Teacher Leader Endorsement

The Teacher Leader Endorsement at Metro RESA is a GaPSC approved preparation program that provides approved candidates with the coursework and related field experience required to add the Teacher Leader Endorsement to a current standard Georgia Professional Certificate. Within the year-long endorsement, candidates focus on developing peer and collegial leadership skills. Key elements of the endorsement include: promoting effective communication skills, building relationships, developing coaching skills, and broadening perspectives related to district and school leadership.

Participants complete a clinical supervision cycle, design an action research project, develop a professional growth plan, create and deliver a professional learning workshop, facilitate a professional learning team meeting, participate in local governance activities, and work with a site supervisor to better understand building leadership challenges and procedures.

If you are interested in receiving more information about the Metro RESA Teacher Leader Endorsement, please complete the Teacher Leader Endorsement Interest Form.

For more information, contact the Metro RESA Teacher Leader Endorsement Coordinator, C rystal Ricks

Overview

Learning Outcomes

The Teacher Leader Endorsement requires candidates to acquire knowledge and demonstrate the success of all students by:

Examining theory and research relating to leadership, school effectiveness, and facilitating change.
Providing tools to effectively: communicate, build teams, and create and sustain professional learning communities.
Facilitating a continuous change process to improve the educational program through development, articulation, implementation, and stewardship of a shared school or system vision of learning supported by the school community.
Promoting a positive school culture, providing an effective instructional program based on Georgia standards, applying research-based best practices to student learning, and designing comprehensive professional growth plans for staff.

The competencies addressed in this course are those identified by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for the Teacher Leader Endorsement Program (505-3-.73) and are correlated to the Georgia School Keys and the Standards for Advanced Programs in Educational Leadership approved by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

Admission Requirements

Candidates must hold a valid T-4 or higher Induction, Professional, Advanced Professional, or Lead Professional teaching certificate.
- Candidates who currently hold an Induction certificate must complete the requirements required to convert their certificate to a renewable certificate as outlined by the GaPSC and their timeline.
Candidates must have completed at least three years of successful teaching experience.
Candidates must be recommended for participation in the program by their employing principal and the system-level designee.

Tuition Costs

Course I: A Foundation for Teacher Leadership (50 hours/5 PLUs)

A Foundation for Teacher Leadership is designed to provide and extend candidates’ knowledge of the leadership process by examining theory and research relating to leadership, motivation, facilitating change, communicating effectively, team building, and creating and sustaining professional learning communities. Candidates will explore, discuss, and apply theory and research through assignments and activities.

Course II: Working with Teachers to Improve Instruction (50 hours/5 PLUs)

Working with Teachers to Improve Instruction is designed to provide candidates with knowledge of research, theory, and methods of effective instruction. Candidates will have opportunities to assist teachers with (a) analyzing and utilizing data for instruction, (b) creating and delivering standards-based lessons, and (c) assessing instructional effectiveness. Candidates will also practice instructional coaching.

Course III: Teacher Leadership in Action (50 hours/5 PLUs)

Resource Requirements

Meet the Coordinator

Crystal Ricks, Metro RESA Teacher Leader Endorsement Coordinator

Email Crystal Ricks

Crystal Ricks, a native of Alabama, is in her 17th year of service as an educator. She began her career as a classroom teacher at Liberty Point elementary school where she developed her love for teaching, learning, and leadership. Mrs. Ricks began her leadership journey as a Grade Level Chair, New Teacher Mentor and Professional Learning Facilitator and then continued to learn and lead as a Curriculum Support Teacher. Mrs. Ricks attended Berea College earning a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. She also earned a Master’s of Education Degree from Lesley University in Integrating Teaching Through the Arts. More recently, she earned a Tier I Certification and EDS in Educational Leadership from Georgia State University.

Mrs. Ricks is a passionate, innovative, and collaborative leader whose life purpose has been to ensure that each student reaches his or her maximum potential. Her focus on rigorous classroom instruction, student data, and professional development has yielded positive student learning outcomes. As a Curriculum Support Teacher, she partnered with the school administrative team to raise student achievement. Through a partnership among students, staff, and community members Liberty Point Elementary School improved from an “F” to “C” school as measured by College & Career Performance Index (CCRPI) and has been identified as a “Beating the Odds School” for four consecutive years. As a Curriculum Support Teacher of Liberty Point Elementary School, she made a meaningful impact by creating structures and protocols to support Liberty Point’s focus on student development. She also focused on building the capacity of teachers by developing and facilitating high quality professional learning content, transformational coaching, and targeted feedback. Mrs. Ricks was also recognized as the 2010 Teacher of the Year at Liberty Point Elementary School.

In addition to her work as a Curriculum Support Teacher at Liberty Point Elementary School, she contributed to the school community as the Chair of the School Governance Council.

In her current role as a Program Specialist for Professional Development, she aims to build the capacity of all district stakeholders to serve the children of Fulton County Schools. Her passion and contribution has been in designing and facilitating professional learning and coaching experiences to over 400 teacher leaders as they lead and facilitate the efforts of Professional Learning Communities. As Coordinator of the MRESA Teacher Leader Endorsement (TLE) program, she is equally enthusiastic about providing high quality professional learning opportunities for aspiring teacher leaders. Having previously completed the TLE program, she knows firsthand how impactful the knowledge, skills, and experiences from the program can be in supporting and transforming teaching and learning.

Crystal Ricks is an educator and self-proclaimed “life-long learner” and is committed to changing the trajectory of the lives of all children. She has committed her life to educating the next generation and becoming the best version of herself despite the obstacles and hardships she has faced in life. She firmly believes in constant reflection and that “every day is a new day.” One of her favorite quotes: “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” ~Maya Angelou, serves as a reminder that each of us are constantly evolving into the person we were designed to be.

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