 (A), EDTL 604 (A), EDTL 605 (CP), EDTL 606 (D)].
14. Collaborates with colleagues, parents and others [EDTL 601 (A), EDTL 602 (D/E), EDTL 603 (A), EDTL 604 (CP), EDTL 606 (D)].
15. Evaluates teaching and implements professional development [EDTL 601 (E), EDTL 602 (E), EDTL 604 (D), EDTL 605 (E), EDTL 606 (E)].
16. Provides leadership within school, community and profession [EDTL 601 (D), EDTL 602 (E), EDTL 603 (A), EDTL 604 (D), EDTL 605 (D), EDTL 606 (D)].
17. Designs and conducts professionally relevant research projects [EDTL 602 (D), EDTL 603 (CP), EDTL 606 (E)].

Assessment Procedures

Each aspiring Teacher Leader candidate in the master's and fifth-year programs is required to successfully complete a capstone project. The capstone project will require application of teacher leadership skills that ultimately will bring about improved student learning. To that end, candidates will be involved in activities and projects throughout the teacher leader program that cause them to critically examine current practices and suggest continuation of the practices or develop strategies for improvement. Substantial work on the capstone project is planned as part of EDTL 603. As a result, EDTL 603 must be taken within the last six hours of the program. Students will be encouraged to present their capstone projects in settings that are most appropriate for their projects. For example, students who are working on a school improvement project may present their findings before the SBDM council. Other students may have projects that are more appropriate for a presentation before the Board of Education, while others may find the best setting to be a professional learning community comprised of others most impacted by the project. Many students will present their capstone in the Curriculum and Instructional Design course. All students will be required to post an electronic version of individual presentations and support documents in Blackboard, our electronic course management system. Posting in Blackboard will allow for peer review as well as make the projects available to all members of the Teacher Leader Advisory Committee. A three-member committee consisting of the TL program lead (or designee), a PreK-12 educator, and a peer (i.e., another candidate completing the program at the same time or a recent [within the last two years] TL program graduate) will evaluate each capstone project. Additional information, including the rubric used to evaluate the capstone project, may be obtained by contacting the Department of Foundational and Graduate Studies in Education.