Self-Assessment of Teacher Leader Qualities

Directions: For each element, rate yourself in one of the following three categories. Then provide examples of your experiences in the
leadership domain. Finally, identify areas within each domain where you are interested in growing as a teacher leader. On the last page,
summarize your strengths and areas of possible growth. Boxes will expand as needed.
 Exploring/Emerging (E/E) - a level of practice in which the teacher leader relies on ongoing assistance from more experienced
colleagues for support, guidance, and survival. The teacher leader is moving toward becoming more self-directed and independent in
her/his practice.
 Applying (A) - a level of practice in which the teacher leader is able to provide independent leadership and easily applies what s/he
has learned about leadership.
 Integrating/Innovating (I/I) - a level of development in which the teacher leader is fully skilled and confident. The
Integrating/Innovating teacher leader contributing to the broader educational community through staff development, research, or
publication in professional journals.

Domain 1: Fosters a Collaborative Culture to Support Educator Development and Student Learning E/E A I/I
a) Utilizes group processes to help colleagues work collaboratively to solve problems, make decisions,
manage conflict, and promote meaningful change. ✓
b) Models effective skills in listening, presenting ideas, leading discussions, clarifying, mediating, and
identifying the needs of self and others in order to advance shared goals and professional learning. ✓
c) Employs facilitation skills to create trust among colleagues, develop collective wisdom, build ownership
and action that supports student learning. ✓
d) Strives to create an inclusive culture where diverse perspectives are welcomed in addressing challenges.
✓
e) Uses knowledge and understanding of different backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and languages to
promote effective interactions among colleagues. ✓
Three Examples of Domain 1 Experiences Areas of Interest in Growth
Due to my relatively young-age, I often act as technology My biggest area of growth will need to be in understanding
assistant to my older colleagues. When my colleagues the different backgrounds of my colleagues due to the age
needed help with using a new piece of technology such as gap that some of us have. Some are older and are set in what
Canva or Flipgrid, they will ask me how to use and works and what doesn’t work.
sometimes to model it for them.
On our yearly professional development trip, my colleagues
and I will attend a variety of seminars together. Afterwards,
we will often discuss the pros and the cons of the PD and
how we can use it practically in our classes.
Since I am relatively tech-savvy, my colleagues will often
ask me to help them integrate elements of technology in
their lesson because the consistent use of technology will
allow students to better engage with the material.

Domain 2: Accesses and Uses Research to Improve Practice and Student Learning E/E A I/I
a) Assists colleagues in accessing and using research in order to select appropriate strategies to improve
student learning. ✓
b) Facilitates the analysis of student learning data, collaborative interpretation of results, and application
of findings to improve teaching and learning. ✓
c) Supports colleagues in collaborating with the higher education institutions and other organizations
engaged in researching critical educational issues. ✓
d) Teaches and supports colleagues to collect, analyze, and communicate data from their classrooms to
improve teaching and learning. ✓
Three Examples of Domain 2 Experiences Areas of Interest in Growth
Recently, I have taught my colleagues how to sync their Due to the lack of time and other responsibilities that we
Self-Assessment of Teacher Leader Qualities (adapted from Teacher Leader Model Standards (http://www.teacherleaderstandards.org/) 1
 Google Forms to their online grading book. This allowed have, we our unable to dedicate any meaningful time to
them to save time as well as quickly view the data. looking up new research on our own. We only use PD from
In the past, I’ve helped my colleagues analyze MAP testing seminars instead of finding new research on our own.
results.
I’ve also showed my colleagues how to better organize their
Google Classrooms so that specific assignments are under
different categories such as one for tests, classwork, and
homework.

