Self-Assessment of Teacher Leader Qualities

Jill Sundlof - February 2024

Directions:
● Save this file as LastFirstName_TLQInitial.docx (KnowlesBeyonce_TLQInitial.docx)
● For each element, rate yourself in one of the following three categories (E/A/I). Be honest. This is an opportunity to document growth
● Provide examples of your experiences in the leadership domain
● Identify areas within each domain where you are interested in growing as a teacher leader.
● Summarize your strengths and areas of possible growth.
● Boxes will expand as needed.
Exploring/Emerging (E) - a level of practice in which the teacher leader relies on ongoing assistance from
more experienced colleagues for support, guidance, and survival. The teacher leader is moving toward
becoming more self-directed and independent in her/his practice. ​

Applying (A) - a level of practice in which the teacher leader is able to provide independent leadership and
easily applies what s/he has learned about leadership.

Integrating/Innovating (I) - a level of development in which the teacher leader is fully skilled and confident.
The Integrating/Innovating teacher leader contributing to the broader educational community through staff
development, research, or publication in professional journals. ​

Domain 1: Fosters a Collaborative Culture to Support Educator Development and Student Learning E A I
a. Utilizes group processes to help colleagues work collaboratively to solve problems, make
x
decisions, manage conflict, and promote meaningful change.
b. Models effective skills in listening, presenting ideas, leading discussions, clarifying, x
mediating, and identifying the needs of self and others in order to advance shared goals
and professional learning.
c. Employs facilitation skills to create trust among colleagues, develop collective wisdom, x
build ownership and action that supports student learning.
d. Strives to create an inclusive culture where diverse perspectives are welcomed in x
addressing challenges.
e. Uses knowledge and understanding of different backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and x
languages to promote effective interactions among colleagues.
Three Examples of Domain 1 Experiences Areas of Interest in Growth
● (a) I use the 4 essential questions of the PLC process to ● (d) I am always interested in growing my understanding of
guide weekly conversations with my content team. equity and inclusion in the workplace because I feel it
● ( c) I served as my team’s PLC facilitator for one year. This should always be an ongoing effort. I want to learn more
was a leadership position that guided my content team about the different ways that my colleagues prefer to
through all aspects of the PLC process. collaborate, and which settings produce the most effective
● (e) I work with students, families, and colleagues who live results for us.
all across the exceptionally diverse state of California.
Respect for the diversity of my students and their
situations has been critical in allowing me to connect with
people from so many different backgrounds.

Domain 2: Accesses and Uses Research to Improve Practice and Student Learning E A I
a. Assists colleagues in accessing and using research in order to select appropriate strategies x
to improve student learning.
b. Facilitates the analysis of student learning data, collaborative interpretation of results, and x
application of findings to improve teaching and learning.
c. Supports colleagues in collaborating with the higher education institutions and other x
organizations engaged in researching critical educational issues.

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Self-Assessment of Teacher Leader Qualities
 d. Teaches and supports colleagues to collect, analyze, and communicate data from their x
classrooms to improve teaching and learning.
Three Examples of Domain 2 Experiences Areas of Interest in Growth
● (b) I collaborate with my content team to collect and share ● (a) I am interested in joining my school’s guiding coalition
common formative assessment data. We use this data to to research and pilot new tools and strategies that our
guide discussions about which students are on track to school is interested in adopting. We are able to discuss the
mastering the standard, and students who need additional effectiveness of new initiatives since teachers are
support. We also use this data to identify which teaching contributing their ideas and feedback.
strategies were most effective in getting students to master
the standard.
● (d) I often take the lead on designing and creating common
formative assessments for my biology team to use. I
support my team with tips and insights into collecting their
data, interpreting the data, and creating tangible actions in
response to the data.

