Comparing Self-Assessment Needs to School Improvement Plan Objectives

Topics Identified
through Self-Assessment

School Improvement
Plan Objectives

48

63



Evaluating Program Content

Evaluating program content involves investigating the
research evidence that supports an innovation or program
“before investing precious staff development resources in
it” (Guskey and Sparks, 1991). The content of professional
devclopment activities should be research-based, make sense
to teachers, be relevant to the needs of students and teach-
ers, and be compatible with other aspects of teachers’
practices.

Program content selected for implementation should be
proven to produce gains in student learning with students
similar to those in your school. The type of proof offered is
significant. There is a difference between programs that
have been proven effective in well-designed studies and
those that “should be effective” because the authors studied
relevant educational research prior to developing their
program.

While it is true that teachers’ commitment to a program
frequently increases after they have begun using it, the
program must make sense to teachers initially (Guskey,
1986). New practices that violate or disregard teachers’
understandings of the principles of teaching and learning
are not likely to be used in the classroom.

The content of professional development activities should
reflect the needs and interests of you, your fellow teachers,
and your students. Your needs can be identified effectivelv
through self-assessment. Needs identified through efforts to
understand and improve your own practice bring out the
deepest commitment to change and the most meaningful
participation in professional development activities (Duke,
et al., 1994).

Student needs should be identified through the collective
study of student work. That is, you and your fellow teachers
should jointly study evidence of student performance.
Information sources for identifying student needs include
grades, discipline referrals, standardized tests, teacher-made
tests, and work samples. You will find information from

127

113



In addition to these tasks, Fullan and Stiegelbauer point out
two potential pitfalls. As a teacher leader, you should be
alert to tasks that distance you from your fellow teachers.
The tasks listed above prirnarily involve direct interaction
with teachers. However, there is a tendency for the teacher
leader’s time to slide from direct involvement in helping
teachers to “participating in various planning and decision-
making activities at the district and building levels...”
(Smylie and Denny, 1989). Secondly, Fullan and
Stiegelbauer remind the teacher leader to avoid becoming
more of an advocate for the project than a supporter of
teachers who are implementing the project. Commitment to
the project is important, but it must be balanced with an
understanding of how change impacts individuals and how
they respond to change. In any change effort, the most
important variable is the individual implementing the
change (Hord, et al., 1987).

A second role that contributes to effective professional
development is the peer coach. The purpose of peer coach-
ing has traditionally focused on supporting the implementa-
tion of new practices to the extent their impact on student
achievement can be assessed. However, Joyce and Showers
(1995) have refined the roles and purposes of peer coaching
to expand its purpose to include “building permanent
structures for collegial relationships....” Peer coaching
involves these activities:

& Sustained use of the new practices being implemented as

a part of the professional development activities

‘ Help and support of your fellow teachers through shared

planning, setting objectives, and developing materials
and lesson plans

® Collection of data on the implementation of new prac-
tices and the effects on student learning

Shared planning involves time for teachers to talk about
objectives and the types of lessons, activities, and materials
needed to reach those objectives. In such interactions, you
and your fellow teachers reflect on what you want your

--29

where you and your
colleagues model the
types of learning in
which you want
students to become
engaged. Performing
well in these roles will
enable you to make
significant
contributions to school
improvement.



144

ing—not just the students. Students’ needs.at IHS are what
drive the structure of professional development.

Components of the Program

Since the student population at IHS is extremely varied in
terms of economic, educational, and linguistic backgrounds,
it is a challenge to find ways to meet the needs of all stu-
dents. However, that is exactly the charge the faculty at IHS
has taken on.

The faculty and student body at IHS are divided into six
interdisciplinary instructional teams. Each team has notable
decision-making authority over the curriculum, budget, and
scheduling; plus three hours of meeting time are built into
each faculty team’s weekly schedule. This time is used for
setting professional development team goals, revising cur-
riculum, designing activities to reach the goals, monitoring
and assessing practices, and sharing successful practices. In
addition, members team teach and participate in peer
review. Student learning is tracked by observing and evaluat-
ing daily classroom activities, projects, and portfolios.

International High School's approach to professional devel-
opment is multi-dimensional. The school firmly believes in
cross-team professional development. Several committees
and councils have been created to establish policy, discuss
school management, set agendas, and determine faculty
hiring and evaluation procedures. Some of these committees
include the Coordinating Council, the Steering Committee,
the Curriculum and Assessment Committee, and the Person-
nel Committee. These committees involve every member of
the school system by including administrators, teachers, and
representatives from student government, PTA, and a
member from each of the six interdisciplinary teams.

International High School also takes part in cross-school
professional development. Each year, [HS holds several joint
professional development days with two more recent New
York schools that share IHS’ philosophical and educational
model. These valuable days grant faculty the opportunity to
share successful practices across schools. In addition, they



development programs. The school focuses on high expecta-
tion, literacy, assessment, tear building, parent-involve-
ment, conflict-resolution, positive behavior, and technology
use.

Hungerford assemble a school-based management team
that acts as a planning team for the school. It includes
representatives from all constituencies in the school commu-
nity—paretits, teachers, and students. Since the team was
built, channels of communication have flowed freely produc-
ing an atmosphere of support for new ideas and problem-
solving that takes a non-blaming approach. The following
table lists some of the actions the team took, as well as an
explanation of the purpose behind the action:

Action the Management T

Purpose of the Action

Developed partnerships with the community To develop vocational programs to prepare students
for the transition from school to work

Involved students ia community service projects To create a therapcutic atmosphere; to produce
opportunities for learping

Supported thematic curriculum planning To give tcachers more authority in their profes-
sional lives

Supported cooperative learning To keep teachers from fecling isolated: to foster
collegiality

Increased opportunities for employment options To give students increased chances to learn, grow,
and snecessful job placement for cach student and suececd in the outside world
Initiated the use of curriculum-based measurement | To augment methods of student assessment

and portfolios as assessment methods

In Hungerford’s effort toward becoming a community of
learners, all staff and parents have become “students” in the
course of the daily activities at the school. In keeping witir
this mindsct, it is casy to see why professional development

153 139



Achieving Your Vision of
Pr«fessixnal
Develepment

ro

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Activity 5.!

Evaluating the Continual Assistance Provided to You

‘Think of a recent professional development activity in which you learned a new instructional strategy. Use
the list below to “check-off" which types of continual assistance were provided to support your use of the
new strategy. Then respond to the questions that follow the list.

Examples of Continual Assistance I Received

QA teacher who attended the same training clarified some aspect of the strategy for me.

U Tobserved a teacher demonstrate the new strategy in his or her classroom.

(1 The trainer or another “expert” was available for questions and follow-up sessions.

4 I worked with other teachers to collect and/or analyze information on how students were responding
to the new strategy.

4 Icollaborated with at least one other teacher in planning to use the new strategy.

QQ Another teacher shared materials with me for use with this strategy.

A teacher gave me an idea for applying the new strategy in a new way or ina situation different from
the ones used as examples in the training activity.

QA teacher gave me an idea for using materials with the new strategy in a new way or in a situation
different from the ones used as examples in the training activity.

2} Somcone gave me encouragement and/or moral support related to my use of the new strategy.
1 Someone exerted pressure upon me to use the new strategy or to use it more effectively.
Wi Lengaged in problem-solving related to the new strategy with other teachers.

‘2 Someone made me feel less anxious so I would keep trying the new strategy, even when things weren’t
going well.

4 Another teacher was very open in talking about his or her use of the new strategy.
2 Other teachers made me feel like we were “in this together" when it came to using the new strategy.

QQ Planniag and talking with other teachers about the new strategy made me think more objectively
about my own use of the strategy.

Ql joined a study group to help myself and to help others implement this strategy.

Discussion Questions
Why were some types of continual assistance not available to you?

ich types of continual assistance that you did not receive would have been the most useful to you?

How’ can these types of continual assistance be provided for future professional development activities?

123 109



lum. The principal was in complete agreement and asked
the group to seek additional faculty involvement. Having a
larger group would prevent the task from becoming too
burdensome and allow more teachers to benefit from first-
hand involvement with the project.

When all of the teachers who would participate in the
project got together for their initial meeting, they decided to
use a problem-solving strategy called “corrective action.”
They began by describing the problem with this statement:

The state curriculum frameworks do not provide ad-
equate detail to guide instruction at the classroom level.

The teachers agreed the frameworks were not intended to
guide instruction at the classroom level and that a more
accurate description of the problem would read like this:

No document exists currently to interpret the state
curriculum frameworks at the level of detail needed to
direct classroom instruction.

The next step of the corrective action model involved
identifying the root cause(s) of the problem. They deter-
mined it was appropriate for the state to leave the adapta-
tion of the frameworks to the classroom level to schools and
school districts. Therefore, the root cause of the problem in
this case was merely that no one had taken responsibility for
completing the task begun at the state level.

Next, the group brainstormed the steps that would need to
be completed to create an interpretive guide for the frame-
works, In doing so, they discovered severa! of the tasks on
their list required skills and knowledge no one on the
faculty possessed. They decided to establish a sub-committee
to locate the training they would need to complete the task
cach group had been assigned. This sub-committee included
the principal because she was quite adept at securing re-
sources for her teachers.

Over the next few months, as the teachers deveioped their

interpretive guide for the frameworks, they kept a careful
record of all of their activities. This record would be used to

-. V2

57



142

Since 98 percent of the students at Hungerford are exempt
from district and state standardized tests due to their dis-
abilities, the staff must adopt other measures to estimate
students’ progress. Some notable changes have resulted in
the last few years due to the emergence of professional
development. Some of these include

‘ The number of students who utilized technology to
communicate or utilized adaptations to access computer
technology increased by 45 percent and 85 percent,
respectively.

a:

Ninety-eight percent of students’ portfolios reflected
technology integrated into the curriculum.

@ The number of students taking part in general education
inclusion grew by 18 percent.

a!

The number of students placed at community-based
work sites increased by 30 percent.

@ One-hundred percent of graduating, transitioning
students are linked to adult service agencies, supported
employment, sheltered workshops, competitive employ-
ment, or day habilitation programs.

@ Eighty percent of the students achieved their individual
educational plan goals.

On-the-job behaviors have been positively affected thanks to
professional development. Hungerford staff has reported
improved job performance, changes in school organization
and routines, and improved student learning.

Looking Ahead

The staff at Hungerford is excited about continuing their
professional development efforts. They feel confident that
future achievements will come to pass because they have
already laid much of the groundwork for success. Through
practice and perseverance, they have learned several lessons
ahout what it is to develop and provide quality professional



soy r=

68

Alternatives to the Typical ‘Training Model

Judith Warren Little (1993) expresses the view that the
training model is not adequate for guiding t_achers through
the challenges of current reform initiatives. She states that
professional development “should engage teachers in the
kinds of study, investigation, and experimentation required
to understand and undertake the multiple challenges... [of
reform initiatives].” These reforms paint a picture of teach-
ing and learning that looks far different from what teachers
have known, believed, practiced, and experienced them-
selves. Reforms that demand significant changes in curricu-
lum and instructional practices (new mathematics stan-
dards, integrated science, authentic assessment), reforms
focusing on equity among a diverse population of students,
restructuring, and the professionalization of teaching
require more than the “implementation of an innovation.”
While acknowledging the “increasingly greater sophistica-
tion” of the training model, Little recommends consider-
ation be given to alternative approaches.

Teacher collaboratives and other networks deepen teachers’
knowledge of content and increase their influence on
curriculum reform. The Philadelphia Ailiance for Teaching
Humanities in the Schools, or PATHS, involves teachers in
methods of inquiry used by social scientists, museum and
art curators, and literary scholars. Just as important to the
project’s success, it involves teachers with these profession-
als. Participating teachers conduct research into topics that
will result in a “genuine curriculum in the humanities—not
watered down, dumbed down, or packaged...” (Little, 1993).
These experiences give teachers an opportunity to see
“behind the scenes” how curators and others conduct their
own work with primary materials and to work with those
materials themselves in the same manner as the “experts.”
Teachers are involved in “tic construction and not mere
consumption of subject matter teaching knowledge.”

Subject matter associations offer teachers opportunities to
extend their professional community beyond their school
ana district. Collaborations targeted at school reform also
connect teachers with resources outside their school or
district. For example, Chicago-area teachers work with
faculty from National-Louis University in a program that

83



own (Joyce and Showers, 1995). These findings fit well with
the work of Richard Boyatzis on competency acquisition
(1982). The steps Boyatzis identifies are compared to the

components of training recommended by Joyce and Showers
in Table 1.1.

Trying Something New

All learning involves change. When you sign up for a profes-
sional development activity, you are expressing an intent to
learn new knowledge (a change in what you know), to
acquire a new skill (a change in what you can do), or to
develop new attitudes or values (a change in what you
believe}. Therefore, the professional development in which
you participate should be consistent with what is known
about change.

When you are engaged in change, you will experience
specific concerns (i.e., thoughts, feelings, and reactions) as
you try to put new practices into use. These concerns have a
significant impact on your use of the new practices. They
can also provide guidance in determining the most useful
types of assistance to support you as you work with the new
strategies or practices. Hall (1979) identified seven levels of
concern through which individuals progress in a predictable
sequence. While you may feel concern from more than one
stage at any time, the most intense concern you are experi-
encing will indicate what type of assistance would be most
appropriate at that time. Table 1.2 labels each stage. provides
an example of the concerns felt at that stage, and describes
one form of appropriate assistance.

Making a Wise Choice

Research-Based

“Not all educational innovations are created equal” (Guskey
and Sparks, 1991). Selecting a program for implementation
that has not been proven to produce gains in student learn-
ing is a risky undertaking. There is a difference between
programs that have heen proven effective in well-designed
studies and those that “should be effective” because the
authors studied relevant educational research prior to
developing their program.

19

Key Idea
Change is a long-term
process, not a one-time
event. Change produces

concerns in everyone.
With appropriate
support, individuals
progress through the
different stages of
concern in a
predictable sequence.
Effective professional
development addresses
an individual’s
concerns through
support that is
appropriate for each
person and his or her
immediate concerns.