Domain 3: Promotes Professional Learning for Continuous Improvement E/E A I/I

a) Collaborates with colleagues and school administrators to plan professional learning that is team-based,
job-embedded, sustained over time, aligned with content standards, and linked to school/district
improvement goals.
✓
b) Uses information about adult learning to respond to the diverse learning needs of colleagues by
identifying, promoting, and facilitating varied and differentiated professional learning. ✓
c) Facilitates professional learning among colleagues.
✓
d) Identifies and uses appropriate technologies to promote collaborative and differentiated professional
learning. ✓
e) Works with colleagues to collect, analyze, and disseminate data related to the quality of professional
learning and its effect on teaching and student learning. ✓
f) Advocates for sufficient preparation, time, and support for colleagues to work in teams to engage in job-
embedded professional learning. ✓
g) Provides constructive feedback to colleagues to strengthen teaching practice and improve student
learning. ✓
h) Uses information about emerging education, economic, and social trends in planning and facilitating
professional learning. ✓
Three Examples of Domain 3 Experiences Areas of Interest in Growth
At the middle school level, my colleagues and I will view Due to my lack of teaching experience when compared to my
student data from the past school year to determine the colleagues, I don’t feel comfortable telling a veteran teacher
abilities of incoming students. that he/she is not performing their job well. I on the other
Using this information can help us create better focused hand have no issue with receiving constructive criticism.
classrooms such as placing all the EL students in one class
instead of spreading them throughout the entire grade.

Domain 4: Facilitates Improvements in Instruction and Student Learning E/E A I/I

a) Facilitates the collection, analysis, and use of classroom and school-based data to identify opportunities
to improve curriculum, instruction, assessment, school organization, and school culture. ✓
b) Engages in reflective dialog with colleagues based on observation of instruction, student work, and
assessment data and helps make connections to research-based effective practices. ✓
c) Supports colleagues’ individual and collective reflection and professional growth by serving in roles such
as mentor, coach, and content facilitator. ✓
d) Serves as a team leader to harness the skills, expertise, and knowledge of colleagues to address
curricular expectations and student learning needs. ✓
e) Uses knowledge of existing and emerging technologies to guide colleagues in helping students skillfully
and appropriately navigate the universe of knowledge available on the Internet, use social media to
promote collaborative learning, and connect with people and resources around the globe.
✓
Self-Assessment of Teacher Leader Qualities (adapted from Teacher Leader Model Standards (http://www.teacherleaderstandards.org/) 2
 f) Promotes instructional strategies that address issues of diversity and equity in the classroom and
ensures that individual student learning needs remain the central focus of instruction. ✓
Three Examples of Domain 4 Experiences Areas of Interest in Growth
When it comes to technology, my colleagues will often Due to my lack of teaching experience when compared to my
come to me and ask how to either implement it or ask me colleagues, I am not capable of being a mentor. There are
to model it for them. My experience in technology has other teachers with many years more experience than me
allowed me to show my colleagues how to effectively use it. who would be a more effective mentor. With more years of
I have shown my colleagues how to use Canva as well as teaching, I believe I would be an effective mentor.
how to automatically upload grades from a Google Forms
assignment to the gradebook.
Sometimes my colleagues will observe to see how I am
doing and how I can improve.

Domain 5: Promotes the Use of Assessments and Data for School and District Improvement E/E A I/I
a) Increases the capacity of colleagues to identify and use multiple assessment tools aligned to state and
local standards. ✓
b) Collaborates with colleagues in the design, implementation, scoring, and interpretation of student data
to improve educational practice and student learning. ✓
c) Creates a climate of trust and critical reflection in order to engage colleagues in challenging
conversations about student learning data that lead to solutions to identified issues. ✓
d) Works with colleagues to use assessment and data findings to promote changes in instructional
practices or organizational structures to improve student learning. ✓
Three Examples of Domain 5 Experiences Areas of Interest in Growth
My colleagues and I have been working together in the Since my colleagues are much more experienced than I am, I
middle school department for more than four years and as often allow them to identify and interpret student data. I
a result, we feel comfortable sharing our thoughts about we hope that in the future that I will be more experienced and
believe is negatively affecting our students academically. take a larger role.
The biggest discussion we’ve had is about student scores in
math. Students are scoring high scores in the homework but
when it comes to the assessments, student will score at the
C range or below with some outliers scoring higher than a C.
Since I’m the most tech-savvy, I suggested that students are
using an online program called “PhotoMath” that does the
math for the student. This explained why students
performed so well on homework but so poorly on
assessments. This led to changes on how homework should
be graded and assessed.

