The Joys of Being a Teacher Leader

One big change we made for the 2024-25 school year was inviting existing Virtual Instructional Coaches (VICs) to become Teacher Leaders within our program. Instead of ELP leading professional development workshops, VICs were trained to lead them. 

This change was implemented thanks to candid and valuable feedback we received from participating teachers over the past four years. 

Teachers want to help others

We have heard over and over again that:

Teachers enjoy learning from each other. 

New Teachers (NTs) don’t just learn from veteran teachers - it’s a two-way street of learning. Plus, VICs and In-Person Mentors (IPMs) are often re-energized by the enthusiasm and new ideas that NTs bring to the classroom. 

Teachers value the relationships they’re building with each other. 

The relationships that NTs build with their IPMs and VICs mean the NTs don’t feel alone. In the immediate term, these relationships bring NTs peace of mind, a sense of belonging, and better well-being. In the long-run, relationships are helping keep teachers in the profession. 

Veteran teachers embrace the opportunity to be Teacher Leaders.

In surveys and summative assessments, we have heard over and over again that veteran teachers are thrilled to step into a leadership role as a mentor or coach. In fact, our 2024 Spring Survey found that nearly all participating VICs and IPMs said ELP made them feel like Teacher Leaders. 

ELP alumni are very engaged.

Last year, we added alumni-led events to the calendar so ELP alumni could share their expertise with NTs, IPMs, and VICs. They were well-attended and well-received, and we realized we needed to tap into their experience and expertise as educators. 

VICs wanted more concrete guidance to be effective.

VICs in particular told us they wanted more guidance to feel truly effective. So we worked with our partner, TNTP, to create a handbook that contains everything a VIC needs to be successful. 

Veteran teachers are embracing their roles as VIC Teacher Leaders

Since we are mid-way through this school year, we decided to check in with two of our VIC Teacher Leaders to see how their experience has been so far. 

Gaining valuable experience as a mentor and leader

During her 38 year teaching career, Stacy Knight has worked with students from preschool to college. Her current position is multi-faceted. She is a literary intervention instructor for grades 1 to 4 and math intervention instructor for grades 3 and 4, working with 15 teachers.

With prior experience and two years of training in the Danielson Framework, Stacy decided to pursue training last year and join the lead team this year, “gaining valuable experience as a mentor and leader,” she told us. “Sharing what teachers need to know as classroom leaders and instructional builders to meet student needs has been a rewarding aspect of this journey.”

Stacy was also part of the team that helped us refine the ELP Core Rubric last year, “and applying it this year has deeply influenced my role as an interventionist,” she continued. “The rubric serves as a practical, user-friendly reference that helps me reflect on my own practices and share meaningful insights with peers. Its language and key ideas guide my work in planning instruction, writing literacy plans, and analyzing data—all centered around student-focused instruction and learning.”

Supporting the next generation of educators

Stacy King has been an educator for 22 years, teaching ELA at the middle school and high school levels. 

She chose to become a VIC lead to support the next generation of educators. “Teaching can be a tough and stressful occupation,” Stacy told us, “and it helps to have support, someone to listen to your challenges and successes, and to be able to brainstorm and bounce ideas off of a colleague. 

Like Stacy Knight, Stacy King has learned a lot as a Teacher Leader “between having the opportunity to attend fabulous professional development sessions and learning innovative strategies and technology from New Teachers. I am a continuous learner in an ever-changing field to meet the needs of my students.”

Final words of wisdom for New Teachers

We are always curious what advice veteran teachers have for New Teachers, and “the Stacy’s” had practical words of wisdom to share.

“Stick with it, “Stacy King advised. “Some days are hard, but in the end it is so rewarding, and your connections with your students are changing lives for the better.”

Stacy Knight echoed those sentiments. “Build relationships—with students, colleagues, and families,” she said. “Celebrate the little wins, because teaching is a marathon, not a sprint. Stay open to learning, take small steps to grow, and remember—you’re making a difference every day.”

If you have any questions about our professional support model for New Teachers - or would like to support our work - please get in touch! You can reach us at info@educatorsleadingtheprofession.org.