Key Idea
Selecting the program
or practices that will
be studied and
implemented is an
extremely important
decision. The major
investments of time,
energy, and other
resources that go along
with professional
development activities
require this decision to
be a thoughtful one.
The selection of
content should be
based on 1) a strong

Continued

3



Achieving Your Vision of
Pre«fessixnal |
Dev elepment

How to Assess Your ¥ ed and Get What You Want

current research on te stoaonal development and change for educators
looking to accelerate their professional growth and the improvement of
student learning. Designed as a “how-to” resource, it reviews the stages
of building an effective professional developinent system: developing a
vision, creating a context for change, planning, investing resources.
providing continual assistance. and assessing and monitoring progress.
For two ‘decades, David Collins has Been ‘a practicing editeate:

state of Florida, serving in a variety of capacities. In 1994, he assiimed
his present position as the Director of Strategic Planning and Continuous
Quality Improvement for Orange County Schools. Dr. Collins has been
a member of the Florida Teacher Education Program Approval Board
since 1992 and has written or co-written numerous publications, including
Understanding School Operations: A Guide for Parents, Citizens, and
Business Partners: Building a Teacher’s Guild; School Improvement and
Site-Based Decision-Making; and Teaching Concepts for the Teacher
Learning Module series for the Florida Department of Education.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE S FE RV SERVE

Improving Learning Improving Learning through
Research & Development

201



Q

Q

3. The model is well-designed and includes all of the elements or
steps recommended for this model of professional development.

This activity/program will be delivered through a model that
is poorly designed and lacks the elements or steps recom-
mended for this model. (0)

This activity/program will be delivercd through a model that
is adequately designed and includes some of the elements or
steps recommended for this model. (1)

This activity/program will be delivered through a model that
is well-designed and includes almost all of the elements or
steps recommended for this model. (3)

This activity/program will be delivered through a model that
is well-designed and includes all of the clements or steps
recommended for this model. (5)

Please refer to Chapter 3
for an explanation of
the elements or components
that should be used in
each model.

= Score for #3

a

o

c OU

4, he content of this professional development activity or program
is supported or has been validated by sound research.

The content of this activity/program is not supported or
validated by research. (0)

The content of this activity/program is supported by a limited
amount of research. (1)

The content of this activity/program is supported by a
significant amount of research. (3)

The content of this activity/program has been validated by
research. (5)

Refer to Chapter 6.
Content that “should be
effective” is supported by
research. Content that has
been “proven effective” is
validated hy research.

= Score for #4

Qa

eco oO

5. Check the items from the following list that are in place to support
this professional development activity or program (euch item is
worth 1 point).

There will be opportunities for teachers to discuss this
activity/program and to work together on its implementation.
Communication concerning this activity/program is open and
frequent.

This activity/program matches our school’s vision.

The principal is actively supportive of this activity/program.
The faculty feels that this activity/program will benefit
themselves and others and are looking forward to participat-
ing in it.

This item addresses the
context that supports
successful professional
development. These
elements contribute to a
strong context for change
or indicate that such a
context exists.

= Score for #5

Total Score =

118

132



124

a!

Lewisville Independent School District, Lewisville, Texas

¢ Montview Elementary School, Aurora, Colorado

a

Shallowford Falls Elementary School, Marietta, Georgia

Criteria

Any public or private school or district in grades preK-12
that has made professional development a central part of its
school culture is eligible for the program. The essential
measure for eligibility, however, is demonstration of how the
school or district’s professional development programs
improved student learning and increased teacher effective-
ness and how their approach was consistent with profes-
sional development principles that are based on the best
available research and exemplary practice.

é.pplicants also must address standards related to goals and
outcomes, design, documentation and assessment of align-
ment among elements, evidence of success, and usefulness
to others. These criteria originate in the statement of the
Mission and Principles of Professional Development, which
the U.S. Department of Education constructed in 1995 to
promote excellence in teaching and learning. The Mission
and Principles of Professional Development was developed
in consultation with numerous educational organizations
and practitioners in response to public comment. In addi-
tion, it was created to address the needs of all students and
to ensure equity by establishing professional development
practices that are accessible to all educators and free of bias.

Recognition in this awards program is based on how well
applicants address criteria in these three major areas:

1. Evidence of success
2. Program quality
3. Usefulness to others

Winners not only help to improve practice and policy, but
they also serve as models for schools and districts as they
outline strategies to improve teachers’ skills and knowledge
of subject matter. And the notion of sharing is precisely why

138



&

®:

Enables educators to provide challenging, developmentally appropriate curriculum that
engages students in integrative ways of thinking and learning

Prepares teachers to use research-based teaching srrategies appropriate to their instruc-
tional objectives and their students

Prepares educators to demonstrate high expectations for student learning

Facilitates staff collaboration with and support of families for improving student
performance

Prepares teachers to use various types of performance assessment in their classrooms.

Prepares educators to combine academic student-learning goals with service to the
community

Increases administrators’ and teachers’ ability to provide guidance and advice to
students

Increases staff knowledge and practice of interdisciplinary team organization and
instruction

193 183



Student achievement data (Data describing student achievement are plentiful. Grades,
work samples, and standardized test results are just a few of the readily available
sources of information about student achievement.)

There is a difference between information expressed as numbers and information that is
qualitative. An observer in your classroom will be able to record the number of higher-
order questions you use or the time students spend on-task, but you may also benefit from
asking that person to share his or her perceptions concerning your questioning techniques
or the things you do to increase student engagement.

5. Compare real practices with standards or criteria for ideal practices

and

6. Identify priority areas for more in-depth study and professional growth

In comparing your current practices against what you have learned about ideal practices
you are looking for two things: 1) Where are my practices different from the ideal? and 2)
How far from the ideal are my practices?

Just as the collection of information about your teaching practices involved other people,
your assessment of the data that was collected will be richer if you discuss that data with
your fellow teachers, administrators, or other resource people, particularly those who have
special knowledge of the practices you are studying. Earlier, the point was made that self-
awareness was critical to any effort to change. Asking others to discuss the data that has
been collected about your teaching will contribute to raising your self-awareness and help
you make the changes that will bring the greatest benefit to you and your students.

Those specific areas where your current practices differ the most from the ideal are good
places to start in planning for self-directed change. However, areas where small adjust-
ments may bring your practice in line with the idcal should not be ignored. Making those
changes right away can give you momentum toward making more difficult changes.

7. Identify the desired outcomes of the professional development activities

Daniel Duke, et al., (1994) developed a way to think about professional development goals
that categorizes them into four groups. A description of each category is presented here along ©
with an example that may help you in setting your own professional development goals.

Prerequisite goals = preliminary goals that must be accomplished prior to working on
p‘ofessional development goals:

# Develop an awareness of a range of instructional strategies for use in teaching at-risk

students to read. (This goal describes what the teacher plans to do to get ready tor a
more in-depth study of reading strategies.)

182 169



Working in peer coaching study teams will begin to build
collegial relationships that extend beyond the implementa-
tion of new practices. They foster norms of experimentation
through which you will feel more comfortable taking risks
associated with trying something different and studying its
effects in an open, public forum. Because experimentation is
acceptable, teachers are more willing to talk about their
attempts with others—stimulating them to try new ap-
proaches that build upon the experiments of their peers
(Little, 1990). These relationships will also help you and
your fellow teachers develop a common language for talking
about teaching and learning.

Analysis of a Training Model Project

Directions: Read this example of a training modcl profes-
sional development project and talk through the discussion
questions that appear following the example. Sample an-
swers to each set of discussion questions appear at the end
of this chapter.

New Teacher Induction Project

The principal at Davis Island Middle School hired seven
first-year teachers over the summer to fill vacancies created
by increased enrollment. She knew from experience that
getting new teachers off to a good start was very important.
‘To help them in their “induction” into the profession, she
arranged for them to receive training in how to plan fora
successful beginning of the school year. She identified a
consultant who specialized in preparing new teachers for
their first real classroom experience and invited the teachers
to attend a workshop presented by the consultant during the
week before the other teachers reported for pre-planning.

The new teachers met the consultant in the school’s media
center for their first session. The consultant outlined the
agenda they would follow over the next three days as they
developed a plan for getting off to a good start with their
students. The activities on that first morning were designed
to achieve several objectives. one of which was to enable the
new teachers to do a self-assessment of their own readiness
for the first day of school. ‘This self-assessment was a real
“eye-opener” for the new teachers and made them even

. 783

63



Sample Vision Statement
I will “get the professional development | want and need” when it

Is based on what is known about adult learners

Supports me in the change process as well as the change itsclf

Presents content that has proven value in increasing learning for my students
Is delivered through appropriate models

Builds engagement in collegial learning

Is data-driven

Provides opportunities for teachers as leaders, peer coaches, and researchers
Provides adequate time for inquiry, implementation, and joint work

Aligns the efforts of teachers, schools, and the district

Additional Activities

‘The Key Ideas in Chapter One can be used to evaluate current professional development opportunities.
A two-page survey designed for this purpose appears in Appendix A.

20

References and Readings

Reading More about How Adults Learn

Boyatzis, R. (1982). The competent manager. New York: Wiley.

Brookfield, S. (1986). Understanding and facilitating adult
learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Hord, S., Rutherford, W., Huling-Austin, L. & Hall, G.
(1987). Taking charge of change. Alexandria, VA: Asso-
ciation for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (1988). Student achievement through
staff development. White Plains, NY: Longman.

Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (1995). Student achievement through
staff development. (2nd ed.). White Plains, NY:
Longman.

Little, J. W. (1993, Summer). Teachers’ professional develop-
ment in a climate of educational reform. Educational
evaluation and policy analysis, 15 (2), 120-151.

Mendez-Morse, S. (1993). Vision, leadership and change.
Issues...About Change, 2(3). Austin, TX: Southwest
Educational Development Laboratory.

36



Chapter Sive

Providing Continual Assistance

his chapter explores two of the most promising forms of
continual assistance: peer coaching and a robust form of
collaboration called joint work. These ideas are promis-

ing because they are productive and cost-effective. If some

form of continual assistance is necessary as resea

h and

teacher experience tell us, then effective and relatively
inexpensive methods of providing it are worth pursuing.

Continual assistance involves you in interacting with one or Key Idea
more of your fellow teachers or other resource persons to Continual assistance

provide you with the following:

os

is necessary to help

teachers implement,

refine, and master
new practices

Clarification or additional information about aspects of
new skills or knowledge

A high-quality model or demonstrations of new skills or successfully. It should
knowledge be characteristic of
the school’s culture
Collection and analysis of information on how students and climate that this
are responding to new materials or instructional practices kind of assistance is

available and that
teachers are expected
to participate in
providing and
receiving it.

Collaborative planning and sharing of materials

Ideas for applying new skills or knowledge in new ways
and new situations

Ideas for materials and how to use them effectively

Encouragement, support, and (to some extent) pressure

The justification for providing continual assistance is based
on several points. First of all, “..practitioners often need
more than one year to grow comfortable with any change.

lu? %



that is at the heart of a learning community provides a good
example of a rational, data-driven, collaborative approach to
solving problems.

When you are facing challenges you feel unprepared to
meet, you will find moral support and tangible assistance in
a learning community. Milbrey McLaughlin (1994) de-
scribes the benefits of membership in a learning community
in these words:

As we looked across our sites at teachers who report a
high sense of efficacy, who feel successful with today’s
students, we noticed that while these teachers differ
along a number of dimensions—age and experience,
subject area, track assignment, and even conceptions of
pedagogy—all shared this one characteristic: member-
ship in some kind of a strong professional community.
Further, almost without exception, these teachers
singled out their professional discourse community as
the reason that they have been successful in adapting to
today’s students, the source of their professional motiva-
tion and support, and the reason that they did not burn
out in the face of some exceedingly demanding teaching
situations.

These suggestions are compiled from studies on school
renewal and professional learning communities. They are
not sequential steps to follow. They represent a collection of
ideas; some will fit your school and your fellow teachers;
others will not.

‘é Engage others in discussions of teaching practices. Share
your ideas with others by inviting them to observe your
teaching. Ask them to tell you what they observed that
they believe they might use in their own classrooms.

‘é Look for ways to work collaboratively. Initial effo1ts at
collaborative planning can he structured by a sequence
of questions adapted from those developed by Joyce and
Showers (1995). Assemble a group of teachers who
share a subject area or grade level and work through
these questions:

Key Idea
Creating a learning
community at your

school involves
making teaching
more public by
talking about what
and how you teach as
well as the results
your teaching
produces, sharing
with your fellow
teachers the
responsibility for
iniportant aspects of
teaching, making
decisions collectively,
and taking collective
action.

27



154

collaboratively developed among staff during the first year of
schoolwide implementation:

~~ All students can learn.

‘@ Formative assessment data is more important (while just
as valid and reliable) than summative assessment data.

@ Reading and writing are acts of constructing meaning.

@

Individualized instruction is possible and manageable.

2

Each of us is responsible for professionalizing teaching
and accelerating student learning.

From a one-year pilot came a renewed enthusiasm for
education. As a result, Montview became a school where a
collective vision and commitment energized the whole
community. Another notable change was that staff started
focusing on the positive and concentrating on everyone’s
strengths rather than overemphasizing the negative. Plus,
staff began taking a more proactive stance in that they
applied funds to schoolwide literacy missions rather than
waiting for students to fail and then using the funds for
remedial instruction.

A great deal is asked of all teachers, but the end result from
all the effort and hard work is phenomenal. Montview
teachers are assigned a teacher leader who helps build their
literacy and math practices. The instructional approach
requires daily assessments, weekly observation and feedback
sessions, and weekly conferences with their leader (or
coach) to polish their diagnostic skills. Then, four times a
year, each teacher discusses the progress of his/her students
with a leadership team comprised of an administrator, the
teachez’s peer leader, and a team of specialists. These quar-
terly reviews serve several purposes: they grant the teacher
opportunities for improved teaching strategies; they provide
the coaches and administrators with data for planning
professional development programs; and they allow the
administration to oversee the progress of students on a
classroom-by-classroom basis. All of this collaboration and

168



Discussion Questions
¥ How did Tom identify the focus of his project?
‘¢ What was Tom’s objective for this project?

‘¢ Using the effectiveness estimates from the table which
appears at the end of this chapter, did Tom select the
most effective model for his project? If not, what would
have been a more effective model?

‘= How could Tom have involved other teachers in this
project beyond asking them for suggestions?

