The Teacher Leader Certificate is a unique program designed to elevate your skills and transform your journey as an educator. Through a blend of hands-on workshops, collaborative learning, and 10 hours of meaningful volunteer work in educational settings, this certificate empowers you to become a confident leader both inside and outside the classroom.
Our workshops seamlessly integrate cutting-edge theory with practical strategies, equipping you with the competencies that today's schools need most. By partnering with local communities and education leaders, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the diverse contexts in which schools operate—allowing you to lead with empathy, innovation, and purpose.
Developed in collaboration with policy leaders, faculty, school administrators, alumni, and community partners, the Teacher Leader Certificate directly addresses the skills that make a difference in student and educator success. This program builds on your strengths, challenges you to explore new perspectives, and helps you discover your unique identity as an emerging teacher leader.
Requirements
Requirements vary depending on the TLC Certificate track you choose to pursue:
Interdisciplinary Studies (IS) Track:
- Submit your Plan of Study for approval
- Participate in at least 6 workshops that align with the objectives in your Plan of Study
- Complete the 10 hour volunteer experience in an education setting
UI REACH Track:
- Participate in the mandatory UI REACH training workshop, plus 3 UI REACH identified workshops and 2 workshops of your interest
- Complete 10 hours of UI REACH-focused volunteer experience (preassigned)
Multilingual Learners (ML) Track:
- Participate in the 4 predefined mandatory workshops of this track and 2 workshops of your interest
- Complete 10 hours of volunteer experience with a focus on English Language Learners, preferably in an educational setting
Social-Emotional-Behavioral Mental Health (SEBMH) Track:
- Participate in the mandatory Introduction to SEBMH workshop, plus 3 SEBMH-identified workshops and 2 workshops of your interest
- Complete 10 hours of SEBMH-focused volunteer experience in the ICCSD (preassigned)
Advanced Academics and Talented Development (AATD) Track:
- Participate in 4 AATD-identified workshops plus 2 workshops of your interest
- Complete 10 hours of volunteer experience with a focus on gifted and talented students, preferably in an educational setting
Dyslexia (D) Track:
- Participate in all 5 mandatory D-identified workshops plus 1 workshop of your interest
- Complete 10 hours of volunteer experience with a focus on children identified as dyslexic (language-based learning disability), preferably in an educational setting
Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts/Design, and Math (STEAM) Track:
- Participate in 6 mandatory STEAM-identified workshops (7 workshops offered). Student must attend the first and last workshops (offered multiple times throughout the semester) and choose 4 of the remaining 5 workshops of your interest
- Complete 10 hours of volunteer experience in the College of Education’s temporary educational makerspace currently being outfitted at the Kirkwood Regional Center (preassigned)
Global Opportunities (GO) Track:
- Participate in 4 GO-identified workshops plus 2 workshops of your interest
- Complete 10 hours of volunteer experience preferably in an educational setting
Be sure to visit the information page for your desired TLC Certificate track in ICON for more detailed information about your track requirements.
Workshops and volunteer hours must be completed prior to student teaching. The volunteer hours you complete for the Teacher Leader Certificate are separate from the hours you completed prior to admission into the Teacher Education Program. The hours you completed for admission do NOT count toward the completion of your Teacher Leader Certificate. The volunteer experience required for the certificate does NOT include the volunteer hours necessary prior to admission into the Teacher Education Program.
Register for a Certificate Track
You will register and track your progress through ICON. (You are only required to select one track)
You will receive an email in your UI inbox inviting you to join the site. Please email us at tlc@uiowa.edu if you don't receive this email or are not authorized to access this site after the second week of classes!
Register for Workshops
Visit the BTLC Events page for options. Make sure to register for the workshops online, add them to your calendar and sign the attendance list on the day of the event! This page is constantly being updated.
See available Workshops
Log Workshop Attendance
It is required that you track and document your professional development and volunteer hours within the TLCICON tracker. This helps prepare you to be successful as a practicing teacher when you will be required to track and document your professional development for the Board of Educational Examiners.
Log Attendance in ICON
Complete Volunteer Hours
Students complete at least 10 hours of volunteer work in an education setting.
Volunteer work completed for admissions into the teacher education program does not count towards the 10 hours required for the certificate. This service must be a non-paid experience and must be completed prior to student teaching. Your practicum hours do not count as volunteer hours. You may volunteer at the same site where you complete your practicum as long as you go above and beyond the required practicum hours.
You will be assigned a volunteer site if you are in the UI REACH, and/or STEAM tracks and may be assigned a site if you are in the SEBMH track. If you are enrolled in any other track, you will be responsible for securing your own volunteer opportunity and making sure it aligns with the requirements for the track.
Below you'll find a list of possible volunteer sites; however, we understand that many of you have access to classrooms here in Iowa City, in your home communities, or that you're already engaged in volunteer work that connects to your journey of becoming a professional educator. If you are unsure of your volunteering site, please contact us at tlc@uiowa.edu.
You can browse some volunteer opportunities here:
Log Volunteer Experiences
It is required that you document your 10 volunteer hours within the TLC ICON tracker.
Learn how to generate the final Certificate of Completion for your volunteer experiences here:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County
- 4C Home Ties Child Care Center
- African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa (Cedar Rapids)
- The Arc of East Central Iowa
- Children's Miracle Network
- Domestic Violence Intervention Program
- Free Lunch Program
- Handicare, Inc.
- The Iowa Children's Museum
- Iowa City Free Medical & Dental Clinic
- Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center
- Iowa City Public Library
- Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity
- Johnson County Crisis Center
- Johnson County Soil & Water Conservation District
- Mayor's Youth Empowerment Program
- Mid-Eastern Iowa Community Health Center
- Miracles in Motion
- Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County
- Women's Resource and Action Center
TLC/SEL Track Partnership
A partnership with the Iowa City Community School District and the Baker Teacher Leader Center offers a social, emotional, behavioral health track.