A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Systemic Reform in the Professionalism of Educators - September 1995

I. Cross-Site Analysis: Descriptive Findings (continued)

I.3 Strategies for Reform

The dominant strategy for education reform in all three partnerships has been to invest heavily in K - 12 teacher development as a strategy for improving student learning in schools. Because of each initiative’s commitment to research-based change and reflection, they share many common characteristics. Their efforts to support teacher development reflect a common belief that teaching is a professional activity that requires advanced levels of expertise to effectively guide the growth and development of children (Clark & Astuto, 1994). One of the striking similarities is the extensiveness of professional development opportunities, and the consistent alignment of those opportunities with building or district goals. There is also a noticeable absence of dissatisfaction that is so common with traditional "inservice training."

The partnerships’ strategies for inservice training and ongoing professional development of practicing educators also share many common features: collaborative school-university research and development projects, co-teaching university courses, new teacher leadership opportunities, and extensive ongoing learning opportunities through discussion groups, professional networks, institutes, and university-sponsored extended education offerings. There is also ongoing support and technical assistance to facilitate implementation of new strategies in individual classrooms.

In their reform of preservice programs, the initiatives have stimulated similar changes. Each teacher education program is using a cohort model of teacher preparation, where groups of students learn together in university courses and in the field. Each of the new programs includes extensive field practice, selective admissions standards, increasing requirements for initial certification (e.g., Bachelor’s degree in another discipline, longer teacher education programs), school-university partnerships to enhance the connection between theory and practice, training and socialization into a culture of inquiry, reflection, and collaborative practice, and careful assignment of student teachers to schools where "best practices" are modeled.

Each of the partnerships has sought university faculty participation in partnership programs, and for many who do get involved, these forums have provided important professional learning. University faculty involvement, however, has not been broad-based, and few formal professional development opportunities have been designed to address faculty needs. Some more informal efforts have been established through study groups and "brown bag" lunches to encourage faculty development. Developing the skills and competencies among a sufficient number of faculty, which will be required to implement the ambitious new teacher education programs, remains a challenge in all three universities.

I.3.1 Toronto

Within the partnership organization, the strategy of professional development has been fairly traditional inservice training, but not of the one-shot variety. The focus has been on linking teacher development to school improvement by increasing instructional effectiveness, with the expectation that enhancing teaching skills will lead to improved student learning. The major vehicles have been workshops, conferences, and institutes that are designed to incorporate principles of effective professional development practices (Joyce & Showers, 1988). Follow-up was provided both through ongoing Consortium activities and by the infrastructure developed in each board to support local school improvement. For each Consortium partner, Learning Consortium initiatives have developed differently, influenced by factors such as their particular organizational culture, previous history of staff development, and board priorities.

While the FEUT faculty are invited to all Consortium events, and Learning Consortium activities have been vital professional learning experiences for a small number of faculty, participation has not been widespread. For those who have attended, some noted the power of mutual learning among experienced teachers. Within the university, the professional development strategy for FEUT faculty has been slower to develop but has been more collegial, utilizing an infusion of new faculty with different skills to create a situation of "positive contagion." "Job talks" from prospective candidates and discussion and study groups on new ideas have begun to change the culture of the faculty. Within the Learning Consortium preservice option, the program has also focused on learning from peers through collaboration. Portfolios and reflective writing assignments have been used effectively to stimulate collegial conversations. Joint learning opportunities for preservice and associate teachers have also fostered collegial relationships among novice and experienced teachers, and have contributed to the socialization of future teachers into teaching as a collaborative enterprise.

I.3.2 Southern Maine

Norms of collaboration, critical dialogue, and reflection among peers were acquired early on in Partnership activities, particularly in the educator discussion groups. The impact of these traditions of critical reflection within the Southern Maine Partnership on the culture of its member districts and schools is evident. These same norms are now operant within the individual schools studied, where peers within the same building are now the dominant source of professional development. One teacher noted that, "Some of the best inservice training we have had was teachers within the school putting on a bunch of mini workshops that their colleagues could choose from. They seem to really value the voice of experience."

The strong professional networks that have developed both within Maine, through Partnership activities, and across the country are also important sources of growth for districts, schools, and individual teachers in their own schools and districts and beyond. These resources have also helped create many new roles for teacher leaders. Teachers have assumed roles as teacher-scholars, site developers for district reform initiatives, co-instructors for university courses, and co-site directors for USM’s teacher education program. Teachers have engaged in collaborative research, have become trainers for other school districts, and have presented at professional conferences.

Mentoring future teachers has also been an important vehicle for professional development. In addition to sharing new ideas, many teachers found that it stimulated self-reflection and improved their own practice. Experience with professional development opportunities has been incorporated into student teachers’ learning experiences as well, socializing them into the practice of ongoing learning. One student teacher remarked that she was impressed with the way her cooperating teachers were constantly learning: "the way they dialogue with each other, share ideas, constantly looking for new ideas, they go to workshops, they even listen to my ideas."

I.3.3 West Virginia

The Benedum Project has offered many new learning and leadership opportunities for teachers. They began with training to build the capacity across Professional Development Schools (PDSs) focusing on vision building, strategic planning, and grant writing. Additional professional development opportunities have been designed based on building needs, to support individual school improvement plans. Teachers have served on-site steering committees, as well as co-chaired the cross-site steering committee (an organization of representatives from all of the PDSs and the university). Teachers have presented their work at conferences, with some becoming facilitators for professional development both inside and outside of their schools. Teachers also assumed critical roles as site coordinators for preservice teacher education, or coinstructors for teacher education courses. Mentoring student teachers also provided important professional development for experienced teachers. The Benedum Project supported an elementary school teachers’ Professional Development Network, which was teacher-driven, giving teachers the opportunity to discuss research, examine new practices, and bring in guest speakers. In addition, the Benedum Project also facilitated collaborative work between individual teachers and university faculty to develop curricula for new courses in astronomy, micro-scale chemistry, community-based chemistry, and computer programming.

Some faculty development activities were organized during the first few years of the project. The university committed $50,000 per year to support teacher education reform. These funds were used to promote collaboration across campus through various professional development experiences. The funds were used to send interdisciplinary groups of faculty members to Holmes group meetings. The Project also sponsored discussion sessions organized around themes to encourage the development of pedagogical content knowledge. The goal was to get faculty to experiment with their university courses to blend the "what" and the "how" of teaching. The university funds were also used to support pilot projects in developing new curricula. Some additional training has been conducted to enhance faculty skills in the use of instructional technology. But the range of skill and knowledge among the existing university faculty varies widely, with only a small number having demonstrated credibility with school-based educators. As noted in A New Vision of Teacher Education at West Virginia University, "We have very few faculty members whose backgrounds fully prepare them to teach the desired content, employ the desired strategies, and incorporate new technologies" (p.54). The recruitment of new faculty who possess the requisite knowledge and skills is one strategy the college has used to address this problem.
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