Master of Arts in Education/Teacher Leader

The basic tenet of the Teacher Leader Master of Arts Program at Georgetown College is to empower teachers to become educational leaders so that they can build capacity within their schools and districts. Teacher leaders gather and analyze information and data from multiple sources judiciously; identify and address students’ learning needs effectively; think critically about how to improve teaching and learning; and work cooperatively with others within and beyond the school to help all students achieve their fullest potential.

We have designed the Teacher Leader Master of Arts Program to include the following features:  An understanding of the dispositions, knowledge, skills, and efficacy required for teacher leadership;  An analysis of the candidate’s own dispositions, knowledge, skills, and efficacy in the first course (required prior to formal admission into the Teacher Leader Master of Arts Program);

• Opportunities for acquiring advanced knowledge in assessment, technological innovations, Response to Intervention strategies, and best practices for all students [e.g., English Language Learners (ELL), low socio economic status (SES) students, gifted/talented students, students with disabilities, culturally diverse learners];
• Opportunities for enhancing the professional development of their peers through collaborative teams;  Opportunities for promoting school improvement through classroom action research and the dissemination of findings; and
• Continuous reflection on their professional growth and development as teacher leaders.

The Teacher Leader Master of Arts Program is a 30-36 credit hour program (depending upon content specialty and endorsement areas) and includes components in teacher leader skills and dispositions, professional development and inquiry, curriculum and assessment, technology, literacy, collaboration, diversity, and research. Candidates are first admitted to the graduate education program and enroll in EDU 510: Foundations: Becoming a Teacher Leader. In this course, candidates complete a “Self-Assessment of Teacher Leader Skills,” which is one of six standards-based major assessments in the program. This assessment requires that the candidates examine various data sources (e.g., school data and goals, school improvement plan [CSIP], their individual growth plans, Kentucky Teacher Standards and Conceptual Framework outcomes) and develop a comprehensive growth plan for growth in an area which will impact student achievement in their school and that they will implement throughout the remainder of the program. This growth plan includes a plan for enhancing leadership skills, and must align with the school improvement plan. Candidates must pass this first program assessment prior to being admitted to the Teacher Leader Master of Arts Program.

Additional required courses in the program are EDU 527: Advanced Applications of Technology for Teacher Leaders; EDU 529: Teaching in a Diverse Society: Deepening Skills for Teacher Leaders; EDU 545: Curriculum and Assessment for Teacher Leaders; EDU 594: Research Principles and Skills for Teacher Leaders; and EDU 595: Implementation of the Capstone Action Research Project for Teacher Leaders (implemented with specialty practicum). In all of these courses, candidates continuously provide evidence of projects in their schools and reflect through their electronic portfolios (e-portfolios) on the ways they have grown professionally in reaching their teacher leader skills and impacting student achievement in their schools.

The initial four core courses contribute to the development of the Capstone Action Research Project in EDU 594 in which candidates research a topic that will assist them in realizing their own professional goals as well as contribute to the goals of their school and specialty area. The implementation of this project (EDU 595) is combined with their specialty practicum. Candidates are required to share the research proposal with their school administrators and the SBDM Council and to submit their proposal to the college’s Institutional Review Board for IRB approval in EDU 594. Candidates then implement their action research project (EDU 595) within their classroom and school setting, and gather and analyze student achievement data. Candidates are required to share the results of their study with administrators, peers, and the SBDM council. They are also required to develop a proposal for a presentation at a professional conference. In addition to the education core, candidates complete a minimum of 14 credit hours in courses related to their individual growth goals. A minimum of 3 hours must be in relevant content area; the remaining hours are based upon their Teacher Leader Professional Growth Plan.

Candidates can also choose to expand their areas of certification by completing an endorsement or specialty program in ESL, Gifted/Talented, Reading/Writing, Instructional Technology, and Multiple Severe Disabilities (MSD), or Autism Spectrum Disorder. Coursework in the Teacher Leader Master of Arts is delivered in a primarily online format. While some content specialization courses are primarily offered on-campus, many of these courses are also offered either in a blended or online format. The ESL, Gifted/Talented, Instructional Technology, MSD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder courses are all offered in a primarily online format.

Curriculum Contract [PDF]

Program Director

Dr. Alex Spatariu
502-863-8376
alexandru_spatariu@georgetowncollege.edu