Delaware Teacher Leader Job Description, Instructional

Culture Lead
Title:

Instructional Culture Lead, Teacher Leader

Reports to:

School Administrator

Duration of Role:

SY 2016-2017

Closing Date for Application:

May 25, 2016

The 2016-2017 Delaware Teacher Leader Pilot introduces five newly-designed teacher leader
roles with diverse responsibilities into a group of schools across the state. The pilot will serve
as an opportunity for teacher leaders to extend their reach outside of their classroom and for
the state to learn from the experiences of pilot leaders and schools to inform a potential fullscale implementation in the future. In order to provide a world class education for
Delawares students, we must support, develop, and draw upon the expertise of Delawares
most talented educators, making Delawares schools great places to both teach and learn.
Instructional Culture Leads will work collaboratively with school leadership to shape a
positive school culture that engages all students in learning. Strong candidates for this
position should have a track record of creating a positive classroom culture that respects
students assets. They will also have experience facilitating conversations among adults. The
teacher leader pilot and this position are contingent upon FY17 budget approval.
Position Overview:
Instructional Culture Leads will help schools build a philosophy around culture, discipline and
culturally responsive teaching. They will also help educators implement strategies aimed to
improve classroom culture. By fostering positive school culture and refining classroom
management techniques, these teacher leaders will support school-wide efforts to increase
student engagement, boost attendance rates, and reduce student discipline incidents.
This position will require at least 25% of time, and up to 50%, spent outside of core
instructional responsibilities. School administrators will ensure that teacher leaders are
provided release time during the school day to complete their responsibilities.
Major Responsibilities:
Cultivate positive school and classroom culture that fosters relationships and supports
student engagement.

Guide conversations in the school community to create a philosophy about discipline,

culture, and culturally responsive teaching.
Model classroom management strategies to improve classroom culture and responsive
teaching.
Share information and resources with school staff through professional learning trainings,
strategy handbooks, handouts, etc.
Develop, establish, and help reinforce school-wide protocols and strategies around school
culture and student discipline.
Observe educators classroom practices to diagnose gaps and provide constructive, nonevaluative feedback around classroom management and student discipline.

Work with educators to problem-solve specific classroom management and classroom

culture challenges.
Mediate educator relationships and ensure effective collaboration for instructional and
student support.

Participate actively in the pilot cohort to inform future implementation of teacher leader
roles across Delaware.

Attend a summer cohort-wide planning session with a school leader to set goals,
obtain resources and support, and develop a school-implementation plan
Participate in quarterly cohort meetings to promote collaboration among pilot
schools, reflect on implementation, and engage in professional learning.
Offer feedback around successes, challenges, and how teacher leadership can benefit
educators and students.
Set ambitious goals for performance in the leadership role and collect evidence of
progress towards meeting them.

Essential Qualifications and Skills:

Minimum Qualifications:
5 years of experience as an educator,
2 years of experience as an educator in the LEA hiring for the role, and
2 years of Effective or Highly Effective ratings in components I, II, III and IV of DPAS
II (or an LEAs equivalent measure).
Skills:

Superior ability to reflect on and refine instructional and leadership practices

Excellent interpersonal skills, including an ability to influence team members without
formal authority and to mediate relationships between and among adults and
students
Knowledge of non-exclusionary approaches to discipline and culturally responsive
pedagogical approaches
An ability to cultivate classroom culture, develop positive relationships with students,
and engage students in learning

Salary: $5,000 stipend annually in addition to the current salary of selected candidates;
$6,000 if your school has been classified as high-need by the state.
To Apply: Complete the application provided and return to your administrator by May 25th.
Two letters of recommendation are also required. Letters of recommendation should provide
evidence of strengths you would bring to the role and can come from any two of the
following: Peers, administrators, parents, and/or students. Additional selection activities will
be determined by a school-based committee of educators, administrators, and LEA
representatives.