Observation/Assessment Model of Professional
Development

In this model, an observer records (usually on paper) what
you say and/or do while teaching a lesson. The scope of
what is recorded may be focused on a specific set of teacher
behaviors, or it may be more global. The recorded informa-
tion is analyzed by the observer (sometimes jointly with the
teacher heing observed), and then a post-observatiom confer-
ence is held. During the conference, you reflect on the
information and its implications for changes in your instruc-
tional practices. The observer usually participates in a
dialogue with you concerning the analysis and interpreta-
tion of the data. You may develop an action plan or growth
plan on your own or jointly with the observer. Subsequent
observations provide feedback on changes in the teaching
behaviors you targeted for further study or improvement.

‘These steps make up the observation/assessment model:

‘# During a pre-observation conference, the teacher and the
observer agree on the purpose of the observation, what
type of information will be recorded, when it will take
place, and how the information will be analyzed. The
teacher provides an outline of the lesson, so the observer
will be able to focus on collecting the desired information.

¢ An observation is conducted, and the data is analyzed

and interpreted by the teacher and/or the observer. A
post-observation conference is held.

68

53



138

H.D. Hilley plans on maintaining its health by continuing
its investment in resources such as workshops, special
institutes, seminars, masters degree programs, and special-
ization certificates. Staff members report an ongoing sense
of renewal, and they see this as proof that their professional
development endeavors are incredibly valuable and
beneficial.

Hungerford School

Staten Island, New York
At Hungerford School, instruction, professional development,
learning, anc’ assessment are unified.

Hungerford School is becoming more and more a “commu-
nity of learners,” a school that has found through the
development of their professional development programs
that student success hinges on the learning and problem-
solving abilities of all staff members. Hungerford School is
very proud of its mission to actively support and prepare
students for community and workforce integration by
placing instructional emphasis on academic, social, pre-
vocational, and vocational areas. The goals of instruction at
the school include increasing students’ levels of academic
achievement, social ability, and independent functioning.

Hungerford School’s population consists of 250 special-
needs students ranging in age from 12 to 21. One hundred
percent of these students receive special education services
since they are classified as medically fragile and severely to
profoundly retarded. Statf at Hungerford does not perceive
these special needs as roadblocks to success, however.
Instead, thanks to professional development programs,
school staff have witnessed improved job performance,
changes in school organization, and improved student
learning.

Components of the Program

The staff at Hungerford School has a philosophy: improved
learning for all school children ultimately relies on teacher

learning and training. This is why the school has worked so
hard at initiating and continuing to develop professional

152



Joyce, B,, Showers, B., & Izumizaki, H. In Joyce, B, &

Calhoun, E. (Eds), Learning experiences in school renewal:

An exploration of five successful programs. Eugene, OR:
Clearinghouse on Educational Management.

Reading More about A Starring Role

Calhoun, E. (1993, October). Action rescarch: Three ap-
proaches, Educational leadership, 62-65.

Fullan, M. & Stiegelbauer, S. (1991). The new meaning of
educational change. New York: Teachers College Press.

Mord, S., Rutherford, W., Huling-Austin, L. & Hall, G.
(1987). Taking charge of change. Alexandria, VA: Asso-
ciation for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Joyce, B., Murphy, C., Showers, & B., Murphy, J. (1989).
School renewal as cultural change. Educational leader-
ship, 47 (3), 70-78.

Licherman, A. (1995). Practices that support teacher devel-
opment: Transforming conceptions of professional
learning. Phi delta kappan, 76 (8), 591-596,

Loucks-Horsley, S., Harding, C., Arbuckle, M., Murray, L.,
Dubea, C., & Williams, M. (1987). Continuing to learn: A
guidebook for teacher development. The Regional Labora-
tory for Educational lmprovement of the Northeast and
Islands and National Staff Development Council.

Smylie, M. & Denny, J. (1989). Teacher leadership: ‘Vensions
and ambiguities in organizational perspective. Paper
presented at American Educational Research Associa-
tion annual meeting.

Reading More about Finding the Time

Corcoran, T. (Ed.). (1995). Transforming professional devel-
opment for teachers: A guidebook for state policymakers.
Washington, DC: National Governors’ Association.

Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (1995). Student Achievement through

staff development. (2nd ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman.

Little, J. W. (1996, May 31). Organizing schools for teacher
learning. Paper presented to the AERA Invitational
Conference on Teacher Development & School Reform.

Loucks-Horsley, S., Harding, C., Arbuckle, M.. Murray, 1..,
Dubea, C., & Williams, M. (1987). Continuing to learn: A
guidebook for teacher development. he Regional Labora-

33

23



56

‘@ = The plan is implemented.

@ The results of the plan’s implementation are assessed.

The following conditions increase the likelihood that partici-
pation in a development or improvement project will impact
the teacher’s job performance:

@ Allowing the participating teachers sufficient freedom
and authority to set their own objectives and to imple-
ment the plan they create

Strong support of the principal and other faculty members

ee

Sufficient time to work productively on the task (in-
cludes time for meetings, reflection, study, and develop-
ment of new skills and knowledge)

@

Adequate resources (includes access to expertise beyond
what is available at the school, funds to purchase needed
materials and to pay for substitutes)

@

® Integration of this project with other school improve-
ment or professional development activities and projects
so that teachers see a connection between this project
and other important efforts

Analyzing a Development/Improvement Model Project
Directions: Read this example of a development/improve-
ment professional development project and talk through the
discussion questions that appear following the example.
Sample answers to each set of discussion questions appear at
the end of this chapter.

Captiva Bay Middle School Curriculum Frameworks Project
A new set of statewide curriculum frameworks was devel-
oped by the state department of education. Teachers at
Captiva Bay Middle School participated in the training
program offered by regional education department staff but
felt the frameworks did not provide adequate guidance for
classroom teachers. They took their concern to the school’s
principal and asked for support for efforts to bridge the gap
between the frameworks and the classroom level currict-

Ti



&

About SERVE

SERVE is an education organization with the mission to promote and support the continu-
ous improvement of educational opportunities for all learners in the Southeast. ‘To further
this mission, SERVE engages in research and development that address education issues of
critical importance to educators in the region and provides technical assistance to SEAs
and LEAs that are striving for comprehensive school improvement. This critical research-
to-practice linkage is supported by an experienced staff strategically located throughout the
region. This staff is highly skilled in providing needs assessment services, conducting
applied research in schools, and developing processes, products, and programs that inform
educators and increase student achievement.

As the new millennium approaches, SERVE is preparing to address emerging 21st-century
issues, such as persistent achievement gaps between minority and non-minority students,
massive teacher training needs, and rising numbers of limited English proficient students.
Committed to a shared vision of the future of education in the region, the SERVE organiza-
tion is governed by a board of directors that includes the governors, chief state school
officers, and key legislators from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina,
and South Carolina, and representative teachers and private sector leaders. SERVE’s core
component is the Regional Educational Laboratory program. SERVE is one of ten organiza-
tions, funded by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of
Education, that provide the services of the Regional Educational Laboratory program to all
50 states and territories. These Laboratories form a knowledge network, building a bank of
information and resources shared nationally and disseminated regionally to improve
student achievernent locally. SERVE has additional funding from the Department in the
areas of Migrant Education and School Leadership and is the lead agency in the
Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Consortium for the Southeast and the Southeast and
Islands Regional Technology in Education Consortium.

Based on these funded efforts, SERVE has developed a portfolio of programs and initiatives
that provides a spectrum of resources, services, and products for responding to local,
regional, and national needs. Program arcas include

* Assessment, Accountability, and Standards

Children, Families, and Conimunities

‘@ Education Policy

‘ Improvement of Science and Mathematics Education

194 185



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94

For the majority of teachers, the first year is a time of trial
and experimentation” (Guskey, 1990). Support during this
period of experimentation is essential. Without it, Guskey
(1986) reports, many teachers will not be able to see the
potential benefits of a new strategy or program and are less
likcly to stay with the new strategy long enough to refine
their use of it. ‘They “..will abandon their efforts and return
to the old familiar strategies they have used in the past.”

Joyce and Showers (1988) make a similar clain. that learn-

ing a new strategy “...will require 20 or 25 trials and the
assistance of someone who can help us analyze the students’
responses and enable us to stick with the process until we
have executive control over our new skill.” Immediate,
sustained practice is needed for teachers to begin using a
new skill in the classroom. Without support, it is unlikely
that teachers will overcome the anxiety related to attempting
new ways of teaching, and they may not even begin to
practice (Joyce and Showers, 1995).

Continual assistance is important because teaching is a
difficult, complex endeavor. Little (1996) supports this
justification for continual assistance in this way:

the need for ongoing learning, problem-solving, col-
laboration, and experimentation results not from the
deficiency of the teacher but from the inherent complex-
ity of teaching. And further, it assumes that good teach-
ing and more uniformly high levels of student achieve-
ment cannot be accomplished by teachers working alone.

Two forms of continual assistance are discussed here in
greater detail. Peer coaching and a type of collaborative
activity described as “joint work” are examples of continual
assistance that can produce multiple benefits for teachers
and students.

Peer Coaching

“The actual organization of peer coaching is relatively
simple—peer coaches necd time to watch each other work
and time to talk” (Joyce and Showers, 1988). In this brief
statement, Joyce and Showers reveal key principles of peer
coaching, First, peer coaches learn from watching each other

108



Hence, the entire faculty, along with parents and community
members, came together to create school goals. ‘The result of
the faculty being such an integral part of the professional
development activities and decision-making processes has
been phenomenal. Teachers now take ownership of and
responsibility for school improvement efforts, and this, in
turn, affects students’ learning. Teacher satisfaction is
evidenced by the low turnover rate. Plus, new staff members
are hired through an interview process that involves teach-
ers—once again, calling on other teachers to be part of
critical decision-making processes.

Components of the Program

When Shallowford Falls Elementary opened its doors eight
years ago, the principal knew great things would come to
pass. This was due to the fact that she interviewed and hired
staff who embraced involvement in a cooperative decision-
making school. The staff and principal then developed a
philosophy, a mission statement, performance goals, and
student and teacher handbooks.

The organizational structure of the school consists of mul-
tiple teams made up of teachers, school specialists, parapro-
fessionals, secretaries, custodians, and food service workers.
Parents and students serve on many of the committees, as
well. Some of the committees include Building Leadership
Team (BLT), Budget Committee, Student Support Team, and
Enrichment/School Spirit. These committees are responsible
for everything from identifying crucial curriculum and
discipline issues to developing educational plans for needy
students.

Goal setting is a vital part of the school reform process. At
Shallowford Falls, the staff communicates goals to the
parents and students through newsletters, flyers, and memo-
randums. Goal development at the school has shown defi-
nite improvement over time. In the inaugural year of goal
development, the school’s goals were weak because they
were not stated in quantifiable terms. However, in the past
few years, positive working relationships and self-esteem
among teachers and students were augmented due to en-
hanced goal setting. In addition, over time, as the school has

i7d

157



116

‘é What infermation is available to teachers concerning
student achievement?

# What professional development resources (including
books and journals) are available to teachers?

&

How do teachers get feedback on their teaching perfor-
mance?

‘@ How would you rate the support from administration
and fellow teachers for your learning?

There are two tools for formative evaluation of professional
development activities included in this Hot Topic. The first
serves as a screening of potential professional development
activities or programs, so the limited resources available to
support your professional development will be used most
effectively. The Selection/Planning Evaluation Instrument
looks at the first three elements of the model proposed by
Guskey and Sparks. It measures the extent to which the
activity/program addresses priority needs you identified,
whether or not it will be delivered through a model that is
appropriate for the intended outcomes, how well-designed
the activity/program is, and whether or not the content is
supported or validated by educational research. Finally, the
form asks you to give a score to the context or climate of
your school to determine how well the activity/program will
be supported. A brief explanation or a reference to another
section of this Hot Topic is provided for each item to help
you arrive at a valid score for the activity/program being
evaluated.

An Additional Formative Evaluation Too!

The second evaluation tool collects information during an
activity/program so those who are providing or delivering
the professional development activity can make adjustments
in its structure, pace, content, and presentation. Obviously,
this type of evaluation is of less use when the activity is a
one-time training session where there is little opportunity
for “mid-course adjustments.” However, if the activity/
program extends over several weeks or months, this type of

‘evaluation can serve as a guide to keep the activity/program

on track.

130



Little, J. W. (1990, Summer). The persistence of privacy:
Autonomy and initiative in teachers’ professional
relations. Teachers College Record, 91(4).

Little, J. W. (1993, Summer). Teachers professional develop-
ment in a climate of educational reform. Educational
evaluation and policy analysis.

Little, J. W. (1996, May 31). Organizing schools for teacher
learning. Paper presented at the American Educational
Research Association Invitational Conference on
Teacher Development and School Reform.

McLaughlin, M. (1994). Strategic sites for teachers’ profes-
sional development. In Grimmett, P. & Neufeld, J.
(Eds.), Teacher development and the struggle for authentic-
ity: Professional growth and restructuring in the context of
change (pp. 31-51). New York: Teachers College Press.

National Staff Development Council (1995). Standards for
staff development. Oxford, OH: author.

Smylie, M. (1989). Teachers’ views of the effectiveness of
sources of learning to teach. The elementary school
journal, 89(5), 544.

33



76

Eraut, M. (1993). Teacher accountability: Why is it central
to teacher professional development? In L. Kremer-
hayon, H. C. Vonk, & R. Fessler (Eds.), Teacher profes-
sional development—A multiple perspective approach.
Amsterdam: Lisse, Swets and Zeitlinger.

Hawley, W. & Valli, L. (in press). The essentials of effective
professional development: A new consensus. In Darling-
Hammond, L. & Sykes, G. (Eds.), Improving schools by
improving teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Joyce, B., Murphy, C., Showers, B., & Murphy, J. (1989).
School renewal as cultural change. Educational leader-
ship, 47 (3), 70-77.

Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (1995). Student achievement through
staff development. (2nd ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman.

Little, J. W. (1990, Summer). The persistence of privacy:
Autonomy and initiative in teachers’ professional
relations. Teachers college record, 91(4).

Little, J. W. (1993, Summer). Teachers professional develop-
ment in a climate of educational reform. Educational
evaluation and policy analysis.

Little, J. W. (1996, May 31). Organizing schools for teacher
learning. Paper presented at the American Educational
Research Association Invitational Conference on
Teacher Development and School Reform.

