AFT/BTU TEACHER LEADER PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The AFT Teacher Leaders Program is a nationwide effort to identify and bring together a select
group of teachers each month throughout the year to learn how to take active leadership roles in
their schools, unions and communities. This school year (2015-16), the program plans to develop
cadres of 15 teacher leaders in each participating local to help build and strengthen relationships
with the community as well as generate support for public schools and their unions.
The AFT Teacher Leaders Program began as a pilot program at five locals in 2011-12. Based on its
tremendous popularity and success, the AFT expanded this program to nine locals for the 2013-14
school year.
Key Objective: To identify and develop a cadre of teacher leaders who will serve as catalysts to
strengthen the union and its connection to the community in order to generate support for public
schools.
The AFT Teacher Leaders Program will support the goals of the union locals and provide them
with:
• strong ties to community organizations and community leaders;
• an informed teacher voice;
• a vehicle for positive messaging about public schools and their unions; and
• a pipeline for future school and union leaders.
Participating teachers will develop skills related to:
• creating a collaborative culture;
• accessing and using research;
• reaching out to families and communities;
• becoming advocates for teachers, students and their families, and for public education;
• understanding policy issues and making recommendations to and through their unions; and
• making oral and written presentations, including using social media.
Through their participation in the AFT Teacher Leaders Program, teachers will:
• become conversant with both the local and national dialogue on education;
• develop relationships with local policymakers and community leaders;
• connect practice, research and policy; and
• serve as a sounding board and advisory group for union leaders.
The AFT has invited Ellen Meyers, founding director of the Teachers Network Leadership Institute
and author of The Power of Teacher Networks (Corwin, 2009), to continue to assist the AFT in
leading this initiative.
Program Commitments
Under the guidance of a facilitator, the teachers will convene on one Saturday each month from 9
a.m. - 4 p.m., October 2015 - May 2016. The facilitator will support teachers as they learn to take
active leadership roles in their schools, union and communities. Because this is a nationwide
program, all locals will meet on the following eight Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.:
1.
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3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
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October 10th (first meeting)
November 14th
December 12th
January 9th
February 6th
March 12th
April 16th
May 9th- 12th (tentative date for closing has to be determined)
Participants will complete and be prepared to discuss the assigned readings related to
education policymaking.
Participants will participate in conducting research and other documentation.
Participants will submit an article to a local paper.
The AFT will provide a $1,500 stipend to 15 teachers to participate in the eight month
program.
ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY!!
If you are unable to participate on each of the designated dates, PLEASE DO NOT APPLY.