About the Initiative

The Teacher Leaders initiative (Hashkafa R&D) is a nationwide programme of the Ministry of Education, in partnership with Yad Hanadiv. Launched in 2016, it seeks to strengthen professional development across the education system and improve the quality of teaching and learning through school-based learning communities, where teachers work together to reflect on classroom practice. These communities provide a framework for shared professional learning, in which Teacher Leaders receive dedicated training and guide their colleagues in exploring pedagogical questions, testing approaches in the classroom, and drawing conclusions that lead to improved quality of teaching.

Over the years, some 42,000 teachers have taken part in the initiative, reaching approximately half of Israel’s schools. Teacher Leaders is led by the Professional Development Division within the Ministry of Education’s Teaching Staff Authority, together with Hashkafa R&D at the MOFET Institute (the National Institute for Research and Programme Development in Teacher Education and Education).

Studies examining the impact of these professional learning communities have found that participating teachers strengthened their pedagogical skills and applied new insights in the classroom. Participation also contributed to a wider range of teaching approaches, greater sensitivity to students’ needs, increased cognitive flexibility and more varied pedagogical practice.