McLaughlin, M. (1994). Strategic sites for teachers’ profes-
sional development. In Grimmett, P. & Neufeld, J.
(Eds.), Teacher development and the struggle for authentic-
ity: Professional growth and restructuring in the context of
change (pp. 31-51). New York: Teachers College Press.

Osterman, K. & Kottkamp, R. (1993). Reflective practice for
educators: Improving schooling through professional
development. Newbury Park, CA: Corwin Press.

Schon, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How profes-
sionals think in action. New York: Basic Books.

Showers, B., Murphy, C., & Joyce, B. (1996). In Joyce, B. &
Calhoun, E. (Eds.), Learning experiences in school re-
newal: An exploration of five successful programs. Eugene,
OR: Clearinghouse on Educational Management.

Sparks, D. & Loucks-Horsley, $. (1989, Fall). Five models of
staff development for teachers. Journal of staff develop-
meat, 4, 41-58.

Stufflebeam, D. L., & Shinkfield, A.J. (1985). Systemic
evaluation, Boston: Kluwer-Nijihoff.



component along the entire continuum of teacher devclopment that must
be embraced as a mutual responsibility of parents, students, teachers,
community members, district educational leadership, and those who
develop and facilitate professional development activities.

Professionals at the state and local level are coming to understand the
obvious—goals, standards, and assessment alone do not improve student
performance, and the professional development of teachers, though critical,
is not all that needs developing. Continually improving performance occurs
in continually improving systems staffed by professionals who are continu-
ally improving. Thomas Corcoran reports that a number of experts and
organizations have suggested that the most promising professional develop-
ment programs are those that:

‘@ Stimulate and support site-based initiatives—Professional development is
likely to have a greater impact on practice if it is closely linked to school
initiatives to improve practice.

‘# Support teacher initiatives as well as school or district initiatives—These
initiatives could promote the professionalization of teaching and may be
a cost-effective way to engage more tcachers in serious professional
development activities.

# Are grounded in knowledge about good teaching—Good professional
development should encompass expectations educators hold for students,
child-development theory curriculum content and design, instructional
and assessment strategies for instilling higher-order competencies, school
culture, and shared decision making.

€ Model constructivist teaching—Teachers need opportunities to explore,
question, and debate in order to integrate new ideas into their repertoires
and their classroom practice.

®

Offer intellectual, social, and emotional engagement with ide
als, and colleagues.

s, Inateri-

€ Demonstrate respect for teachers as professionals and as adult learuers.

&:

Provide for sufficient time and follow-up support for teachers to master
new content and strategies and to integrate them into their practice.

‘@ Are viewed as an integral part of teachers’ work rather than as a privi-
lege granted to “favorites” by administrators.

Le



Contents

Acknowledgments ......
Foreword ..
Introduction ...

Purpose and Organization .

Chapter One

Developing a Vision of Effective Professional Development
How Adults Learn .....
Trying Something New
Making a Wise Choice
Five Ways to Learn
Working Together
Data-Driven Decisions
A Starring Role
Finding the Time
Fitting in with Other Efforts .. te
‘The Role of National Standards in Creating a Vision of "Professional Developmen
References and Readings

Chapter Two

Creating a Context for Change .
References and Readings .....

Chapter Three

Planning for Professional Development.....
Teacher Self-Assessment in Action .
Models of Professional Development
Alternatives to the Typical Training Model .
Common Design Principles ....
Sample Answers to Discussion Questions
References and Readings ....

Chapter Four

Investing in Professional Developmen
Finding Time for Professional Development
Obtaining Funding for Professional Development .
Questions for Investors in Professional Development
Getting the Most from Your Investment
References and Readings .........:.c000

Chapter Five

Providing Continual Assistance
Peer Coaching
Collaboration and Collegiality
References and Readings ....



140

is not regarded at Hungerford as being separate from student
instruction. Rather, Hungerford sees success as dependent
upon the learning of individual school employees and the
improvement of the potential of the school to solve problems
and renew itself. Therefore, it should come as no surprise
that Hungerford finds collegiality and collaboration among
teachers to be of utmost significance iv the success of the
professional development programs. Collegiality fosters a
cohesive atmosphere that makes collective, shared decision
making feasible. This, in turn, generates schoolwide im-
provement.

At Hungerford, staff development is seen as the major
vehicle for school improvement. The broad goals of profes-
sional development are meant to help navigate students to
their highest potential by supporting their development of
fundamental social, emotional, and academic skills.

The school conducted various Needs Assessments to deter-
mine not only the most crucial needs of the students but
needs of staff and parents, as well. Some assessments in-
clude a Professional Development Needs Assessment, a
School Comprehensive Education Plan, and a Staff Self-
assessment. Each school year, the Hungerford Schocl
chooses a specific goal that they want to make a priority.
During the 1996-97 school year, the priority was literacy
improvement. And the primary focus for the 1997-98 school
year was comprehensive and sustained professional develop-
ment for instructional and support staff.

Hungerford has been designated by the district as a Profes-
sional Development Laboratory (PDL) site. This means that
the school hosts teachers and staff from other schools for
on-site training. The PDL model affords the chance for
successful teachers to share ideas with colleagues from other
schools during the day.

Evidence of Success

Hungerford School’s dedication to its professional develop-
ment program has made quite a difference for both staff and
students. There has been a marked change in both teacher



a

strive to become involved in more structured inquiry
into the academic performance of students and the
factors that impact the level of student performance.
Your study should look for what makes a difference in
how well students learn.

Spend time together on professional issues. It is not
simply the amount of planning and preparation time
that promotes teacher learning: how it is organized
contributes to its productive use in professional develop-
ment projects and joint work. An extra hour spent alone
(while it might sound wonderful) is not as productive as
a shorter period engaged with colleagues who share
responsibility for student learning. Time spent together
will be more productive if the purposes are tied directly
to your daily work.

. Bea leader of learners. School leaders (both official

and informal leaders) influence the amount of support
the school's culture provides for teacher learning. When
you hold a leadership role in building a community of
learners, you should demonstrate “..care and encourage-
ment; support for help-seeking and help-giving; celebra-
tion of struggle and accomplishment; [and] principled
and well-informed criticism” (Little, 1996). You should
work to avoid “contrived collegiality” and to build a
sense of shared responsibility for student learning that
produces genuine collaboration and enhanced teacher
learning.

References and Readings

Reading More about Creating a Context for Change

Barth, R. (1990). Improving schools from within, San Fran-
cisco, CA: Josse-Bass Publishers.

Darling-Hammond, L. & McLaughlin, M. (1995, April).
Policies that support professional development in an era
of reform. Phi delta kappan, 597-604.

Fullan, M. (1993). Managing change: A restructuring brief.
Santa Rosa, CA: Sonoma County Office of Education,
North Coast Professional Development Consortium.

46



to document progression of phases. Overall outcomes are
measured by the impact on target audiences such as teach-
ers, parents, community, and students. Evaluation focuses
on evidence that the newly learned strategies are being used
and that student achievement is increasing.

The following is a list of formal assessment evidence:

‘ Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) is a
criterion-referenced test that assesses student achieve-
ment in reading, writing, and mathematics. Between
1995 and 1997, student scores have been steadily in-
creasing at all grade levels.

Academic Exccllence Indicator System (AEIS) is a state-
mandated accountability system based on composite and
disaggregated data from TAAS scores, attendance and
dropout rates, AP performance, and college admission
performance. Between 1996 and 1997, 12 campuses
increased their rating level (with six moving to the
“recognized” category and six moving to the “exem-
plary” category).

The district has consistently scured well on college’
entrance exains (SATs).

®:

e The gaps between Hispanic, African American, and
white students has narrowed in recent years.

The following is a list of informal assessment evidence:

@ Progress reports

fe

«

Teach -r/student/parent conferences

Student portfolios

@

ys

&

Teacher and pecr observation
‘@ Debates and role-piaying

= Project-hased authentic assessment

163

Isl



Figure 3.3

Effective Professional Development

Strategies for Skill
Development

Implications for Training and Expectations for Outcomes

Theory

Learners participate in
the study of the
theoretical basis or the
rationale for the skill.

Implications for Training
Lectures, self-assessment exercises, group discussions, question-answer
sessions, panels, handouts.

Creates Awareness

Learners can be expected to recall some specifics and generalizations. At this
point in skill development, a few (5%) will be able to apply the skills. Aware-
ness is a necessary step in the developmental process.

Demonstration
Learners observe the
modeling of the skill or
competency.

Implications for Training
Trainer demonstrations, films, case studies, questions.

Promotes Comprehension

Learners can be expected to more effectively discuss the skill or competency
and summarize, restate, or explain it and infer need. A few (20%) will be able
to apply the skill at the training site. Demonstration is a necessary step in the
developmental process.

Practice/Feedback
Learners demonstrate/
practice the new skill in
a protected euviron-
ment. Learners practice
analysis of the behavior
of others and offer
constructive criticism.

Implications for Training

Structures must be provided so that participants have the opportunity to demon-
strate the skill in a safe environment. Trainers must have the skill to reinforce
appropriate behavior, identify but dignify inappropriate responses, offer alterna-
tive positive behaviors, and maintain the self-esteem of participants.

Completes Comprehension and Simulates Application

Learners can be expected to interpret skill or competencies, illustrate or
demonstrate skills, identify and evaluate the skill or competency in others, and
provide assistance for improving. At this point, most learners (up to 95% ) will
be able to demonstrate the skill or competency at the training site, but the
majority will not use this skill or competency at the work place without benefit
of coaching and/or a support team.

Coaching/Teaming
Learners coach one
another as they work
the new skili or
competency into their
repertoire, They
provide cach other with
ideas and fecdback.

Implications for Training

Training must recognize the need for follow-up in terms of coaching and
teaming and provide participants with the skills or resources to develop teams
or networks and to serve as effective coaches.

Completes Application and Incorporates Analysis and Evaluation
Most learners (75-95 % ) who are part of a support team will apply the new skill
on the job. Through the supportive process, they will also analyze and evaluate
the behavior of other learners and offer viable recommendations for improve-
ment in an acceptable fornnat.

62

77



a

The activities are school-based and linked to school
operations.

Professional development activities are organized
around collaborative problem-solving.

The activities include continual assistance and support
beyond the initial training that provides for observation,
sharing, and sustained practice.

Participants use multiple sources of information to
evaluate student learning and how it is impacted by the
new practices and to monitor the processes that support
the implementation of the new practices.

The activities help participants develop a theoretical
understanding of the new practices.

The professional development activities are linked toa
comprehensive change process that focuses on student
learning.

Sample Answers to Discussion Questions

Tom’s Questioning Project

e

a

ae

How did Yom identify the focus of his project?

Tom identified the focus of his project through observational
data collected hy his principal and his own observations of
hou students responded to his questions.

What was Tom’s objective for this project?
To identify and add effective questioning skills to his
teaching repertoire.

Using the effectiveness estimates from the table which
ap,ears at the end of this chapter, did Tom select the
most effective mcdel for his project? If not, what would
have been a more effective model?

Tom's project dealt with identifying and gaining “executive
control” over specific teaching skills. While the training
model is more effective and efficient in producing this kind

80 n



DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 446 060 SP 039 492

AUTHOR “Collins, David * -

TITLE Achieving Your Vision of Professional Development: How To
-Assess Your Needs and Get What You Want. Hot Topics.

INSTITUTION SERVE: SouthEastern Regional Vision for Education.

SPONS AGENCY Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED),
Washington, DC.

PUB DATE 1999-00-00

NOTE 201p.; Chapter on the 1998 National Awards Program and
Winners by Christy Casbon.

CONTRACT RJ96006702

AVAILABLE FROM SERVE Publishing and Quality Assurance, attention:
Distribution Specialist, 1203 Governor's Square Boulevard,
Suite 400, Tallahassee, FL 32301; 800-352-6001; Fax:
850-671-6020. Web site: http://www.serve.org ($10).

PUB TYPE Guides - Non-Classroom (055)
EDRS PRICE MFO1/PC09 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS Collegiality; *Educational Change; Educational Improvement;

Elementary Secondary Education; *Faculty Development ;
Inservice Teacher Education; Planning; Program
Effectiveness; *Program Evaluation; Self Evaluation
(Individuals); Teacher Collaboration; Teacher Evaluation;
*Teacher Improvement; Teachers

ABSTRACT

This publication assembles the most current research on
professional development and change for teachers looking to accelerate their
professional growth and the improvement of student learning. Designed as a
how-to resource, it reviews the stages of building an effective professional
development system. The seven chapters are: (1) “Developing a Vision of

Effective Professional Development"; (2) “Creating a Context for Change"; (3)
“Planning for Professional Development"; (4) “Investing in Professional
Development"; (5) "Providing Continual Assistance"; (6) "Assessing and

Monitoring Progress"; and (7) "The 1998 National Awards Program and Winners"
(Christy Casbon). There are six appendixes: “Evaluating Current Professional
Development Opportunities"; "Steps in Using Self-Directed Change Model";
"Evaluating Professional Development: A Tool for Staying on Track"; "Features
of Effective Learning Experiences"; "Shifting the Paradigm of Professional
Development"; and "National Staff Development Council Standards for Staff
Development." (SM)

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
from the original document.



98

a:

They demonstrate a willingness to expose one’s teaching
performance as well as one’s beliefs about teaching and
learning to the scrutiny of others.

®

‘They produce collective action.

When you and your fellow teachers develop a unit of in-
struction together, assigning some tasks to individuals or
sub-groups so the final product is constructed of the work of
many, and no one person was responsible for all of the
pieces, then you have collaborated in the development of
this unit. You shared the responsibility for creating it.
Likewise, when teachers share the responsibility for certain
outcomes, but individuals or sub-groups contribute different
things to the effort, they are collaborating. For example,
when a group of teachers from a middle school agrees to
work toward improving students’ ability to learn through
reading in the content areas, they will not all take the same
actions in supporting that goal. But, because they share the
responsibility for achieving it, they are collaborating.

As teachers enter into an open exchange of ideas for im-
proving students’ ability to apply problem-solving strategies
to real-world problems, they are opening themselves and
their practices up to examination by their peers. This is
another form of collaboration anf® collegiality. Finally, when
teachers at an elementary school agree that they will begin
each day by reading aloud to students to enrich their expo-
sure to good children’s literature, they are collaborating by
acting collectively.

How does collaboration benefit teachers and their students?
Advocates of collaboration and collegiality describe many
worthwhile benefits from engaging in activities like those
described above. Some of the benefits that pertain to improv-
ing the effectiveness of professional development activities
are listed here.

