Teacher Leadership Network

The University of Portland School of Education's Teacher Leadership Network (TLN) promotes professional growth and development, mentorship, and networking among educators in the Portland metropolitan area. Comprising local school and school system educators, classroom teachers, teaching and curriculum coaches, community educators, current students and alumni, our Teacher Leadership Fellows are committed to TLN's three-fold focus on professional development, networking, and mentorship.

TLN Areas of Focus

• Local activities provide yearly access to national expertise, issues, and best practices without the time and cost of conferences.
• The three-fold focus on professional development, networking, and mentorship provides for immediate relevance and support to current and emerging educational leaders.
• Yearly professional development opportunities linked to credit options and formal education credential programming. Low- or no-cost registration encourages a broad participation of local educators.
• TLN sponsorship, partnership, and support for educator participation in local education events, conferences, and meetings, including co-sponsored events with the Educational Leadership Network (ELN).
• A focus on mentorship and networking characterizes all TLN activities.

Upcoming Event Dates

• Fall 2021 -TLN's first professional development date is TBD. We are now in the planning stages of mapping out fiscal year 2021-22 PD events. If you are interested in receiving information about our next event, please email Amy Kwong-Kwapisz at kwongkwa@up.edu to be added to the email invite list.
  

Past Events

February 3, 2021 - Strategies for Distance Learning: Helping Students Find Meaning, Purpose, and Value in a Digital World with Dr. Bonnie Robb

This school year, educators are being asked to help students learn from a distance. While we cannot control all of the circumstances our learners face, we can focus on how they learn while developing expereience that maximize their learning potential. All learners, regardless of age or circumstances, need new information to be meaningful at a neurobiological level. They also crave a sense of purpose and value in the learning experiences they are provided. Can this be achieved during distance learning? To find out, we will discuss some theory and strategies that will help you povide meaning, purpose, and value to distance learning that can be applies to all ages of learners.

Our presenter and UP alumnae, Dr. Bonnie Robb ('95 BA, '01 MEd, and '16 EdD) is a 24-year veteran teacher with a focus on neuroeducation/ Dr. Robb has been recognized by the Oregon Department of Education as the Oregon Teacher of the Year by the Milken Family Foundation and she is an adjuct instructor at UP.

Zoom Video Recording of Event: Strategies for Distance Learning-Part 1 & Strategies for Distance Learning-Part 2
PowerPoint Presentation: Strategies for Distance Learning

October 28, 2020 - Why Boys Challenge You: Teaching and Parenting for Remote Learning Success with Janet Allison, founder of Boys Alive!

Boys need our help now more than ever. Remote learning has increased the challenges of behavior issues, academics, and ADHD diagnoses.  The strategies that worked in the past (in person) are no longer effective.

Feeling frustrated and out of ideas, parents and teachers need more effective strategies to help active boys (and girls) on either side of the screen.

The usual “school” issues of acting out, checking out, and extreme behaviors are intensified in these uncertain times. Without the right support, boys can experience discouragement, anxiety and depression, and disinterest in anything but video games.  There is no time to waste.

The good news is, when we understand how boys naturally learn, relate and communicate - often very different than females - we can have realistic expectations and set them up for success.

In this training, you will learn:

• Common communication mistakes and what to do instead
• How and why boys need their remote learning to be more than just talking
• Simple ways to adjust the remote learning environment to dramatically reduce distractions and increase engagement and interest.

Zoom Video Recording of Event: TLN - Why Boys Challenge You

Feburary 11, 2020 - Mindfulness Tools to Prevent Burnout: Fostering Teachers' Social and Emotional Competencies with Dr. Deirdre Katz

Join the TLN for our first lecture event of the year!  The University is excited to have Dr. Deirdre Katz lead us in a conversation about using mindfulness to prevent teacher burnout.  Dr. Katz will be discussing strategies and resources around supporting the teacher's own social and emotional growth as well as ways to get teachers to a stronger more resilient space--in and out of the classroom.

PowerPoint Presentation: SEL, Mindfulness & Teacher Burnout 2020

April 11, 2019 - The Missing Link for Student Success: Executive Function Skills with Marydee Sklar

The University of Portland School of Education welcomed Marydee Sklar from Executive Functioning Success to evaluate executive functioning strengths and weakness and analyze what brain functions are required for academic success. Marydee discussed and shared exercises to calm the brain under stress and concrete strategies and tools to supports student's time management and organization.