Domain 3: Promotes Professional Learning for Continuous Improvement E A I

a. Collaborates with colleagues and school administrators to plan professional learning that is x
team-based, job-embedded, sustained over time, aligned with content standards, and
linked to school/district improvement goals.
b. Uses information about adult learning to respond to the diverse learning needs of x
colleagues by identifying, promoting, and facilitating varied and differentiated professional
learning.
c. Facilitates professional learning among colleagues. x
d. Identifies and uses appropriate technologies to promote collaborative and differentiated x
professional learning.
e. Works with colleagues to collect, analyze, and disseminate data related to the quality of x
professional learning and its effect on teaching and student learning.
f. Advocates for sufficient preparation, time, and support for colleagues to work in teams to x
engage in job-embedded professional learning.
g. Provides constructive feedback to colleagues to strengthen teaching practice and improve x
student learning.
h. Uses information about emerging education, economic, and social trends in planning and x
facilitating professional learning.
Three Examples of Domain 3 Experiences Areas of Interest in Growth
● (a) My content PLC team collaborates to select essential ● (c )I am looking forward to eventually leading a PD during
NGSS standards as part of our guaranteed and viable one of our school’s upcoming Promising Practices
curriculum. We meet on a weekly basis to discuss and seminars. Teachers have a chance to showcase a skill, and
analyze our collective students’ progress toward the other get to choose which seminars are most interesting
essential standards through use of common formative and beneficial to them. I would like to lead a PD on
assessment. Our Essential standards and student progress implementing self-directed skill building exercises with our
toward mastery are pooled and shared with school virtual students.
administrators. ● (g) I would like more opportunities to learn from my
● (d) I regularly provided training and tutorials in different colleagues by observing them in their classes. I also
online tools that my team can use to improve their welcome the opportunity for more of my fellow biology
practice. I have led my team in adopting a new virtual lab teachers to come observe my classes and offer me
platform and have shown them demos of how to use this constructive feedback. I am always looking for new ideas
application in their classes. for my own practice, and I think I could help my team
● (f) I recently advocated to administrators that my PLC team improve in their practices as well.
and others would like support in setting up systems for
sharing students. We have the technical ability to schedule
and share students, but there is a clear need for an
itemized protocol that makes the process easier for teams.

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Self-Assessment of Teacher Leader Qualities
 Domain 4: Facilitates Improvements in Instruction and Student Learning E A I
a. Facilitates the collection, analysis, and use of classroom and school-based data to identify x
opportunities to improve curriculum, instruction, assessment, school organization, and
school culture.
b. Engages in reflective dialog with colleagues based on observation of instruction, student x
work, and assessment data and helps make connections to research-based effective
practices.
c. Supports colleagues’ individual and collective reflection and professional growth by serving x
in roles such as mentor, coach, and content facilitator.
d. Serves as a team leader to harness the skills, expertise, and knowledge of colleagues to x
address curricular expectations and student learning needs.
e. Uses knowledge of existing and emerging technologies to guide colleagues in helping x
students skillfully and appropriately navigate the universe of knowledge available on the
Internet, use social media to promote collaborative learning, and connect with people and
resources around the globe.
f. Promotes instructional strategies that address issues of diversity and equity in the x
classroom and ensures that individual student learning needs remain the central focus of
instruction.
Three Examples of Domain 4 Experiences Areas of Interest in Growth
● (a) My biology team recently used CFA data to identify the ● (c ) I am interested in having more conversations with
most effective teaching strategies during a challenging colleagues relating to reflection on our teaching practices. I
learning unit. Students who engaged in a virtual lab about would like to use teacher observations as a positive
DNA replication were more likely to score well on the CFA opportunity for feedback and reflection from the people
and demonstrate mastery toward the standard, compared who understand the content best. I would like to see each
to students who completed a traditional worksheet activity. of the members of my PLC step into a leadership role by
● (e)My virtual students are exposed to technology and a selecting a topic or teaching strategy that they would like
wide variety of applications every day. My job is to support to share with the team.
them in learning new technological skills that are pertinent
to the field of biology, but also skills that will serve them
across all of their virtual coursework. An emphasis is placed
on digital citizenship and active collaboration.
● (f) I have implemented many elements of Universal Design
for Learning (UDL) into my virtual teaching practice.
Students are given multiple modalities for collaboration
and participation during live instruction. They are given an
unrestricted environment where they get to choose their
level of participation. Students are all working at different
paces through the course, so I provide opportunities during
class time to monitor individual progress and select
appropriate activities for independent work. Within a
synchronous class session, I provide targeted support to
small groups of students while others independently select
learning activities based on their current individual
progress.

Domain 5: Promotes the Use of Assessments and Data for School and District Improvement E A I
a. Increases the capacity of colleagues to identify and use multiple assessment tools aligned x
to state and local standards.
b. Collaborates with colleagues in the design, implementation, scoring, and interpretation of x
student data to improve educational practice and student learning.
c. Creates a climate of trust and critical reflection in order to engage colleagues in challenging x
conversations about student learning data that lead to solutions to identified issues.

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Self-Assessment of Teacher Leader Qualities
 d. Works with colleagues to use assessment and data findings to promote changes in x
instructional practices or organizational structures to improve student learning.
Three Examples of Domain 5 Experiences Areas of Interest in Growth
● (a) I have helped my team pilot and evaluate several new ● (d) I am interested in expanding our schoolwide culture of
assessment tools including Nearpod, Pear Deck, Kahoot, promoting self-directed learners. I would like to collect
Whiteboard.chat, and features in our own OLS. more data with my students to evaluate if efforts in
● (b) I regularly collaborate with my PLC team to design new practicing these skills is actually making a difference in our
labs and build new assessments that are engaging for students’ overall academic performance. I am looking for
students and aligned to NGSS essential standards. solutions that could be enacted schoolwide through
● (c ) I am able to speak freely about my struggles and homeroom classes, but there should also be a focus on
shortcomings within my own teaching practice, and my what content teachers can do to increase our students’
team feels comfortable opening up to each other without self-directed learning skills.
judgment. We are committed to focusing our energy
towards discussing solutions to our issues and struggles.
For students that are not meeting the standard we reflect
on teaching practices that have worked for us, and
acknowledge that some aspects of our students academic
effort are not totally in our control. We regularly reflect on
our student data in order to drive discussions of how to
move forward.