@ Collaboration and collegiality provide moral support for

teachers who are experimenting with new strategies or
participating in substantial reform projects. While moral

lie



174

wu

to

we

The presentations are clear, and we are actively involved in what is
being done.

The objectives are clearly stated and help us stay focused.

We get opportunities to practice what we are learning and to get feed-
back on that practice.

We will be able to use what we are learning in our classrooms.

What we are learning will help our students improve their academic
achievement.



«eee ey

Key Questions to Guide the Evaluation of Professional Development Activities

Target or
Group

What need will
this activity
address?

How was this necd
measured?

What change is
this activity
intended to

produce?

change be
measured?

Teachers

How will this

Students

Organization

sEST COPY A

VAILABLE

121



schoolwide improvement. They recognized that effective
change within a school system normally takes three-to-five
years of committed teamwork by staff, administrators,
parents, and the community. Therefore, LISD implemented
a long-range professional development program rooted in
research and based on student needs.

Because the goal of LISD was to produce a compiete infra-
structure for profe: sional development, the comprehensive
staff development model had to be incorporated in two re-
lated five-year phases. Phase I, called Project LIST (Lewisville
Institute for Sindent Thinking), was the foundation and pivot
point for revision and expansion into Phase I, a Planned
Community of Learners. Project LEARN (Lewisville Elemen-
tary Advocate Resource Network) was the intcrim mini-phase
that bridged the tandem model. The focal point of each
phase remained constant: student achievement. The action-
oriented plan promoted teachers as leaders, a community of
learners, and site-based management.

The district devcloped a model based on seven influencing
conditions found in schools that demonstrate significant
achicvement gains within all student subgroups. These
conditions include:

€ Clear and focused school mission

‘@ Safe and orderly environment

# Effective instructional leadership

¢ High expectatious

¢ Opportunity to learn with student time-on-task

# Periodic monitoring of student progress

®:

Home/school partnership

fn addition, the district felt that preservice and induction-
year opportunities needed improvement, so settings for

163

149



The
REGIONAL | at

EDUCATIONAL
LABORATORY S E RV E
Associated with the School of Education
University of North Carolina at Greensboro

First Edition 1997
Second Printing 1997
Second Edition 1999
Second Printing 1999
Third Printing 1999

Written for SERVE by
David Collins

Foreword by
Betty Fry, Director of School Development :ind Reform, SERVE

Chapter on the 1998 National Awards Program and Winners by
Christy Casbon, Communications Specialist, SERVE

Edited hy

Charles Ahearn, Director of Publishing and Quality Assurance, SERVE
Donna Nalley, Senior Editor, SERVE

Stephen Chapman, Program Specialist, SERVE

Designed by
Marissa Coffenberry, Graphic Designer, SERVE
Kelly Dryden, Senior Graphic Designer, SERVE

Special thanks to Ann Collins for research assistance.

The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Office

of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, nor does
mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement hy the
U.S. Government:

This document was produced with funding from the Office of Educational Research and
Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, under contract no. RJ96006701.

4



= The Initiative on Teachers and Teaching
‘& School Development and Reform
@ Technology in Learning

SERVE’s National Speciality Area is Early Childhood Education, and the staff of SERVE’s
Program for Children, Families, and Communities has developed the expertise and the
ability to provide leadership and support to the early childhood community nationwide for
children from birth to age eight.

In addition to the program areas, the SERVE Evaluation Department supports the evalua-
tion activities of the major grants and contracts and provides evaluation services to SEAs
and LEAs in the region. Through its Publishing and Quality Assurance Department,
SERVE publishes a variety of studies, training materials, policy briefs, and program prod-
ucts. These informative and low-cost publications include guides to available resources,
summaries of current issies in education policy, and examples of exemplary educational
programs. Through its programmatic, evaluation, and publishing activities, SERVE also
provides contracted staff development and technical assistar:ce in many areas of expertise
to assist education agencies in achieving their school improvement goals.

SERVE'’s main office is at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, with major staff
groups located in Tallahassee, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia. Policy advisors are assigned to
each state department of education in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, North
Carolina, and South Carolina. Current and detailed information on any of the program and
service areas noted here may be found on SERVE’s site on the World Wide Web at
www.serve.org.

SERVE Main Office

P.O. Box 5367
Greensboro, NC 27435
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800-755-3277
Fax 336-334-3268

John R. Sanders, Ed.D.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

www.serve.org

186

195



support is described as a “weaker” form of collaboration,
it can be significant when you feel you are moving in
uncharted waters.

Coordination of activities through collaboration improves
the efficiency of school faculties or groups of teachers
who are involved in overlagping tasks. It can help you
and your fellow teachers avoid duplication and redun-
dancy in your curriculum and instructional practices.
Elementary teachers may find through collaborative
study of their curriculum they are teaching units on
dinosaurs in kindergarten as well as in second and third
grades. Secondary social studies and language arts
teachers may find they are both using historical litera-
ture as a theme to help students interpret the content of
their courses. Coordinating these aspects of the curricu-
lum can improve the quality of experiences for students.

Collaboration can impact student achievement by bring-
ing about improvement in your teaching practices. This
improved effectiveness can result from being willing to
take risks and try new strategies or from having access
to a greater variety of strategies and approaches through
collaboration with your peers. Collaboration may even
improve teachers’ sense of efficacy (Ashton and Webb,
1986).

You are more likely to reflect upon your own practices if
vou are involved in collaborative dialogue about teach-
ing. If the collaboration includes observing fellow
teachers teach, ther ou are able to see your own teach-
ing in the light of what you saw in your colleague’s
classroom. This makes reflection more useful in that you
have concrete models with which to compare your own
performance (Joyce and Showers, 1988).

There are many features of schools that contribute to the
isolation of teachers from one another. Elementary
schools are referred to as having “insulated egg-crate
classrooms” (Lortic, 1975). This rather descriptive
phrase refers to the isolation of teachers within their

113

99



Activity |.1

Creating Your Vision of Professional Development

Directions: The Key Ideas paragraphs from Chapter One have been reprinted below. Read each paragraph
and draft a single phrase that captures the ideas you feel are most important. These phrases may he woven
into a single paragraph that describes your vision of effective professional development, or they may be used
in list form. “Starter” statements are printed below. These statements can be used to get you started in
writing and achieving your own vision of effective professional development.

“Starter” Statements

1. T want to participate in professional development that
2. Professional development that would inspire my interest and commitment would
3. My colleagues and | deserve professional development that

4. Student learning will be enriched by professional developrnent for teachers that

wa

Professional development should

6. Effective professional development will

Summary of Key Ideas from Chapter One

Adult learning is enhanced when adults are through the different stages of concern ina

allowed to work with colleagues to solve a work- predictable sequence. Effective professional

related problem that they identified and which development addresses an individual’s concerns

represents a collective concern. Adult learners are through support that is appropriate for each person

able to achieve extremely high levels of implemcen- and his or her immediate concerns.

tation when support is provided after initial

training. Selecting the program or practices that will be

studied and implemented is an extremely impor-

} Changc is a long-term process, not a one-time tant decision. The major investments of time,

event. Change produces concerns in everyone. energy, and other resources that go along with

With appropriate support, individuals progress professional development activities require that
18

34



learning. Professional
development activities
should be scheduled
when teacl.ers are
fresh, not tired. They
shoulc be in
uninterrupted blocks
and balanced between

student days and non-

contact days.

78

the teacher workday or school year, teachers’ time may be
rescheduled or reorganized, and school staff may be utilized
in different ways to provide release time for teachers. These
three categories will be used to organize the following ideas
collected from a review of the literature on time for profes-
sional development.

Adding Time

€

&

Gardendale Elementary Magnet School in Merritt
Island, Florida, adopted a year-round calendar with
three-week intersessions between terms. Teachers are
paid an additional stipend for attending two- or three-
day training/planning sessions during intersession.

Funds used to pay substitutes to release teachers to
attend professional development activities may be spent
more effectively if they are paid to teachers for participa-
tion in professional development during the summer
months or on weekends.

Rescheduling or Reorganizing Time

Teachers at Mohegan Elementary in the Bronx working
oti a joint project are scheduled for the same daily lunch
period and a common planning time immediately follow-
ing their lunch time—giving them a total of 90 minutes
of shared time each day.

One morning of every week, students at Central Park
East Secondary School in Manhattan participate in
community service activities through local volunteer
agencies. This frees their teachers for professional
development and other activities until noon when
students return to the school.

Students at the Urban Academy in Manhattan take part in
volunteer community service activities each Wednesday
afternoon. This gives teachers additional time for planning,
parent conferences, and professiona! development.

School districts that provide non-contact professional
development days may consider allowing teams of



Captiva Bay Middle Schoo! Curriculum Frameworks
Project

&

How did the teachers identify the focus of their project?
Their analysis of the frameworks revealed they did not
provide adequate detail to guide application at the class-
room level.

What was their overall objective for this project?
To create an interpretive guide to enable teachers to apply
the curriculum frameworks in their classrooms.

Using the effectiveness estimates from the table which
appears at the end of this chapter, did the teachers select
the most effective model for their project? If not, what
would have been a more effective model?

This model is rated highly for “increasing knowledge of
content or subject matter.”

ilow did they involve aspects of the training model in
this project?

When they discovered “several of the tasks on their list
required skills and knowledge no one on the faculty pos-
sessed,” they located and participated in training to acquire
the needed skills and knowledge.

New Teacher Induction Project

How did this project utilize the three workshop compo-
nents of the training model?

The consultant used a considerable amount of nrodeling
through videotaped examples and provided practice within
the workshop setting. The description of the training
implies that there was also presentation of theory, but it
does not describe it in detail.

What was their overall objective for this project?
To prepare new teachers for a successful heginning of the

school year.

Using the effectiveness estimates from the table which
appears at the end of this chapter, did the principal

~ 88

73



Purpose and Organization

Achieving Your Vision of Professional Development is written for you if you
wish to:

@ Develop a clear picture of effective professional development. What
should I expect from professional development experiences?

@ Plan and conduct school-based professional development activities.
How can] apply best practices in professional development?

‘@ Evaluate the content, quality, and results of professicnal development
experiences. How can I be sure this professional development experience will
produce, or has produced, the resulis I want for me, my fellow teachers, and
our students?

Six strategies for successfui change identified by Hord and Huling-Austin
(1986) were adapted to serve as the organizing framework and chapter
headings for this Hot Topic. They describe what is needed to bring about
significant change in the professional development activities in which you
participate. These strategies for successful change are:

‘@ Developing a Vision of Effective Professional Development. What does
effective professional development look like?

‘e Creating a Context for Change. How does a learning community support
change?

# Planning for Professional Development. What goes into providing effective
professional development?

‘e Investing in Professional Development. How can I get the most out of
professional development?

5

# Providing Continual Assistance. What kind of help do I need to make real
change in rey practices?

g:

Assessing and Monitoring Progress. How cai | know if professional devel-
opment will or has made a difference?

16

xv



differs from ideal practice. The magnitude of these differences
will be a key factor in determining which points will become
the focus of your professional development activities.

The model calls for you to identify your own feelings of the
need for change. This need serves as the motivation for
setting challenging goals and the development and comple-
tion of an action plan to reach those goals. This is based on
the theory that movement toward an ideal produces feelings
of self-worth in an individual.

Finally, the model continues through the assessing and
monitoring of your progress and the impact on your prac-
tices. This feedback is used to make repeated comparisons
over time between real and ideal practices until there is little
or no difference between the two. At that point, you may
want to identify a new set of real classroom practices and
begin the self-directed change process again.

A more detailed list of key points to remember in using the
Self-Directed Change Model is found in Appendix B.

Teacher Self-Assessment in Action.

Some educators argue that professional development should
serve as a tool for achieving the broad goals of the school or
school system. Others believe that professional development
is cacher development and therefore should focus on the
needs of individual teachers. Fortunately, these two sets of
priorities often overlap. What seems most beneficial for
teachers and students is a balance that recognizes that school
goals cannot be met unless teachers participate in professional
development activities they find personally meaningful and
that build their capacity to contribute to those goals. This
section provides an activity to illustrate the use of teacher
self-assessment and schoolwide student achievement data to
reach that balance.

Key Idea
Professional
development is a
shared responsibility
for teachers, schools,
and districts. Setting
priorities is necessary
to produce an effective
response to competing
needs. Looking at the
needs of other levels
helps everyone to have
the broad perspective
necessary for wise
decisions. Connecting
plans for professional
development across
levels makes them
more effective and
more likely to receive
the support needed to
be successful.

43



ones, and doing away with obsolete ones or ones that do not
generate desired results.

A Commitment for All Schools

It is clear that all eight of these schools and school districts
have made great strides in the professional development
arena. The hard work and continued dedication by these
schools’ staff, faculty, and community is not only impressive
but encouraging as well. No doubt these award-winning
schools and districts can provide ideas and hope for other
schools who wish to establish sirnilar programs and prac-
tices in their communities. The keys to erecting and main-
taining a successful professional development program in
schools and school districts are interactive teamwork, a great
sense of enthusiasm, and a shared and renewed commitment
to the program. Only good things can come from such
positive attitudes and unwavering dedication.

16i



Questions for Investors in Professional
Development

Professional development activities represent a significant
investment of time, energy, and money. Like any important
investment, there are questions you should answer before you
commit your resources. Once your questions have been
answered, how much of a return you get depends on how
much you invest. Here is a list of questions that can help you
make a wise investment and a few suggestions for how to get
more out of professional development by putting more into it.

¢ What are our priority needs?

‘~~ Who should be involved in planning the professional
development activities that will address the priority needs?

‘@ How will we communicate with others as we are plan-
ning the activities?

@ Who can help us identify programs or services that are
available and that meet our priority needs?

!

Do we need to obtain a commitment from those who
will participate before we conclude our planning?

¥ What are our objectives for these professional develop-
ment activities?

¥ Who will take responsibility for identifying and commu-
nicating with the presenter(s)/trainer(s)?

# How can we help teachers prepare for the activities?

&:

How can we provide continual assistance to teachers
after they complete these activities?

® How will we evaluate the impact of these professional
development activities?

10Q

85



_

Jlppendix ‘D

Features of Effective Learning
Experiences

Learners help plan the learning experience to fit their needs.

