Transcript Effects of a Contextualized, Collaborative Model of

You didn't just read power points to us.
You didn't hand us a set of materials and say, "Do this whether
you agree or not." I actually felt like a professional whose
opinion was valued.
You invited questions instead of avoiding them.
You took our concerns and thought about how to
advise us, instead of the party line or one size fits all.
You helped me see the curriculum as it serves me as a teacher, not
as a gospel to not question.
I have been empowered and validated - -professionally developed.
(feedback from a teacher in the 2013 project)
We want teachers to:
 include learners in decisions about how and what they learn
and how that learning is assessed;
 value each learner's unique perspectives;
 respect and accommodate individual differences in learners'
backgrounds, interests, abilities, and experiences; and
 treat learners as co-creators and partners in the teaching and
learning process.
(McCombs, 2000, summarizing APA Learner Centered principles)
But . . .
Normally, professional development is lecture-style
delivery of information deemed important by school
administrators. Teachers may or may not be engaged.
In many cases, there is no other requirement than to
attend, sign in, and leave. Most of the time very little
information is retained from this type of training,
primarily because meaningful follow-up is a rare
occurrence.
(from another teacher in the 2013 project)
We need to:
 include teachers in decisions about how and what they learn
and how that learning is assessed;
 value each teacher's unique perspectives;
 respect and accommodate individual differences in teachers'
backgrounds, interests, abilities, and experiences; and
 treat teachers as co-creators and partners in the professional
development process.
One model of Learner-Centered PD
 Funded by Teacher Quality grants – 6 years so far (year
6 in progress)
 5 years, over 70 teachers, 3 districts (12-19 teachers
each year from a school district), all grade levels and
subjects
 Two-week intensive (5 hrs./8 days) summer workshop
to gain new knowledge, discuss, and design a Plan
 5/6 visits, 3 group meetings, electronic “Community of
Practice” & support throughout fall/rest of year as they
implement, adjust and evaluate their Plans
3 essential elements 
I. Teachers access knowledge
. . . which must be:
 theoretically sound
 proven in practice
. . . through the two-week workshop
 presentations, discussions,
activities
 readings
 add’l, optional books, articles,
websites
 teachers share knowledge
II. Teachers choose & work on
their issues.
They design an Action Plan in the summer
that . . .
 addresses a problem they want to solve
 targets a specific class or group of struggling
students
 they feel is practical and doable
Throughout the year they . . .
 implement
 adapt/change
 evaluate using the measures they identify
III. Teachers are supported as they
implement plans, through…
Resources




Stipends, $300 & $300
$150 to buy whatever they need (sometimes more)
Boxes of books
A graduate assistant who finds things, makes materials,
takes notes, organizes data, etc.
Consultation with me & a subject-matter expert during the
workshop, via phone, email, visits, meetings.
Collaboration with each other
 structured & unstructured,
 in the workshop,
 in their schools,
 during meetings, and in their
electronic “Community of Practice”
A few numbers
 58/75 participants in years 1-5 made substantial, positive
changes in their teaching practices.
 Over 2/3 of these collected data showing increased
student learning.
 93%-100% each year said on anonymous evaluations that
they would recommend this development project to
colleagues
Teachers valued:
Contextualized, usable learning
The project allowed me to develop materials I can
actually use in my class.
The opportunity to integrate actual classroom goals
[was very helpful].
Since Dr. Knapp has been in a setting where, like us, she's
dealt with the constraints of public schools, I found it
very helpful!
Teachers valued:
The combination of autonomy & support
The individuality of the project has been important. I've had the
freedom to pursue my ideas and be creative, but I've had a lot
of support and good direction [too].
This project has enabled me to have freedom to try new things so
I can make a difference for at least a few of my students :)
It's nice to be asked, "What's happening?" "What's going on?"
"What's working?" Our boss-type people and teacher
development types don't venture down those roads--they are
looking for results. This project gave us permission, freedom
to try the things that we want to, that we think may work. We
are with the students every day, so we kind of know what
we're talking about!
Teachers valued:
The (rare) chance to collaborate
Collaborating with other professionals was . . . often
enlightening, many times validating, and always
interesting.
Ideas that I give others spark new ideas in my own
teaching.
