We recruit mission-aligned and values-driven individuals with leadership potential who strive for long-lasting change AND they go to teach and lead innovative projects in our partner communities through our Teacher Leadership Program (hereinafter “Program”).
Our Program participants (known as “Teacher-Leaders”) instill leadership within their students so that they can be change makers in their communities and across the nation.
Through the work of our Teacher-Leaders, our students become Ambassadors of our mission, advocating for local ingenuity, civic responsibility, and global connectivity within their own communities.
The alumni of our Program go on to become Ambassadors for our mission, embarking upon leadership pathways to achieve system-wide change.
All of our Ambassadors combined create hundreds and thousands of bright spots across the nation, demonstrating the power of collective leadership.
We inspire change across the nation, generating a movement of leaders who will redefine what is possible for Armenia and occupied Artsakh.
PRE-SERVICE PROGRAM
Before joining the Program, all incoming Teacher-Leaders start a five-week online Pre-Service Program. In each week of the Pre-Service Program, candidates receive an orientation to Teach For Armenia’s approach to virtual learning while also exploring the following topics:
WEEK 1
Through an introduction to Teach For Armenia’s Kochari, candidates reflect on educational equity and justice.
WEEK 2
Using the “Life Compass” activity, candidates explore their own strengths and aspirations as a leader.
WEEK 3
Halfway through pre-service, candidates explore the details of the Program.
WEEK 4
As candidates prepare for the summer, they learn about Teach For Armenia’s approach to teaching student leadership.
WEEK 5
In the final week of pre-service, candidates receive a detailed overview of the Teacher Leadership Academy.
TEACHER LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
The Program officially starts with our intensive summer training program called the Teacher Leadership Academy, which spans seven weeks:
INTENSIVE TRAINING
Through four intensive weeks of hybrid training, Teacher-Leaders are introduced to key concepts of Teach For Armenia’s Kochari and Educational Equity while meeting their team. They prepare to run a Student Leadership Camp exploring topics like long-term and lesson planning; co-creation of classroom culture; teaching methodologies and Change-Based Learning; classroom assessment.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP CAMP
Working with a group of students, Teacher-Leaders run a 2-week Student Leadership Camp using
Change-Based Learning.
REGIONAL ORIENTATION
After reflecting on their experience of Student Leadership Camp, in final preparation before starting the program, Teacher-Leaders assemble in their respective regions for a week of orientation.
Individuals who successfully complete the Teacher Leadership Academy are eligible to receive a certificate for a 30-credit course recognized by the government in order to teach in high-priority communities.
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SELF-GUIDED LEARNING
Our Program was intentionally designed for Teacher-Leaders working in remote communities across Armenia and Artsakh. For that very reason, the vast majority of professional development is delivered through a rigorous self-guided curriculum. The curriculum is divided into two core themes:
TEACHER LEADERSHIP
Topics include:
Designing Diagnostic Tests and Using Diagnostic Data | Collecting & Analyzing Data | Change-Based Learning | Lesson Planning and Direct Instruction | Classroom Culture based on Neuroscience and Social-Emotional Learning | Parental Engagement | Formative Assessment: Feedback | Formative Assessment: Questioning | Child Rights | Inquiry-Based Learning | Universal Design for Learning | Students’ Portfolio & Metacognition | Social-Emotional Learning | Trauma-Informed Teaching Practices | Summative Assessment and Evaluating Impact | My Education Philosophy | Big Goals & Long-Term Planning
COMMUNITY INNOVATION
Topics include:
Design Thinking & Empathy Interviews | Ideation | Student Leadership | Vision Setting & SMART goals | Action Planning | Budgeting | Fundraising | Pitching | Measurement & Evaluation (for individuals selected for funding)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GATHERINGS
In addition to our self-guided modules, Teach For Armenia organizes quarterly gatherings for Teacher-Leaders (both regionally and nationally). The events are organized around the collective needs of Teacher-Leaders using the organization's Leadership Framework, focusing both on pedagogy as well as leadership development.
LEADERSHIP COACHING
What makes our Program perhaps most unique is that all Teacher-Leaders are matched with a coach and mentor called a Leadership Development Manager. Using Teach For Armenia’s Leadership Framework, our Leadership Development Managers provide our Teacher-Leaders with targeted and differentiated support.
INNOVATION ACCELERATOR
Teach For Armenia aims to transform the nation through education, and we believe in the power of our students, and their teachers, to drive that change. For that reason, our program provides our students, Teacher-Leaders, and alumni with the opportunity to implement Innovation Projects. In short, our aim is to spark innovation and cultivate leadership in every corner of the country.
STUDENT-LED INNOVATION PROJECTS
Through Change-Based Learning, our students develop pitches for projects that they can lead in their communities. Teach For Armenia then awards microgrants (i.e. $400) so that they can implement them.
TEACHER-LED INNOVATION PROJECTS
In the second year of the Program, we then select Teacher-Leaders who implemented successful Student-Led Innovation Projects to receive additional funds to lead a larger community-level initiative (i.e. $1,000-$2,000).
ALUMNI-LED INNOVATION PROJECTS
When Teacher-Leaders complete the Program and they become alumni, they can then go on to become founders and executives of their own organizations through Káits, Teach For Armenia’s Social Innovation Incubator.
It is important to highlight that students and community members play a critical role in co-creation and co-implementation for all three levels of the accelerator, not just the Student-Led Innovation Projects. Collective leadership is a core focus across our programming. Also, Teach For Armenia also supports Teacher-Leaders who do not directly receive funding from the organization to lead crowdfunding campaigns.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
MASTER’S PROGRAM
For Teacher-Leaders joining the program without a teaching degree, Teach For Armenia will sponsor a Master’s in Teacher Leadership at Yerevan State University.
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TEACH FOR ALL
After completing the Program, Teacher-Leaders become “Ambassadors for Educational Equity,” globally known as “alumni.” They are joined by more than 70,000 alumni from across the Teach For All global network. These alumni are influential executives of organizations, government officials, politicians, philanthropists, and other leaders committed to ending educational inequity around the world. Through Teach For All, our alumni have access to world-class opportunities for further professional development.
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WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAM?
STAY IN TOUCH WITH US:
ARE YOU ALREADY TEACHING IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL
IN ARMENIA?
If you are already a teacher working in a public school in Armenia or Artsakh,
Teach For Armenia offers a differentiated “In-Service Teacher Training Track.”
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To learn more about the Teacher Leadership Program, please download our Teacher Leader Handbook which details our policies and procedures.
