The Evolution of a School-Based Study Group

For six years, teachers in a study group at a Denver inner-city middle school have enjoyed intellectual stimulation, collegiality, and professional growth. Mr. VanDeWeghe and Ms. Varney present the success of the endeavor as proof that teachers are more than happy to stretch themselves when they are given the opportunity to direct their own professional development. ********** A GROUP OF 15 teachers at Rishel Middle School, in inner-city Denver, sits over lunch. They are discussing the results of a recent inquiry project conducted by one of their colleagues. During the course of the meeting, a first-year teacher pops his head into the doorway, disguising his entry by asking a teammate a question that could have waited: his real intent is to absorb part of the current discussion. One group member whispers to the facilitator, "He really wants to join our group, you know. " Three months later, he joins. The study group at Rishel values and celebrates teachers' expertise while nudging its members toward reflection on their professional practice. It provides a unique opportunity for teachers to share with others what they've learned about their students and how that knowledge changes how they teach. Together, the participating teachers have formed a special bond, one that respects the differences they all bring and willingly disclose. Rishel is part of the Denver Public Schools, has a dedicated staff and administration, and enrolls a large population of Hispanic students. It is also a designated "professional development school," part of the Initial Professional Teacher Education Program at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center. At Rishel, teacher candidates co-teach with clinical teachers (supervising classroom teachers), while a site coordinator from the Rishel staff and a site professor from the university oversee and coordinate the partnership. The study group grew out of this school/university partnership, and, though it has seen much success and endured many struggles, it has become a stable force in the ever-changing landscape of the school. The study group was born out of discomforts that are common to the experience of many teachers. The number-one discomfort arises as a result of top-down administrative mandates. For example, some years ago, a former administrator at Rishel mandated teacher research. Teachers were told they were going to conduct research and that the results of their research would be tied in some way to their annual performance review. Teachers saw the mandate as busywork, no one took it seriously, and the next year it disappeared. A second discomfort for teachers grew out of the practice of bringing in outside "experts" to tell teachers how to teach well. Teachers' own experiences and knowledge were simply not respected. A third source of discomfort was the disconnect teachers felt between what they were exposed to in school-based "professional development" and what actually happened in their classrooms. The most common remark uttered following a typical professional development meeting was: "That was a waste of my time. " Finally, teachers desperately wanted time during the school day to engage trusted colleagues in serious, sustained conversations about teaching and learning. The Rishel study group was formed as an antidote to these discomforts. Over time, it has become a successful teacher-centered professional development model that builds intellectual capital, and it continues to evolve to meet the real needs of teachers at the school. HOWTHE STUDY GROUP DEVELOPED Year 1. In a discussion with teachers about what they might want as professional development at Rishel, the clinical teachers, the site coordinator, the site professor, and some other staff members decided to form a study group to meet regularly during the school day. As a topic of inquiry the group settled on something that all teachers have in common: classroom talk. …