Domain 6: Improves Outreach and Collaboration with Families and Community E A I

a. Uses knowledge and understanding of the different backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and x
languages in the school community to promote effective interactions among colleagues,
families, and the larger community.
b. Models and teaches effective communication and collaboration skills with families and x
other stakeholders focused on attaining equitable achievement for students of all
backgrounds and circumstances.
c. Facilitates colleagues’ self-examination of their own understandings of community culture x
and diversity and how they can develop culturally responsive strategies to enrich the
educational experiences of students and achieve high levels of learning for all students.
d. Develops a shared understanding among colleagues of the diverse educational needs of x
families and the community.
e. Collaborates with families, communities, and colleagues to develop comprehensive x
strategies to address the diverse educational needs of families and the community.
Three Examples of Domain 6 Experiences Areas of Interest in Growth
● (a) I work with an exceptionally diverse student population (c ) I am interested in continuing to learn about culturally
that spans the entire state of California. I meet with responsive teaching strategies and practices. My goal is to
homeroom families and deliver surveys to all all my always be an active learner in this area, as well as serving a
students to understand more about their backgrounds, good model to the rest of my colleagues.
academic goals, and reasons for attending virtual school. (e) I would like to increase the frequency and effectiveness of
● (e) I have regular conversations with my colleagues about my communication with families. Parent involvement is a
meeting the needs of our diverse student body. We high predictor of student success in the school, so I would
recently had a productive conversation about how to be like to find new ways to motivate their involvement and open
culturally sensitive when teaching the Evolution unit. We up more lines of communication.
discussed how respecting our students’ beliefs was
paramount to getting them to engage with the material
and feel included in the class.
● (b) I shared a sample letter to families that can be shared at
the beginning of the Evolution unit. The letter emphasizes
what will be taught during the unit and communicates that
all students’ personal beliefs are to be respected at all
times. This type of letter has received very positive

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Self-Assessment of Teacher Leader Qualities
 feedback from religious families and has been very helpful
for the entire team to use.

Domain 7: Advocates for Student Learning and the Profession E A I

a. Shares information with colleagues within and/or beyond the district regarding how local, x
state, and national trends and policies can impact classroom practices and expectations for
student learning.
b. Works with colleagues to identify and use research to advocate for teaching and learning x
processes that meet the needs of all students.
c. Collaborates with colleagues to select appropriate opportunities to advocate for the rights x
and/or needs of students, to secure additional resources within the building or district that
support student learning, and to communicate effectively with targeted audiences such as
parents and community members.
d. Advocates for access to professional resources, including financial support and human and x
other material resources, that allow colleagues to spend significant time learning about
effective practices and developing a professional learning community focused on school
improvement goals.
e. Represents and advocates for the profession in contexts outside of the classroom. x
Three Examples of Domain 7 Experiences Areas of Interest in Growth
● (c ) My team and I regularly correspond with our ● (a) I would like to learn more about state and national
curriculum specialist to advocate for the needs of our trends in education and how they are impacting our virtual
students. We recently advocated for a more engaging and school setting. I am especially interested in comparing our
accessible virtual lab platform that has helped increase schools test scores to other districts and nationwide
student performance. scores, then explore new movements in curricula and
● (d) Our team is allocated a fair and flexible budget for practices that are driving those differences in performance.
acquiring and piloting new digital class materials. We spend
time during our weekly PLC meetings sharing resources not
just for our teaching practice but also for HR resources,
financial programs, and professional development
opportunities.
●

Summary of Strengths and Areas of Possible Growth

I am a strong collaborator in my Biology team’s weekly PLC meeting. I serve a modest leadership role for my team by guiding
our conversations towards the four essential questions of the PLC process. I consistently share my resources and tools with
my teacher team so they can add new content and material to their courses. I have provided tutorials and guidance to the
team in matters regarding new technology, collecting data, and organizing our online curricula. My greatest areas for growth
would be related to professional development and current research in educational trends across the country. I would like to
expand my professional skills by collaborating with more teachers through observations, feedback, and opportunities for
teachers to lead and teach each other. I would like to expand my depth of research on changes in today’s education system
and use that information to drive the every day decisions I make in my virtual classroom.

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Self-Assessment of Teacher Leader Qualities