Discover the neuroscience and tools that help all students to:

• Focus their brain to be ready to learn
• Arrive on time
• Start and complete assignments
• Meet project deadlines
• Activate the brain's reward system

The interactive presentation enabled teachers to:

• Evaluate the executive function skills of a student’s brain
• Determine which executive functions are required for independent seatwork and homework
• Explore brain differences that contribute to poor student performance
• Examine the brain activity for typical students, those with autism and those with ADHD
• Come away with practical tools to build students’ motivation, time awareness, future thinking and ability to strategically plan for homework completion
• Leave with a bibliography and guidelines to set up a professional learning community around
• The topic of executive functions

PowerPoint Presentation: Missing Link 2019 Presentation
Handouts: Activity Sheet
                 Learning Communities
                 Goals and Objectives

February 21, 2019 - Supporting Students Through Anxiety & Depression: Strategies for Navigating Mental Health in a Tech Heavy World with Dr. Holly Crossen

Dr. Holly Crossen, licensed clinical psychologist, spoke about the increase in anxiety and depression in our schools.  Dr. Crossen has been practicing for over 20 years specializing in child development serving at-risk children in the Portland Metro area. 

Dr. Crossen shared strategies and interventions to help teachers support students dealing with mental health issues.  She also discussed the implications for educators as caregivers to students who are impacted by anxiety and depression as well as the role of technology and social media in their lives. 

PowerPoint Presentation: Supporting Students Through Anxiety & Depression

March 2018 - Building a Culturally Responsive Classroom Community with Dr. Dyan Watson

We are excited to welcome Dr. Dyan Watson, whose primary research focuses on exploring how teachers semantically encode race, and the intersections of race and teaching. The presentation will be an interactive seminar that focuses on injustice, whether it's based on race, class, gender, language, or perceived sexual orientation. Dr. Watson will lead us through four "acts" that will  engage us in discussions with our colleagues from Oregon and SW Washington, as we work together to explore problems of practices and solutions in a supportive and collegial environment.

December 2016 - Inclusion with a Focus on High Performing Students

The phrase "students learn differently" describes the diversity in classrooms around the world that teachers are facing in the 21st century. As education is ever-changing, teachers need to be equipped with the knowledge to meet all student's needs. Attendees at this event had the opportunity to learn how to work with these challenging situations in their own classroom. Panelists included both elementary and secondary teachers and administrators in the Portland area about how they are integrating high performing students in their classrooms and schools.

Panelists and their presentation:
Dr. Sara Bruins | Assistant Principal | Central Catholic High School
Teri-Kay Johnson | Mentor Teacher | Holy Cross Catholic School K-8
     TLN Panel Presentation
Kiya Masunaga | Assistant Principal | Beverly Cleary K-8
     UP TAG PowerPoint Presentation
Dr. Michael Musick | Executive Director of School Management | Lake Oswego School District
     Five Year Trend for CHS2013 Presentation
     Curriculum Pathways with Revised GT Programs
     Guidelines for Math Acceleration
     PSAT Prediction Data
     Meeting the Needs of TAG and Accelerated Students (Secondary) PowerPoint Presentation

February 2016 - Driving with your Eyes Closed: How to See the Road Through the Data

The professional development session in February featured an event that benefited teachers across all disciplines in understanding DATA. Our faculty data specialist, Drs. Nicole Ralston and Jacqueline Waggoner presented a invaluable segment on DATA. What to do with data, how to read data, and why data is important. If you were unable to attend this event, below is the PowerPoint presentation that was created and utilized by our faculty.

TLN with KDP FEB 2016 Event 1
TLN with KDP FEB 2016 Event 2

December 2015 - Literacy: Utilizing Academic Vocabulary in Multiple Disciplines

The professional development session in December featured a focused academic vocabulary panel presentation with three of our most celebrated faculty members, Drs. Rich Christen, Tisha Morrell, and Peter Thacker. All attendees received a one(1) hour of professional development unit credit for this event. If you were unable to attend this event, below is the PowerPoint presentation that was created and utilized by our faculty.

Literacy: Utilizing Academic Vocabulary in Multiple Disciplines

TLN Contact Information