Erin Jackson

CSUF Induction Program

Semester 4

Spring 2023 EDEL/

EDSC 502H-71 #21120
Pedagogy, Assessment
and Support for New Teachers

Issues in Teacher Leadership Review

In the first article, Danielson (2007) discusses the stagnancy teachers can face

after X amount of years with the same responsibilities in their classrooms. Teachers

often crave "more" as their loyalty to their profession, creativity, and experience

strengthen every year. Teachers may face crossroads and head down the admin route,

whereas others look for ways to impact their small circle or go beyond their classroom.

The point was made that teachers naturally become "teacher leaders" and they have

important roles in society, schools, and small grade level bands. The impact one can

make as a teacher goes behind closed doors and with the many branches of education

available, the sky is the limit.

Olaf (2006) conducted a study about why curriculum change is difficult and

necessary. The participants were students and staff in high school settings. In this

article, teachers were tested with the challenge to adapt to new materials, lessons, and

curriculum. At first, teachers saw the changes as tediously unnecessary and potentially

"more work." However, what came to be, after frustrations were set aside, was more

teachers putting in the effort to understand WHY the changes were needed in their

settings and ultimately student achievement occurred. Students responded positively

and teachers learned that flexibility and and change in the ever-changing world of

education is necessary.
 Researchers, Zhang and Trussell (2015) examined the research question, “Can

selected math apps improve student learning of math, particularly for struggling

students?” (p. 34). The exploratory study took place in a fourth-grade classroom with a

sample size of 18 student participants. Students worked individually on three math apps

in four math class sessions over the course of a month. The three apps, Splash Math,

Motion Math Zoom, and Long Multiplication, used different scaffolding strategies to

support learning in the math concepts of decimals and multiplication. Pre- and

post-assessments were designed to measure math concept application and learning

from the math apps. Findings indicated that students improved performance in each

assessment after using the math apps. The study determined that math apps may be

effective tools to support instruction for struggling students in math classrooms and

supports the study on math apps as a tool for math concept application.

These three articles did make me ponder about how these issues are connected

in my current position at my current school. The first article focuses on the impact of

teacher leaders, the second article talks about how curriculum change is integral, and

the third article talks about the impact of math learning apps on engagement and

achievement in the classroom. As a teacher leader at my school, I will have the

opportunity to share with my grade level band about the impact of math learning app

technology on my own students and the data that I have obtained through my research

and consistent use of the programs I will be sharing. As Jorgenson states in their article,

it's important to maintain an open mind and have flexibility when it comes to new

curriculum and potentially changes in lesson delivery and student assignments. I'm

excited to continue to read other articles like these to further inform my practice.
 References

Danielson, Charlotte. "The Many Faces of Leadership" (2007).

https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/the-many-faces-of-leadership. ASCD.

Jorgenson, Olaf. “Why Curriculum Change is Difficult and Necessary.”

https://www.nais.org/magazine/independent-school/summer-2006/why-curriculum-chan
ge-is-difficult-and-necessary/Links to an external site.

Zhang, M., Trussell, R. P., Gallegos, B., & Asam, R. R. (2015). Using math apps for
improving student learning: An exploratory study in an inclusive fourth-grade classroom.
Tech Trends, 59(2), 32–39.