New information is received through more than one of the five senses. For example,
jearners may read text, hear an explanation, view a demonstration, or use materials.

Learners process information in more than one context and in more than one way.
They may write in journals, analyze case studies, role play, hold small-group discus-
sions, conduct interviews, present lessons, solve problems, use art or music to express
ideas, construct objects, etc.

Questions are thoughtfully and thoroughly discussed.
Learners are encouraged to reflect, wonder, suppose, and predict.

New concepts and information are related to current knowledge and experience.
Learners may connect the new with the old by drawing on previous experience .o
illustrate new ideas; by comparing and contrasting new knowledge with previous
knowledge; by applying new strategies or skills to familiar situations; by constructing
metaphors for new concepts. Or new information may trigger a process of
deconstructing previous knowledge.

The learning environment is collegial. Learners learn from one another. Ideas and
perspectives reflect the ethnic and gender diversity of the learners. Learners value and

welcome diverse viewpoints.

Learners use new information over time, testing, comparing notes with other users,
revising and refining understanding and practice.

Learners have access, when needed, to support and feedback from those with expertise.

10. Learners experience success.

189 177



160

Looking Ahead

Coordinating a school improvement plan of this magnitude
is an enormous endeavor, and its success depends on many
people—faculty members, parents, and students. Everyone
at Shallowford Falls Elementary is pleased with the final
result.

Shallowford Falls is excited about embracing the future

because professional development activities are numerous,

ever evolving, and flourishing. The past several years have
been a learning experience for the Shallowford Falls staff,
but through their experience, they have established certain
ideas. They feel confident about the following things:

@ No longer can staff and faculty be satisfied with the “sit-
and-get” philosophy of professional development. We
must be active, not passive learners and seek out wisdom
rather than waiting for it to come to us.

a

No longer can we shift accountability—no good can
come of that practice. It is incumbent upon us to act
responsibly for our students and take an active role in
goal-directed school improvement.

‘@ No longer can teachers identify goals with no ties to
student learning.

Never must we let up. We must continue our profes-
sional development efforts because this will most cer-
tainly drive our schools into the future with no chance
to fall behind.

Ever since the 1993-94 school year when Shallowford Falls
was named a successful Georgia PfP school, staff has contin-
ued the spirit of writing high student performance goals. In
the future, the faculty plans to continue analyzing and
assessing the school’s strengths and weaknesses.
Shallowford Falls is also excited at the prospect of continu-
ally restructuring the school’s professional development
program in order to better the entire system. This would be
accomplished by adding new programs, redesigning old

174



64

more motivated to learn the content the consultant planned
to cover with them. Their self-assessment revealed they
were unsure of how to set up reasonable rules, routines, and
expectations for students—one of the new teachers listed 37
classroom rules he planned to enforce. This gave the con-
sultant some important clues as to what should be empha-
sized during the remainder of the training. A second objec-
tive for the day was to prepare the new -achers to join a
peer-coaching study team when the other teachers reported
for duty. To prepare them for this kind of peer-support
activity, the consultant designed several collaborative plan-
ning activities.

Later on that first day, the new teachers got to practice some
of what they had learned by formulating their own set of
procedures for certain classroom routines. The consultant
gave each person individualized feedback on his or her first
draft of the classroom procedures. They also discussed them
with one another as a peer-coaching study team and modi-
fied them until they felt comfortable the procedures were
reasonable and well-planned.

They spent nearly the entire second day looking at how to
organize their classrooms and establish a simple set of rules
and consequences. The consultant used videotaped ex-
amples of teachers using effective strategies for working
with difficult students and had the new teachers role-play
how they would handle similar situations. Throughout the
second day, the consultant gave encouragement and con-
structive feedback to the new teachers as they experimented
with the strategies the consultant presented.

The last day was spent looking at ways to plan practice
activities that were appropriate for students with different
levels of ability. The consultant helped them see how to
work collaboratively with their peers in planning for in-
struction. They concluded the day by reviewing what they
had learned and how they planned to use it to get off to a
good start in their first classroom. The consultant explained
she would not be available for follow-up activities, but
emphasized the importance of getting help from their fellow
teachers and the principal through the peer-coaching study-
team approach. Finally, the consultant administered the

79



240

tory for Educational Improvement of the Northcast and
Islands and National Staff Development Council.
Raywid, M. (1993). Finding time for collaboration. Educa-
tional leadership, 51(1), 30-35.
Wildman, T. & Niles, J. (1987). Essentials of professional
growth, Educational leadership, 44 (5), 410.

Reading More about Fitting in with Other Efforts

Corcoran, T. (Ed.). (1995). Transforming professional devel-
opment for teachers: A guidchook for state policymakers.
Washington, DC: National Governors’ Association.

Fullan, M. & Stiegelbauer, S. (1991). The new meaning of
educational change. New York: Teachers College Press.

Hawley, W. & Valli, L. (in press). The essentials of effective
professional development: A new consensus. In Darling-
Hammond, L. & Sykes, G. (Eds.), Improving schools by
improving teaching. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Joyce, B., Wolf, J., & Calhoun, E. (1993). The self-renewing
school. Alexandria, VA: Asscciation for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.

Little, J. W. (1993). Teachers’ professional development in a
climate of cducational reform. Educational evaluation
and policy analysis.

40



Directions: Think about what has been completed in this professional development
activity or program. Circle 1 if you do not agree with the statement, 2 if you agree some-
what, or 3 if you agree strongly. Use the lines provided to make suggestions or write

comments.
J 2
1 2
1 2
1 2

3

v/ppendix C
Evaluating Professional

Development: A Tool for
Staying on Track

The way our sessions are organized helps us get the most from the time
provided for each session.

The content is understandable and relevant to what we hoped to learn
from this activity/program.

The content fits our philosophy and expands our skills and knowledge.

The pace of the activities keeps me interested without moving too fast.

185

173



port the textbook or other instructional materials, or
district checklists and tests. NOE: Standardized
test data may be collected only once a year and
therefore may not he as casy to use in monitoring
student learning.

e Break down the data by relevant characteristics—
gender, race, and/or socio-economic level—to deter-
mine if there is a difference in student achievement
between males and females or among students of
different racial or economic backgrounds.

¢ Use a variety of ways to display the data. Charts,
graphs, and tables can be helpful in spotting patterns
or trends.

e Collectively review the data, comparing them to
standards where available, and draw inferences or
conclusions about areas needing improvement.

# Collective analysis of non-academic data

e Select non-academic data that impact student learn-
ing—ahsentees, tardies, discipline referrals, home-
work completion.

¢ Break down the data by relevant characteristics—
gender, race, socio-economic level.

e Usea variety of ways to display the data.

e Collectively review the data and draw inferences or
conclusions about areas needing improvement.

The areas needing improvement will provide you with
direction in selecting the content and/or objectives for your
professional development activities (see An Example of the
Study of Student Work). Once the areas needing improve-
ment have been identified, your study of student learning
should continue. The data used to identify areas for im-
provement become baseline data against which future data
is compared. For example, if you use teacher-made tests to
identify areas of weakness, then the same type of tests
should be used to judge how much improvement has re-
sulted from your efforts to improve those weaknesses. Thus,
the cycle of study—experiment—study continues.

37



meant to be a teacher and how to strike a balance
between individual autonomy and collective planning
and teaching. In the end, the teachers agreed to look for
Ways to maintain individual preferences for how lessons
were taught while abiding by tl 2 collective decisions
related to the unit. But if these were in conflict. they
agreed the collective decision would take precedence.

As the anit began, teachers implemented the tean’s
decisions on how the unit was introduced to students,
the sequence in which activities would be conducted and
who would conduct them, which materials would be
used, how student learning was to be assessed and
reported to the team, and how they would communicate
with cach other during the unit.

When the unit was completed, the team got together to
talk about the unit and the process of joint work that
was used to create and evaluate it. All agreed the abjc
lives of the unit had been accomplished and students
were motivated and engaged by the activities that took
place. lowever, it was the process that had caught the
teachers’ imagination. It had energized them and caused
them to reassess many aspects of their own teaching.
They were cager to enter into new joint projects with
other members of their facuky. They found in addition
to producing greater student learning, the joint develop-
ment of new curriculum and instructional practices had
provided many unexpected henefits for the participating
teachers,

Using joint work to support professiona’ development
and provide continual assistance

Using the five stages of the Development/Improvement
model discussed earlier, Figure 5.1 illustrates the use of joint
work as a backdrop for effective professional development.

i2i

107



42

tices. Once you have selected the practices you will study,
you will select methods of collecting information related to
those practices. Information about real classroom practices
may be collected through a variety of means. Surveys, self-
reporting checklists, analysis of videotapes of actual teach-
ing practices, observation records, and student achievement
data are just a few examples.

These are some specific sources for identifying best practices:

@ School Improvement Programs (Block, Everson and
Guskey). A detailed description of effective programs
that produce improved student cutcomes.

‘@ = Handbook of Research on Teaching, 3rd Edition
(Wittrock). A compilation of research findings related to
instructional practices.

a!

Handbook of Research on Improving Student Achievement
(Cawelti, G. (Ed.)). A collection of concise descriptions of
important teaching strategies organized by subject area.

& Teaching for Effective Learning (Cameron Harrison). An
excellent source for learning about effective teaching
strategies.

Ideal practices may be identified in professional journals.
graduate classes, research literature, and sound craft knowl-
edge. It is recommended that you put together a comprehen-
sive picture of your current practices so a comparison with
the ideal practices will result in challenging goals that will
have a significant impact on your students’ achievement.
‘Time spent on describing real practices and identifying ideal
practices will be time well spent.

The second component of the model involves comparing your
description of your actual practices with what you learned
about ideal practices. In this component, you analyze what you
are actually doing in the classroom against the standards or
criteria associated with ideal practices. A thorough, thoughtful
comparison is likely to identify points where actual practice

oO”



128

certain subject areas. At Ganado Intermediate School; the
ITBS and Stanford 9 tests show an increase in the average
score of Ganado students—even special education students.
In addition, not only have LEP students made substantial
achievements in reading and writing, but the gap in scores
between genders has also narrowed.

Other progress has been made in the past several years as
well. Since the professional development plan was imple-
mented five years ago at Ganado, the school has progressed
toward their goal of positive parent relationships in several
ways. There has been an increase from zero to 24 part-time
teacher aides on staff who offer tutoring to students, partici-
pate in site-based management, and are part of the shared
decision-making process. In addition, the Ganado staff is
elated by the fact that within the past two years there has
been an increase in parent visitation from virtually none to
an average of 85-percent parent involvement. Another
encouraging piece of news is that students’ reading and
writing test scores have improved in terms of assessment
goals.

Looking Ahead

Staff at Ganado Intermediate School is pleased with the
results of their professional development efforts, and they
look forward to keeping professional development as their
priority. Through shared decision-making, Ganado Interme-
diate School has changed its professional preparation, their
school as a whole, and most notably, their students’ educa-
tion. The program, which includes individual, collegial, and
organizational learning, is going to maintain collaborative
planning, keeping both student progress and faculty needs
in mind. The faculty also plans on adding new components
to their professional development program, such as increas-
ing technology.

True dedication to improved learning means that partici-
pants not only have to be willing but eager to embrace new
ideas and evolutionary changes. This is the mindset that the
staff at Ganado Intermediate School has adapted. They have
built their professional development program around the

142



38

An Example of the Study of Student Work

A study group was formed from teachers at a Southeast-
ern high school to examine students’ writing. The group
represented every department and included more than
one teacher from some departments. They agreed to meet
every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon for six weeks to
study ways to improve student writing.

Samples of students’ writing were collected, students’
names were removed, and the samples were organized by
the type of writing cach represented. Clusters of samples
were created under the categories of narrative, expository,
and technical writing. A rubric used by the English
Department was presented to the group as a standard for
evaluating students’ writing. The group agreed to use the
rubric, but asked for a brief overview so cach member felt
comfortable using it. At their second meeting, the group
divided itself into pairs and each pair reviewed one-third
of the samples. The pairs of teachers made notes of
weaknesses they found in individual samples. When all
had finished reviewing their assigned samples, a list was
made of the weaknesses they had identified. The three
most common weaknesses were (1) lack of organization,
(2) poor mechanics, and (3) awkward wording.

‘The teachers began their third session by using a prob-
lem-solving strategy for finding the root causes of prob-
lems. They eventually identified three problems they felt
were significant causes of the weaknesses: (1) lack of a
consistent standard or set of expectations for students’
writing, (2) lack of specific feedback to students on their
writing, and (3) low motivation or interest in writing
assignments.

‘The group developed a plan to address these problems
through a school-based professional development
project. The project’s objectives were:

= To enable all teachers to apply a consistent standard
for students’ writing

o3



about to read?” Opinions varied widely among the teachers
in the group, so they decided to conduct an informal experi-
ment. Teachers at three grade levels would participate in the
experiment. They divided themselves evenly into two groups
at cach grade level. One group would begin to spend an extra
six-to-eight minutes on pre-reading activities while the other
group would move directly to the reading assignment. Both
groups would use the same stories and the same practice
activities. The experiment would last six weeks and include
ten stories from the basal reader. They would compare the
results using students’ grades on the practice activities.

At the end of the sixth week, the teachers in the group that put
extra time into pre-reading activities felt confident their stu-
dents were more successful than they had been previously. A
comparison of students’ scores on the practice activities con-
firmed their prediction, The pre-reading activities had contrib-
uted to a significant improvement in student performance.

The success of their experiment created a greater interest in
research on the use of pre-reading activities. Several mem-
bers of the original group of teachers began searching for
research studies to expand their understanding of how to
use this strategy more effectively. They shared the findings
they read with their fellow teachers and continued with
informal discussions on using this strategy to improve
student performance in reading.

Discussion Questions

‘é What did the teachers at Peachtree Elementary do to
identify the root cause of the problem of their students’
difficulties with the new basal reader?

@ What was their overall objective for this project?

B

Using the effectiveness estimates from the table which
appears at the end of this chapter, did the teachers select
the most effective model for their project? If not. what
would have been a more effective model?

® How did the process the teachers followed compare to
the action-research model?



Chapter “four

Investing in Professional
Development

his chapter looks at two important resources that are

“invested” in professional development: time and

money. It also provides suggestions for getting the
“highest return” on the investment made in professional
development activities.