I have learned it is possible to participate in development
that actually impacts the quality of teaching and the
achievement of students. These types of results can
only come about from instructor leadership and
collaboration among educators.
A Kindergarten inclusion teacher designed
Family literacy “homework” activities.
 Nearly 100% parent participation
 # of students knowing all the letters went from 2/18 in
August to 15/18 in December.
 Sight word recognition increased: 13/18 knew all 56
words tested in December & all knew at least 80%.
 All her students, including 7 “special needs” students
met reading Benchmark in May for the first time ever!
 Adopted by all 11 Kindergartens in the
district the following year.
A first-grade teacher eliminated her three
leveled reading groups.
 All students started in the on-level basal reader.
 She supported struggling readers through peercollaboration, mini-lessons, & targeted individual
assistance.
 She encouraged advanced students through
independent reading and self-chosen literature circles.
 All her students successfully completed both on-level
first-grade basals, for the first time ever at the school!
A second-grade teacher incorporated
student choice into sight word learning.
 On entry, 13/18 couldn’t pass the kindergarten & firstgrade sight word lists.
 Each student chose 5-6 sight words a week to learn (plus
a “Wild Word.”)
 Each student was tested on Friday on
"their" sight words.
 By years' end, 14/18 students had
mastered all second-grade sight
words, and 13 had also mastered all
the third-grade sight words.
A fifth-grade teacher implemented frequent,
personalized writing (a la Writers’ Workshop).
 Previous classes had done quite poorly on the state 5th
grade Writing Assessment.
 There was a 26% increase (Aug.-Dec.) in students
“passing” (scoring 4, 5, or 6) on practice tests.
 In December, 42% scored a 6 – the highest level, far
exceeding the previous year’s scores in April!
A middle-school English teacher & the
school librarian started an online school
magazine.
 Called “Tiger Prints,” it published student-authored poems,
videos, interview surveys, pictures, essays . . .
 Participating students reported a greater desire to write
and share their writing.
 The teacher noticed students were more careful in their
writing.
 Eighth grade Georgia Writing Test scores were higher, as
were 6th and 7th ELA CRCT scores (100% and 99% passing),
and Georgia End of Course Test (EOCT) scores in 9th grade
Literature and American Literature (100% passing; many
exceeding).
A 9th grade science teacher added reading &
writing to his science curriculum.
 Students read and wrote analyses of short readings on
science history or current research (varied reading
levels).
 Students wrote in “Science journals”
experiments or demonstrations.
after
 Results:
 Article analysis scores rose substantially from the first to
final.
 Final letter grades (test-based) averaged 3.17 vs. 3.09 in
the previous fall.
 Only 3% failed, compared to 7% in the previous fall.
 Students seemed more engaged and curious than
before.
An English teacher at an alternative high school
implemented free-reading in homeroom.
 The school had no library, so he got books from thrift
stores, garage sales, everywhere . . . .
 Students chose and could keep or trade books.
 His "failing" students read and talked about books for 30
minutes each day willingly, sometimes voraciously.
 One avowed "non-reader" read the first two books he ever
read that year.
 Another read 15 books in one semester, and complained when
assigned to a different homeroom because she wouldn't "get
to read" anymore.
 94% (17/18) passed the EOCT in American Literature, by far
the highest percentage ever in this teacher's class.
Just these seven . . .
 Kindergarten inclusion teacher designed parent-collaborative
“homework” to teach letters and words.
 First-grade teacher eliminated leveled reading groups, supporting
weaker readers to reach level.
 Second-grade teacher added student choice to sight-word learning.
 Fourth-grade teacher implemented frequent, personalized writing.
 MS teacher & librarian started an online school magazine to
showcase student writing.
 Ninth-grade teacher began to use content-area reading and writing
in his general science class.
 Alternative school teacher encouraged free reading during
homeroom, and gave books to students.
What I’ve learned
 Teachers can and will change their teaching practices
if they are convinced it will help their students.
 Professional autonomy and respect are crucial to this
process.
 Given encouragement, time and support, teachers
show themselves to be amazingly innovative &
effective educators, scholars, and researchers.
 Teacher-teacher collaboration is the fertile ground
for such innovation. The potential for this kind of
synergy is one of the great wasted resources in our
schools today.