Oakland University helps empower educators through national Teach to Lead movement

Leaders in Oakland University’s School of Education and Human Services (SEHS) are engaged in a national movement to help teachers revolutionize student learning by taking an active role in building- and district-level reform. The Teach to Lead initiative, created in 2014 by the United States Department of Education and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, is a grassroots effort to cultivate new ways for teachers to promote student success through leadership activities. The Galileo Institute for Teacher Leadership at Oakland University is one of nearly 70 sponsor organizations helping teachers develop and lead innovative programs for students in their districts.

Dr. Cynthia Carver, Oakland University Associate Professor of Education, has helped coordinate the schools involvement with Teach to Lead. She explained that sponsorship does not involve financial support, but rather, allows Oakland University faculty members to “serve as ambassadors and spread the word” about how teachers can become part of the Teach to Lead movement. OU leaders also provide support and technical assistance to local schools and districts interested in supporting and growing local capacity for teacher leadership. With the movement still in its infancy, Dr. Carver says that vital connections continue to be made.

Through the SEHS Galileo Institute for Teacher Leadership, Oakland University is partnering with nearby Auburn Elementary in the Avondale School District. Auburn Elementary teachers, along with colleagues from around the country attend Teach to Lead summits to brainstorm ideas for enhancing student learning through teacher-led projects. Through these experiences, Auburn teachers developed a plan for expanding their Teacher Lab, a program that enables teachers to observe their colleagues’ teaching methods across a range of disciplines. They are also in the midst of expanding their Earth Force program, which blends elementary education with civic engagement. “In the Earth Force curriculum, students learn math, science, social studies and other disciplines by learning about their own communities,” said Oakland University Professor, Dr. Timothy Larrabee. “This is then tied to a community project chosen and led by the students. The teacher serves as a facilitator, providing access to resources the students need to learn about their communities and carry out their community improvement plans.”

At Auburn Elementary, the Earth Force program has led to the installation of a bat house to control flying insect populations on the playground; newly painted restrooms and use policies to reduce noise and waste; a school-wide campaign to bring awareness to the school garden and the benefits of healthy eating; as well as a litter reduction program. “Through these projects, students learn and utilize democratic decision-making strategies to reach consensus and move forward as a team,” Dr. Larrabee added.

The Teach to Lead summits have spawned hundreds of ideas for giving teachers a central role in providing student-focused learning opportunities, “it empowers teachers to make schools more vibrant places for students and their teacher, which is at the heart of our work at the Galileo Institute for Teacher Leadership,” Dr. Carver said.