Finding Time for Professional
Development

Teachers need more time. You need more time to gain the
skills and knowledge tu deal effectively with an expanding
curriculum and more diverse student population, more time
to plan and prepare, more time to work directly with stu-
dents, and more time to work collaboratively with your
peers. One way successful schools differ from less successful
schools is the amount of time teachers spend on tasks such
as those just listed (Little, 1982).

You also need time to reflect on what you learn from profes-
sional development activities. You need time to practice new
skills and get feedback on those early attempts at using new
skills. And, you need time to exchange ideas and discuss
results with others (Raywid, 1993; National Education
Commission on Time and Learning, 1994; National Gover-
nors’ Association, 1995). According to Fullan and Miles
(1992) finding additional time for teachers to become
involved in professional development and school reform has
been the critical issue identified in every analysis of school
change for the past ten years.

‘There are a limited number of options for finding additional
time for professional development. ‘Time may be added to

92

Key Idea
Investing in
professional

development includes
providing teachers
with the resources they
need to learn and
helping them use those
resources wisely. The
primary resource
teachers need is time.
Additional time can
he provided by adding
to a teachers’ workday
or school year,
reorganizing their
schedule to provide
more time for
professional
development, and/or
changing how staff
are utilized to give
teachers more time for

Continued

77



Activity 2.]

Creating a Learning Community at Your School

Step]
Review the description of a learning community that follows these directions and the list of activities
that are characteristic of learning communities (Figure 2.1). Check the activities that take place

consistently at your school. This will provide an analysis of the extent to which a learning community
already exists at your school.

Step 2
Look carefully at the list of benefits associated with these activities and determine if any additional
benefits have been generated by the “learning-community activities” taking place in your school. If so,
add them to the list.

Step 3

Examine the list of activities you did ror check in step 1 and identify those you feel could be instituted
at your school. Discuss the potential costs and benefits of the activities you selected and determine
which activities you will initiate at your school.

Step 4

Develop an action plan for initiating those activities at your school.

What is a Learning Community?

A learning community exists when a group of people commit themselves to continual learning and to
supporting others in continual learning. A learning community stimulates ongoing, collective inquiry
into teaching and learning. It involves everyone in highly visible learning experiences. You learn from
each other, with each other, and for each other. You share the knowledge that is gained, the excitement
and challenge that comes with learning difficult material, and the benefits your learning produces.

A strong learning community provides you with the kinds of learning experiences you want to provide
for your students. It models for students lifelong learning and the production of useful knowledge. It
provides a seuse of efficacy and self-confidence for you and your fellow teachers as you face increasing
challenges. A learning community improves your professional life and that of your fellow teachers and
produces higher student achievement. A learning community legitimizes change and makes it an
accepted part of life at your school.

Glatthorn, A. & Fox, L. (1996). Quality teaching through
professional development. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin
Press, Inc. .

Huberman, M. & Miles, M. (1984). Innovation up close. New
York: Plenum.

a
TM

31



The Tool for Staying on Track, which can he found in the
appendix, asks you to read nine statements and circle a
rating of disagree, agree somewhat, or agree strongly for each
one. Space is provided for comments or suggestions related
to each statement. The ratings and comments can be used by
those providing or facilitating the professional development
activity to revise what is being provided according to your
needs. The tool can be used with a sample of participants
after each session or with all participants at strategic times
prior to the last session.

Evaluating Program Outcomes

In addition to outlining these elements of a model for
evaluating professional development, Guskey and Sparks
identify three types of outcomes that should be evaluated:
(1) changes in participants, (2) changes in the organization,
and (3) changes in students. These outcomes are examined
through summative evaluation, that is, evaluation that seeks
to make judgments about the impact or effectiveness of the
professional development activity.

‘The purpose of professional devclopment is to produce a
desirable or intended change. This change may be in what
you know, believe, or can do, or it may be a change in the
organization and how it operates. Ultimately, the change(s)
must impact your students. Measuring the change produced
hy professional development activities requires that you
measure what you hope to change, prior to and after the
activities. Even then, you may be measuring the impact of
more than the professional development activity itself.
However, the hest chance you have to estimate the impact of
professional development is by measuring key aspects of the
need or condition being addressed before and after the
activity is completed.

The grid lists four key questions for each of the possible
target groups. These questions focus on identifying the need
or condition to be addressed, how it was identified as a
need, what change is intended, and how much change is
eventually produced. The grid is not an evaluation tool in

133

Hg



seems like they’re with me for a whilc, but before too
long some of them are tuning me out. Can you help me?

Mentor Teacher A: | have had trouble with that, too.
What strategies have you tried to keep their attention?

Beginning Teacher: I’ve tried using visual aids. I’ve
tried making the introductions short. I’ve even tried
using questions to get them involved right away. Noth-
ing seems to work for very long,

Mentor Teacher A: Maybe I can get someone to cover
my class so I can watch how you get your lessons
started. In the meantime, let’s ask the others in our
department how they handle this situation. Pll bet we
can get some good tips!

Example #2

Beginning Teacher: [’m having trouble keeping
everyone’s attention at the beginning of my lessons. It
seems like they're with me for a while, but before too
long some of them are tuning me out. Can you help me?

Mentor Teacher B: These kids! You just need to tell
them over and over again to pay attention. It's not your
fault. You’re doing fine.

The response of the mentor teacher in the second example
reveals a school culture that has strong norms of privacy and
non-interference. At this school, new teachers learn quickly
that asking for help will make everyone uneasy.

Sharing as Collaboration

Sharing, as a type of collaboration, occurs when you allow
others to examine and/or use your materials and when you
participate in an exchange of ideas, opinions, and practices.
A primary benefit of sharing is an expansion of the pool of
materials and practices you can use in your classroom.
Additional benefits are gained when sharing provides you
with active, lively discussions of choices, priorities, and

117

103



events.” Overcoming the most appropriate delivery model, the provision of

these difficulties opportunities to practice with feedback and support, and
requires a adequate time to implement the new practices. If any
comprehensive link in this chain is broken, the impact on student

: is reduced.
approach to achievement is reduced

evaluation. & Measuring the different variables is “technically diffi-

cult.” For example, sometimes relevant data on changes
in teachers’ practices can be collected only through
observation that requires extensive training. Also,
assessment of student achievement on the specific
objectives of the professional development program may
require the development of new assessment instruments
or procedures.

«

Much of the current evaluation of professional develop-
ment activities is based on the opinions of participants
concerning their attitudes towards the activities and/or
the presenters. Dramatic changes in how professional
development is evaluated may not be readily understood
or accepted.

Overcoming these difficulties will not be easy, but it is
possible. To do so requires you to adopt a comprehensive
approach to evaluating professional development activities.
Such an approach is outlined here.

Guskey and Sparks (1991) have created a model that de-
scribes the relationship between student outcomes and
professional development programs. It includes four major
elements: program content, program quality, context, and
student outcomes. The first three elements impact the
professional development activity’s ability to produce
changes in the fourth element, student outcomes. These first
three elements are the focus of formative evaluation activi-
ties. The following sections describe how you can conduct
an evaluation of a program’s content and quality as well as
the context within which the professional development
activity will be delivered.



Activity 6.1
Practice in Evaluating Potential Professional Development Programs
Use the evaluation instrument to assess an upcoming or recently completed professional development

activity. Compare your responses to those made by fellow teachers and discuss differences and similaritics
in your ratings.

Evaluating Professional Development: Selection/Planning Evaluation Instrument
Directions for Use: Record a score for each item in the box below the last alternative. Total the scores to
give an overall rating to this activity/program. An explanation or a reference to the appropriate scction of
this document related to each item appears in the right-hand column

Directions for Scoring: Add up the scores for cach individual item. If the total score for a particular
activity/program is between 0 and 7, it is likely to be less effective in producing the desired outcomes. A
total score between 8 and 17 is likely to be effective in bringing about the desired learning. If the activity/
program is given a total score between 18 and 25, it is likely to be highly effective.

Professional Development Selection/Planning Evaluation Instrument

Evaluation Items Reference

1. This professional development activity or program will be Refer to Chapter 3 for
responsive to the needs of the teachers at our school. ideas on determining
This activity/program docs not address priority needs priority needs.

identified by our teachers. (0)

4 This activity/program was selected by someone outside our
school, but it does meet at least one of the priority needs
identified by our teachers. (1)

QQ This activity/program was sclected by our principal and/or
teachers, and it meets one or more of the priority needs . .
identified by our teachers. (3) = Score for #1

-l This activity/program was designed by our principal and/or
teachers, and it is tailored to meet one or more of the priority
needs identified by our teachers. (5)

2. This professional development activity or program will be Refer to Chapter 3 for
delivered through an appropriate model. an explanation of each
This activity/program will be delivered through a model that model and the matrix

has a low estimate of effectiveness for tle outcome(s) it is
intended to produce, (1)

4 This activity/program will be delivered through a model that
has a medium estimate of effectiveness for the outcome(s) it

is intended to produce. (3)

a This activity/program will be delivered through a model that
has a high estimate of effectiveness for the outeome(s) it is = Score for #2
intended to produce. (5)

that appears at the end of
the chapter to find
effectiveness estimates.

117



effectiveness and student learning. Thanks to participation
in professional development, the following has come to
fruition:

‘@ Teachers have more chances to learn particular skills by
developing teams, peer coaching, and study groups.

¢ ‘Teachers attend high-quality workshops followed by
guidance and coaching from their seasoned peers.

€ Teachers play a critical role in the sch: ol’s reform

process.

Unfortunately it is all too common to see schools zeroing in
on specific student populations (i.¢., exceptional, “honors”
students) while ignoring all other types of students. At
Hungerford, there is no such thing as focusing energies on
certain students while neglecting others: the stafi at
Hungerford supports and encourages all students. Due to
professional development, teachers are armed with strate-
gies for meeting the needs of all students. In addition,
viewing all educational community members as active
learners is a vital component of this plan.

Another reason the school’s professional development plan
has been so successful is because the staff actively forms
committees, meets, shares ideas, and acts on those ideas. In
other words, they are not afraid of change. Administering
Needs Assessments has brought about several committees.
Some of these include technology, literacy, math/science,
arts, behavior management, and school-to-work. Many of
these committees administered additional Needs Assess-
ments to determine supplementary needs. For instance, the
Technology Committee conducted a Needs Assessment In-
ventory of software and hardware presently in the school
and found that technology training for staff was sorely
needed. The principal then arranged schedules so staff mem-
bers could participate in technology training and review
methods of integrating technology into the curriculum.

~~
it
ql

141



give faculty the chance to serve on the graduation portfolio
panels at their sister schools, thereby serving as an effective
way to jointly form performance standards and share
curriculum. International High School also benefits from
sharing their campus with LaGuardia Community College
because several of the college faculty teach within the
interdisciplinary team structure that serves to narrow the
gap between high school graduation requirements and
college entry requirements. Plus, instructional teams work
with community-based organizations and businesses to
furnish student internships.

Staff members at IHS believe that certain components of a
professional development program are crucial if the program
is to be an ongoing success. Some of these components
include:

‘é Allowing teachers to be included in the decision-making
process at the school

@ Giving teachers the time to share in such venues as
meetings, peer review, and teacher portfolios

¢ Granting teachers regular opportunities for collegial
collaboration (both within the school and with other
schools serving similar students)

‘ Encouraging a constant flow of visitors (both American
and international) to the school

@ Allowing faculty to have interaction with colleges,
businesses, and community organizations to help faculty
continually reassess ways to prepare IHS students for
higher education and the global, working world

‘@ Creating a climate of inquiry and continuous
improvement

International High School’s predominant professional

development goal is to guarantee that each faculty member
is fully equipped to support students in meeting increasingly

159 145



Achieving Your Vision of

Pr fessi nal
Devel pment

How to Assess Your Needs
and Get What You Want

Written for SERVE by
David Collins

Chapter on the 1998 National Awards Program and Winners by
Christy Casbon



lishing academic goals, developing the campus budget,
selecting persoanel, and implementing professional develop-
ment programs. The School Improvement Team also created
the following mission statement:

FLD. Lilley Elementi y School is a community of
Icarncrs who strive to effectively prepare students for
the future to be responsible, productive members of
society through a quality cducation provided by staff,
parents, and community members.

H.D. Hilley carries out this challenging mission through
parental and community involvement, innovative curricu-
lum development. curriculum-technology integration, and
an ongoing commitment to professional development for
both administration and staff,

There have been several professional development activities
that have been established both at the district’s Education
Center and on the campus of H.D. Hilley. One activity was
launched at the University of Texas at El Paso’s College of
Education. In 1993, in an effort to better prepare pre-service
teachers, the College of Education revamped the college’s
teacher preparation program and significantly modified the
curriculum so that when students finished their necessary
coursework, they could spend more time student-teaching.

A second constructive professional development activity
that teachers are taking part in at H.D, Hilley is the award-
ing of a Challenge Grant for Technology Innovation in
Education from the U.S. Department of Education. In 1995,
the Socorro ISD and the University of Texas at El Paso
jointly applied for and were granted funding to support the
jointly designed A Community of 21% Century Learners
project. The program has been implemented through a very
precise and targeted emphasis on the following:

# Internet connectivity

‘= The integration of technology and curricula

14g

135



96

Peer coaching isa continual study of teaching. When a
particular skill or strategy has been mastered, another
topic is identified, and the cycle begins again. Partner-
ships among individual teachers may end, and new
partnerships may form, but the cycle of coaching is
continual.

Peer coaching is experimental. It involves trial and
analysis of results related to all areas of teaching. You
work toward “technical mastery” and the deeper under-
standings that guide the appropriate use (referred to as
“executive control”) of the new strategy or practice.

Peer coaching is separate from evaluation. The informa-
tion collected and analyzed in the peer-coaching rela-
tionship is not used to make summative judgments
about the level or quality of performance of either
partner.

What are the direct benefits to teachers of
participating in peer coaching?

¥

Ea

Teachers who participate in peer coaching practice new
skills more frequently and persist in using them through
the difficult early stages of putting new skills into use.
Teachers who are not involved in peer coaching may say
they intend to use what they learned during training,
but there is little evidence they actually follow through
and make the new strategy a part of their repertoire
(Showers, 1982).

Peer coaches are able to apply new strategies to content
and situations that differ from those they observed
during training. Teachers who are not peer coaches are
less able to transfer what they learned to new and
different situations (Showers, 1984).

