Teacher Leaders Programme

The Teacher Leaders Programme (TLP) is a suite of three milestone programmes that are designed by the Academy of Singapore Teachers (AST), in collaboration with the National Institute of Education (NIE). Each TLP aims to support the growth of officially appointed Teacher Leaders, and helps them work towards achieving the key result areas aligned to their specific roles.

The learning experiences in these milestone programmes shape the professional disposition of the Teacher Leaders and strengthen the skills and knowledge towards the fulfilment of the five desired teacher outcomes of the Teacher Growth Model (TGM):

• The Ethical Educator
• The Competent Professional
• The Collaborative Learner
• The Transformational Leader
• The Community Builder

This programme seeks to prepare Teacher Leaders for their roles as pedagogical leaders and instructional mentors to others. Each programme focuses on creating a variety of purposeful learning experiences that inspire new ways of teaching and learning.  These experiences are built upon the firm foundation of holistic education and core beliefs as reflected in the Singapore Teaching Practice (STP).

The modules in the milestone programmes reflect the expected scope of impact and influence of Teacher Leaders.  Close referencing is made to the ethos of the teaching profession and participants’ roles as pedagogical leaders and instructional mentors in the fraternity.

• Teacher Leaders Programme 1 (TLP 1)

  Target Audience
  Appointed Senior Teachers (STs) with at least one year experience in the role.

  Duration
  10-week programme with two intakes in January and June/July annually

  Programme Objectives
  The programme aims to enable Senior Teacher participants to 

  • develop a shared understanding of the core beliefs and the role of STs in bringing out the full potential of their students;
  • build their capacity to lead and facilitate teams, manage working relationships, and foster a collaborative professional culture in their schools; and
  • keep up-to-date with current issues, trends, and developments in curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment and to enable STs to contribute innovatively in teaching and learning.

  Programme Description
  Senior Teacher participants will acquire and apply key knowledge and skills to impact the teaching community within the school. The modules address topics such as curriculum leadership, coaching and mentoring, teacher leadership, assessment literacy, professional ethics, and community engagement.  To further enhance Senior Teachers’ grounding in research methodology and skills, there is a research component where Senior Teachers design and implement a school-based research project (Capstone Project). Within six months after the programme, Senior Teacher participants will pilot their team research project (Capstone Project) before presenting the outcomes and evaluation of the implementation of this project to NIE and their peers.

• Teacher Leaders Programme 2 (TLP 2)

  Target Audience
  Appointed Lead Teachers (LTs)

  Duration
  10-week programme with one intake in January annually

  Programme Objectives
  The programme aims to enable Lead Teacher participants to

  • develop a shared understanding of the core beliefs and the role of LTs in bringing out the full potential of their students;
  • build their capacity to lead and facilitate teams, manage working relationships, and foster a collaborative professional culture in their schools and clusters; and
  • keep up-to-date with current issues, trends, and developments in curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment, and to enable LTs to contribute innovatively in teaching and learning.

  Programme Description
  Lead Teacher participants will acquire and apply key knowledge and skills to impact the teaching community at the cluster level. They will understand the work and impact of Master Teachers (MTTs) at the AST academies and language centres through a five-day attachment. In addition, Lead Teachers will also learn and broaden their perspectives through visits to educational institutions overseas. Within six months after the programme, Lead Teacher participants will apply their learning by completing a capstone project and sharing at the cluster or network levels.

• Teacher Leaders Programme 3 (TLP 3)

  Target Audience
  Newly appointed Master Teachers (MTTs)

  Duration
  Two-week induction programme in January

  Programme Objectives
  The programme aims to enable participants to acquire and apply a repertoire of knowledge and skills at the zonal and national levels to enhance instructional leadership, collaboration, and mentoring.

  Programme Description
  There are five core modules. The modules are designed to enhance and deepen newly appointed MTTs’ capacity as pedagogical leaders and instructional mentors to others.