Domain 6: Improves Outreach and Collaboration with Families and Community E/E A I/I
a) Uses knowledge and understanding of the different backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and languages in
the school community to promote effective interactions among colleagues, families, and the larger
community.
✓
b) Models and teaches effective communication and collaboration skills with families and other
stakeholders focused on attaining equitable achievement for students of all backgrounds and
circumstances.
✓
c) Facilitates colleagues’ self-examination of their own understandings of community culture and diversity
and how they can develop culturally responsive strategies to enrich the educational experiences of
students and achieve high levels of learning for all students.
✓
d) Develops a shared understanding among colleagues of the diverse educational needs of families and the
community. ✓
e) Collaborates with families, communities, and colleagues to develop comprehensive strategies to address
the diverse educational needs of families and the community. ✓
Self-Assessment of Teacher Leader Qualities (adapted from Teacher Leader Model Standards (http://www.teacherleaderstandards.org/) 3
 Three Examples of Domain 6 Experiences
At our school, we have students from divorced families and
we often need to include both parents unless specified
otherwise.
On specific holidays I’ll include unique lessons relating to
the day such as a primary source document about Martin
Luther King Jr. as well as how he has impacted our lives
today.
Areas of Interest in Growth
My biggest area of improvement is definitely in family
collaboration. The main issue with families, from my
experience, is that they will challenge teachers on specific
grades in order for their child to score an A in the class as
opposed to grasping the concepts being taught. I understand
that parents and families should be involved however, I’m
unsure how to make it equitable or fair without having to
compromise my professional integrity.

Domain 7: Advocates for Student Learning and the Profession E/E A I/I
a) Shares information with colleagues within and/or beyond the district regarding how local, state, and
national trends and policies can impact classroom practices and expectations for student learning. ✓
b) Works with colleagues to identify and use research to advocate for teaching and learning processes that
meet the needs of all students. ✓
c) Collaborates with colleagues to select appropriate opportunities to advocate for the rights and/or needs
of students, to secure additional resources within the building or district that support student learning,
and to communicate effectively with targeted audiences such as parents and community members.
✓
d) Advocates for access to professional resources, including financial support and human and other
material resources, that allow colleagues to spend significant time learning about effective practices and
developing a professional learning community focused on school improvement goals.
✓
e) Represents and advocates for the profession in contexts outside of the classroom.
✓
Three Examples of Domain 7 Experiences Areas of Interest in Growth
Sometimes I’ll discuss with my friends and significant other Due to the lack of time and other responsibilities that we
about role teachers play aside from the obvious have, we our unable to dedicate any meaningful time to
misconception that teachers hardly work. I try to inform looking up new research on our own. Moreover, my lack of
them that teaching is more than just telling a kid a fact teaching experience as well as time teaching at my job site
about history but rather a job that requires us to wear means I have less political capital to use in creating
many hats. meaningful change such as advocating for financial support. I
Sometimes I have consul students who have mental hope in the future that I will be able to dedicate more time
breakdowns due to the stress of always trying his/her towards positive changes at the school.
hardest at earning an A.
Most of the time, it is me telling my friends that I work 10
to 11 hours to ensure my students will have a solid lesson
for the next day.

Summary of Strengths and Areas of Possible Growth

My biggest strength comes in the form of my understanding of how to use and implement technology. I feel comfortable
showing and explaining this to my colleagues because I am confident in my abilities. On the other hand, I find it incredibly
difficult to tell a veteran teacher that his or her strategy could be improved. I hope that with experience, I will have a
better foundation in which I can mentor and serve incoming teachers.

Self-Assessment of Teacher Leader Qualities (adapted from Teacher Leader Model Standards (http://www.teacherleaderstandards.org/) 4