The TLI curriculum focuses on building skills in five areas of leadership:

Setting Clear and Compelling Direction

• Develop shared purpose and coherent effort through mission, vision and beliefs
• Communicate effectively strategic action plan--goals, strategies, initiatives and responsibilities
• Establish a sense of urgency that leads to action

Shaping Culture for Learning

• Establish desired culture through norms, rituals, traditions, common language and cultural competencies
• Promote a positive and supportive climate
• Build community and shared accountability through collaborative structures and intentional relationships with all stakeholders
• Infuse diversity of perspectives, people, ideas and experiences into the work
• Develop skills of influence, persuasion and advocacy
• Make ethical and moral decisions

Leading and Managing Change

• Distribute leadership and sustain high performing leadership teams
• Use individual, group and organizational change research, processes and tools
• Use reflection, inquiry and assessment practices
• Maximize time for instructional leadership
• Engage as a community leader
• Reach scale with change efforts

Transforming Teaching and Learning

• Expect instructional competency in the craft of teaching
• Recognize themes and patterns of effective instruction
• Observe instructional performance and provide actionable feedback and coaching
• Gather evidence that learners are engaged in rigorous and relevant learning experiences
• Become literate as a leader of digital learning environments
• Ensure alignment of standards, curriculum, instruction, professional development and assessments

Managing Accountability Systems

• Implement and use student performance-based accountability systems for decision-making
• Implement and use adult performance-based accountability systems for decision-making
• Allocate and distribute resources equitably (time, people, funds, resources and technology)

Participants work on school-based projects that demonstrate leadership in applying knowledge and skills to build the instructional capacity of others.

"The Teacher Leadership Institute is supported by Metro Nashville Public Schools' Race to the Top funds, distributed by the U.S. Department of Education through the Tennessee Department of Education."