Twenty-one teacher authors share first-hand stories and practical strategies for leading change from the classroom

MOORESTOWN, N.J., Nov. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Knowles Teacher Initiative is proud to announce the release of Becoming STEM Teacher Leaders: Stories and Strategies from Early-Career Secondary Teachers, a new book that puts teachers' voices at the center of conversations about teacher leadership.

Too often, conversations about improving education happen without the perspectives or voices of the teachers doing the work. Becoming STEM Teacher Leaders offers a different perspective, sharing 20 first-hand stories from early-career high school mathematics and science teachers finding their own pathways into leadership. Through their experiences, readers gain insight into the challenges teachers face, the strategies they use to navigate them, and the many ways teachers can lead positive change without leaving the classroom.

"Teachers have the expertise and insight into what it takes to improve science and math education, but their perspectives are far too often missing from the conversations about change. For more than twenty years, Knowles has invested in early-career math and science teachers as they learn to become teacher leaders who improve their own teaching and drive meaningful change in their departments, schools, and districts. This book gives their stories an audience, and shows what teacher leadership entails and all it can accomplish. We're confident that other educators will resonate with their stories and recognize the possibilities for their own leadership," said Jeff Rozelle, President and CEO of the Knowles Teacher Initiative.

The stories grew out of the Knowles Teaching Fellowship, a program that supports early-career high school mathematics and science teachers in strengthening their teaching practice and developing as leaders. Throughout the Fellowship, teachers engage in inquiry to examine their practice and explore questions that matter to them. In their final year, Fellows write stories reflecting on their experiences with teacher leadership. The book brings together 20 teacher-authored stories, with discussions by Knowles staff that connect these experiences to broader challenges and strategies for teacher leadership and common education experiences for teachers nationwide.

"Teachers' stories provide colorful illustrations of the joys and struggles in our education system. These stories often go unnoticed or untold, but they are helpful reminders that meaningful change can occur through teachers' everyday acts of courage and advocacy," said Mandi Dean, math, computer science, and robotics teacher at Ridgeland High School in Georgia and Knowles Senior Fellow.

Becoming STEM Teacher Leaders: Stories and Strategies from Early-Career Secondary Teachers is published by Routledge and is available for pre-order and will be released on November 23, 2026.

Visit https://knowlesteachers.org/knowlesfellowship to learn more about our Teaching Fellows Program.

About the Knowles Teacher Initiative
The Knowles Teacher Initiative is a nonprofit organization that supports a national network of mathematics and science teachers who are collaborative, innovative leaders improving education for all students in the United States. We strive to create an educational system that is led by teachers who are equipped to solve difficult problems and respond to local challenges in order to serve all of our nation's students. For more information, visit www.knowlesteachers.org.

Media Contact
Stephanie Holm 
Knowles Teacher Initiative
856-608-0001
426044@email4pr.com

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SOURCE Knowles Teacher Initiative