M2TL is a five -year, NSF Noyce Track 3 teacher leadership program at Fresno State campus with partners across nine school districts in the San Joaquin Valley. The Hough et al. the progressive evaluation component, a diary study, is being utilized and purposefully sampled embedded case studies of participants within their different school contexts were conducted to understand the ways in which teacher leaders develop their conception of themselves as leaders, their efficacy to lead and their pedagogy to teach in high needs schools.
Evaluation results to date have shown: recruitment activities, including collaborations with the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools Office, attracted a diverse group of teacher leader applicants. To date 18 of those applicants are participating in the program as funded Teacher Leaders (15 already holding a master’s degree in mathematics or mathematics education and three earning such a degree). All 18 are teaching in high needs schools throughout the region and are supported by their school administrators. Through M2TL the teacher leaders participate in leadership retreats, pedagogical institutes, monthly seminars and cohort meetings. A conceptual framework of teacher leadership development that represents the TL as a mathematician/pedagogue, as a researcher-practitioner and as leaders for equity within their current school and educational context is being used as a lens through which to analyze the evaluation data. Year one results indicate teacher leader growth in their conception of themselves as a leader and their efficacy to lead for equity in their settings. Mechanisms by which changes occur include a sense of renewal through cross site collaborations with like-colleagues and a sense of belonging to the wider mathematics education community.
Project deliverables to date. A Year 1 Evaluation Report for the NSF has been prepared and submitted. Brief outcome reports for the project staff of two professional development activity components of the project.