The TEAM II project, submitted in the area of Teacher Retention and Renewal, will develop highly qualified elementary mathematics teacher leaders throughout North Carolina. Principals and central staff will locally support teacher leaders.
The goal of the project is to develop the state's leadership infrastructure by improving teachers' leadership skills, mathematical and pedagogical content knowledge. Staff development will provide in-depth investigation focused on: (a) national and state mathematics standards; (b) mathematics content and pedagogy; (c) curricular materials that support standards-based learning; and (d) the process of change.
Administrators are extensively involved in this project. Lenses on Learning staff development materials will be used to increase administrators' knowledge of mathematics content and pedagogy. Administrators and lead teachers will receive support to develop long- and short-range plans to effectively implement reform-based curricula at the school level.
Internal evaluation will include surveys of participants during summer institutes, interviews with project staff and instructors, conversations with school system principals and central office staff, and participants' reflections on the usefulness of project activities. External evaluation will document increased knowledge of participants, application of this knowledge in instruction, effects of improved teaching on student learning, and leadership by participants in NC mathematics reform. Data will be gathered through content assessments, interviews, written reflections, classroom observations, analysis of end-of-grade test scores and reports of leadership activities.
