The Linda R. Baker Teacher Leader Center is a comprehensive professional development center and professional learning commons designed to create the next generation of 21st century teachers, leaders, scholars and innovators.

The Teacher Leader Center adds value and vitality to the teacher education experience and enhances the marketability of our professional students and scholars through unique programs that are highly relevant to today’s education.

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Teacher Leader Certificate

The Teacher Leader Certificate is a series of competencies and experiences in the areas of assessment, technology, diversity and community engagement offered through workshops, and community partnerships to encourage strong classroom leadership skills among teacher education students.

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Professional Development

Teachers can earn Iowa Licensure Renewal Credit through relevant, research and evidence-based professional development workshops and courses. 

*University of Iowa Alumni receive a 10% discount on all professional development courses and workshops offered through the Baker Teacher Leader Center.

College of Education students teaching a class in Thailand

Global Education Initiatives

The College of Education is known for its engagement across the globe. This engagement comes in the form of research, collaborative international teaching experiences, and community service. 

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Partnerships and Programs

From regional collaborations with Iowa school districts to innovative global academic opportunities, our robust programs and partnerships provide support and programming for students interested in exploring education as a future career.

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Educator Wellness Video Podcast Series

The Scanlan Center for School Mental Health and the Baker Teacher Leader Center are proud to offer the 2022-2023 Educator Wellness Video Podcast Series. Featuring national wellness experts, the 8-part series is designed to enrich personal wellness dimensions, translating into healthier social-emotional-behavioral health practices in the PreK-12 schools. Earn one free Iowa Licensure Renewal Credit if you attend all eight!

Upcoming BTLC Events

What All Teachers Should Know about Evidence-Based Strategies for Gifted Students

Wednesday, March 29, 2023 5:00pm to 6:00pm
Virtual
Please register here. TLC Credit: IS (T), GT Presenter: Dr. Laurie Croft, Clinical Professor, Department of Teaching and Learning  Description: The National Association for Gifted Children has suggested three broad standards that ALL teachers should understand in order to meet the needs of the gifted students in their classrooms.  This session focuses on the importance of using evidence-based instructional strategies to help advanced learners make continuous educational progress.

Frequências: Contemporary Afro-Brazilian Cinema & the Black Diaspora

Thursday, March 30 to Saturday, April 1, 2023 (all day)
BTLC is advertising this series of events. BTLC Credit: IS (T) Presenter: 2022-23 Obermann Humanities Symposium & International Programs Major Project Award  Full schedule here: https://obermann.uiowa.edu/frequencias/schedule-speakers  Taking Brazil's new Black cinema as its point of departure, Frequências: Contemporary Afro-Brazilian Cinema & the Black Diaspora brings together filmmakers, artists, scholars, and critics from across the globe in order to inaugurate a practice of collective...

Reflective Teaching-Learning - Case Study of Pre-Service International Students

Thursday, March 30, 2023 6:00pm to 7:00pm
Virtual
Please register here. TLC Credit: IS (T) Presenter: Syed (Usman) Hashmi, ETC Graduate Assistant  Reflecting on our experiences related to teaching-learning can be very productive in terms of improving, progressing or even sharing, that develops a culture of learning-reflecting-sharing-growing-sharing-reflecting-learning. In this workshop participants will browse through various reflective strategies. They will further reflect on how they can apply in their own classroom settings that may help...
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Do you identify as a BIPOC student? 

For resources, community events, and offerings, visit:  Supporting BIPOC Students

Mission and Vision

The Baker Teacher Leader Center (BTLC) strives to offer evidence-based and innovative professional development and career advancement experiences, for both pre – and in-service educators, helping to advance our profession in ways that will affect positive change in our communities across the nation. We aspire to collaborate with content area experts and leaders to solve issues related to the field of education.

About Us

Meet our staff

William Coghill-Behrends

Director, Global Education Initiatives

N121 Lindquist Center

319-335-5349

william-behrends@uiowa.edu

Kari Vogelgesang

Director, Professional Development

N120 Lindquist Center

319-335-5348

kari-vogelgesang@uiowa.edu

Amira Nash

Associate Director, Partnerships and Programs

N110 Lindquist Center

319-467-4809

amira-nash@uiowa.edu

Mariana Ruggiero Colombo

Associate Director, Professional Development and Online Programming

N110 Lindquist Center

mariana-colombo@uiowa.edu