Skills and knowledge are retained longer by peer coaches
than by teachers who are not peer coaches. This is
probably related to a lack of use over time by the
“uncoached” teachers (Baker and Showers, 1984). With-

1i0



They each developed a plan to extend their growth in using
higher-order questions, and during the remainder of the
school year, they continued the cycle of observation and
feedback. As the year progressed, their use of higher-order
questions became more natural, and their focus moved to
using these questions to expand the quality of students’
thinking about the content of their lessons.

Discussion Questions

‘é How did Elaine and Michael identify the focus of their
project?

Using the effectiveness estimates from the table which
appears at the end of this chapter, did Elaine and
Michael select the most effective model for their project?
If not, what would have been a more effective model?

«!

% How did they involve aspects of the training model in
this project?

‘@ How could they have involved other teachers in this
project?

Curriculuin Development/School improvement Process
Model of Professional Development

Involvement in the work of developing new curricula,
materials, programs, or policies can lead you to reach for
new insights and deeper undeistending of critical elements
of teaching and learning. Similarly, participating in a school
improvement effort can lead to increased capacity on the
part of individual teachers and whole faculties. The follow-
ing are the key steps involved in these two types of profes-
sional development activities:

A problem or need is identified.

A plan of action to address the problem or need is
developed.

s

New skills and/or knowledge needed to implement the
plan of action are identified, and plans for acquiring the
new knowledge or skills are added to the plan.

© #70

55



Figure 3.2

Self-Assessment and a Self-Directed Change Model

Steps in Using Self-Assessment

Componen

ts of a Self-Directed

Change Model

. Identity practices to be stided.

. Identify standards or criteria for judging
targeted practices (these criteria describe ideal
teaching practices).

3. Identify methods for collecting information

about targeted practices.

+. Collect information.

5. Compare real practices with standards or

criteria for ideal practices.

we

6. Identify priority areas for more in-depth
study and professional growth (What are the
most significant differences between the reai
and the ideal?).

7. Identify the desired outcomes of the profes-
sional development activities.

8. Plan the professional development activities,
including follow-up activities, that will
address the targeted practices.

9. Implement the plan; assess and monitor its

progress periodically.

10.

Use feedback to determine the extent to
which the professional development activities
achieved the desired outcomes; continue or
modify the activities as necessary or ideatify
new practices for study.

|

Real Teaching
Practices

Ideal Teaching
Practices

Discrepancy

| Felt Need
for Change

Plan

Action

Feed

back

ar

4



Appendix /l

Evaluating Current Professional
Development Opportunities

Directions: Use the scale provided below to identify those areas of the professional develop-
ment activities currently available to you that should be studied for possible improvement.
Low priority for study. Current practices are strong in this area.

Medium priority for study. Current practices could be improved.

High priority for study. Current practices need improvement.

1
3
5

i

The areas receiving the highest average rating should be considered as priority areas that
should be studied before other areas.

; Rating!

Key Ideas for Effective Professional Development

Adult learning is enhanced when adults are allowed to work with colleagues to
sulve a work-related problem which they identified and which represents a
collective concern. Adult learners are able to achieve extremely high levels of
implementation when support is provided after initial training.

Change is a long-term process, not a one-time event. Change produces concerns
in everyone. With appropriate support, individuals progress through the different
stages of concern in a predictable sequence. Effective professional development
addresses an individual’s concerns through support that is appropriate for each
person and his or her immediate concerns.

Selecting the program or practices that will be studied and implemented is an
extremely important decision. The major investments of time, energy, and other
resources that go along with professional development activities require that this
decision be a thoughtful one. The selection of content should be based on 1) a
strong research-base that proves the effectiveness of the program in producing
student learning, 2) a review of the program to ensure it makes sense to teachers,
3) its match with student and teacher needs, and 4) its compatibility with current
practices, programs, and policies.

17? 163



90

&:

especially “what do you do if...” questions that focus on
practical application.

Find out who will be among the participants. Contact
them if you can to find out what they expect and if they
have any questions.

Make a list of materials and equipment you will need,
and make sure everything is ready and working well in
advance.

Set the room up ahead of time so that you will be com-
fortable and can concentrate on greeting the participants
as they enter.

Let the participants’ principal know who is attending
the activity and what you expect them to be able to do
when they have completed the activity.

During ihe Activity

€

&:

Arrive early so you can be sure to find the room, and he
ready to start on time. Set out an agenda and other
materials for them to pick up as they enter the room.
Greet the participants as they come in, and talk about
what they expect to learn.

Go over the agenda and let them know you plan to
address the questions they thought of as they prepared
for the activity. Start on time!

Encourage plenty of participation. Don’t dominate the
discussion, and don’t read overheads to them Model the
skills you want them to learn.

Be accessible during breaks and lunch. The informal
discussions that occur then can be very helpful.

Write out what you intend to do to help teachers put
what they have learned into practice in their classrooms.
Ask them to write what they intend to do and who they
think can help them.

105



Key Idea
You and your fellow
teachers need more time
to participate in high-
quality professional
development activities.
Additional time can be
provided by adding
time to your regular
schedule, reorganizing
how your time is
currently allocated,
and/or using school
staff in new ways.
Professional
development activities
should be held when
teachers are fresh and
when blocks of
uninterrupted time are
available. They should
be scheduled during the
school year so you can
work on problems in
“real-time” (job-
embedded inquiry
should not have to wait
until vacation time).
Teachers are capable of
creative ideas and
suggestions for finding
additional time,
especially when they
feel it will be used in
productive work.

14

students to learn and identify ways to “divide up the labor”
involved in creating lesson plans and materials. This shared
planning is the primary activity of peer-coaching study teams.

Joyce and Showers include observation as an important
activity for peer-coaching study teams, but they have
dropped the use of technical feedback following the observa-
tion. Removing feedback from the peer-coaching model has
not reduced its effectiveness in supporting implementation
of new practices (Joyce, et al., 1989). They have also rede-
fined the meaning of the term coach as it applies to class-
room observation. In such observations, “the one teaching is
the coach and the one observing is the coached” (Joyce and
Showers, 1995). In this type of relationship, you learn from
watching one another teach rather than from technical
feedback you receive after being observed.

The role of teacher researcher is based on these assumptions
(Loucks-Horsley, et al., 1987):

‘€ Teachers are inclined to search for data to answer
questions that have direct application to a pressing
problem in their classrooms and to reflect on the data to
formulate solutions.

&

By contributing to or formulating your own questions,
and by collecting your own data to answer them, you
will develop new understandings that will contribute to
your professional growth.

Finding the Time

It is widely acknowledged that teachers need more time to
be engaged in professional development (Wildman and
Niles, 1987; Loucks-Horsley, et al., 1987; Raywid, 1993;
National Governor’s Association, 1995; and Joyce and
Showers, 1995). Three potential sources of additional time
have been identified:

@ = Adding time to your workday and/or contract year in
the form of additional “staff development days”



Key idea
Data-driven decisions
are made throughout

the process of
identifying a problem,
selecting a solution,
implementing it, and
assessing its results.
Collective examination
of data will be a new
experience for most
teachers and is likely
to produce some
conflict. However, the
value of data-driven
decisions far outweighs
the difficulties in
learning to use them.
Data-driven decisions
force you to face the
realities of problems
and your efforts to
solve them.

Groups of teachers who see the tasks on which they callabo-
rate as significant develop deeper levels of collegiality.
Showers, Murphy, and Joyee (1996) describe the importance
of meaningful work in producing cffective collegial support
for teacher learning:

We are convinced, however, that collegiality will develop
only in conjunction with meaningful and challenging
reasons for collaborative work, such as efforts to im-
prove curriculum and instruction for increased student
learning.

Data-Driven Decisions

Your implementatiou of valid strategies is the key te improv-
ing student learning. Data concerning degrees of timplemen-
tation are vital if you are to be confident of what you arc
evaluating. Comparisons of baseline data and “post-test”
data should be used to draw conclusions about the effects of
any innovation.

These important decisions in professional development
should be based on valid data:

# Selecting a meaningful problem

¢ Choosing a strategy or program that is likely to produce
strong, positive results

¢ implementing it Fully

€ ssing its impact on student learning

Selecting a meaningful problem for study involves compar-
ing data about some aspect of student performance with the
faculty's collective ideal. There are several points that can be
helpful to remember in sclecting data for study.

# tis important to use a range of types of data in identify-

ing meaningful problems. Relving on a single type of
data may lead you to define the problem inaccurately.

26



teach. As you watch a colleague’s teaching performance, you
mentally rehearse the model that was presented during
training and compare it to what is being demonstrated in
your partner’s classroom. The act of analysis that is part of
observing increases your understanding of the practices
being demonstrated. When you chserve a colleague teaching.
dou are learning from the teaching performance of your
partner.

The coaching analogy drawn from athletic coaching, where
an older, more experienced person instructs and critiques
the performance of the younger athlete—while not actually
performing himself/herself—is not the pattern for peer
coaching. Feedback following observations of teaching has
been omitted from the Joyce and Showers coaching model
(Joyce and Showers, 1995). Providing technical feedback
requires training that is beyond what could be reasonably
expected of teachers who are attempting to learn to use the
same practices they are observing others use. Also, climinat-
ing feedback in coaching “has not depressed implementation
or student growth” (Joyce, et al., 1989).

Another key principle is you and your colleagues need a
common understanding of the theory and concepts that
make up the teaching practices you are studying and a
common language so your talk is more productive. These
things are achieved through shared training experiences. In
addition to building understanding of the theoretical base
for new skills and knowledge, training provides opportuni
ties for you and your fellow teachers to watch carefully as
an expert demonstrates the performance of the new strategy
and opportunities to practice in a relatively safe environ-
ment. The training experience precedes coaching and
provides the language and skills you will need to continue to
learn when you return to your classroom.

Joyce and Showers (1988) identify these characteristics that
further describe peer coaching:

Peer coaching is an extension of training. It brings the

understandings gained through training to application
and analysis in the classroom.

103 95



152

@ Academic competition
Awards LISD has won:

2 Five campuses chosen as National Blue Ribbon
Schools

© Three campuses distinguished for Texas Mentor
School Network; one for Texas Inclusion Project

e Awarded Teachers of the Year

Looking Ahead

Lewisville Independent School District acts as a model for
other school districts. It plans to continue in such a capacity,
as they feel that self-perpetuation is built into their model.
In devising and instituting the model, careful attention was
given to accentuating potential transferability and project
replication. A key project is an Implementation Notebook,
which was intended to promote customization of the model
to local need. The manual records progress, depicts ob-
stacles, provides needs assessment and evaluation forms,
and lists resources. Systematic, long-range planning that
warrants gradual expansion of the project will be of particu-
Jar appeal to large school districts.

Montview Elementary School

Aurora, Colorado

The goal at Montview Elementary is to provide all children
with access to effective instructional strategies and challenging
academic content to ensure success for all children.

Montview Elementary, serving approximately 860 K-5 grade
students with a high concentration of low-income families,
is committed to lifelong learning. Faculty members at the
school share both an individual and collective responsibility
to improve academic achievement for all students. The
school’s goal is to ensure student success by increasing
teachers’ understanding of how children learn.

166



feedback produces frequent occasions for observation,
coaching, reflection, and dialogue.

In addition to weekly coaching, teachers spend about six
hours a week on planning. This is possible because assis-
tants are hired to relieve staff so that teachers’ planning time
is not sacrificed. Staff members are encouraged to attend
professional development conferences and are reimbursed.
Montview supplements its staff-development allocation from
the district by setting aside one day a month and charging
schools $60 to visit.

In July 1998, Montview initiated a partnership with the
University of Colorado at Denver to become a Professional
Development School. This was to afford opportunities to all
staff to engage in action research and professional writing.

Evidence of Success

Montview uses multiple assessments to monitor student
achievement. Some of these include student literacy and
math monitoring notebooks, looking at standardized test
scores from the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), and evalu-
ating data on the Riverside Integrated Language Arts Perfor-
mance Assessment. Data on both standardized tests illus-
trated increased achievement when it found that
Montview’s students exceeded scores of students from
higher socio-economic, more stable schools. In fact, the 1996
and 1997 scores on the Riverside were the highest in the
district. The Riverside displayed a virtual elimination of
gaps in performance between white and non-white students.

Internally and externally run studies determined that since
the implementation of Montview’s professional development
efforts, teachers’ effectiveness has improved. And by im-
proving teachers’ understandings and practices, student
achievement has subsequently increased. Faculty members
have reported an increase in their abilities to estimate
student improvement in reading and writing, to plan, and to
more effectively support students’ learning needs. Faculty
members have also noticed a change within the culture of
the school. The increased tangible support among staff, the
higher involvement in the decision-making process, the

169

155



‘@ Spelling bees

2

Book publications

a!

The Visiting Author/flustrator’s Program
=~ Various writing-process software programs

Other related professional! development training that staff
participated in includes in-depth training in multiple intelli-
gences, improving students’ critical and creative thinking
skills, and reading/technology study groups.

Student progress is encouraged and announced during the
school year at assemblies, over the public address system,
and in the newspaper. In addition, there is an awards
ceremony at the end of the year where individual and school
accomplishments are celebrated.

Evidence of Success

Shallowford Falls defines academic success as the actual
attainment of performance goals stated in quantifiable
terms. Success has most assuredly graced this elementary
school.

The academic program at Shallowford Falls strengthens with
each passing year. Students enter each grade stronger and
better prepared than the previous year, and teachers at-
tribute this to the school’s professional development efforts.
Third- and fifth-grade students’ scores on the ITBS have
been consistently improving. In the past three years, rising
scores in reading, language, and math have indicated a
correlation between student success and the school’s imple-
mentation of professional development. In addition, student
performance on the state-mandated writing assessment has
also improved since 1996.

This focus on school improvement has resulted in

Shallowford Falls being ranked sixth in the state hy the
Georgia Public Policy Foundation.

173

- 159



a

22

Sparks, D. & Loucks-Horsley, S. (1989, Fall). Five models of
staff development for teachers. Journal of staff develop-
ment, 10(4), 41-58.

Reading More about Working Together

Calhoun, E. & Allen, L. In Joyce, B. & Calhoun, E. (Eds.),
Learning experiences in school renewal: An exploration of
five successful programs. Eugene, OR: Clearinghouse on
Educational Management.

Johnson, D. & Johnson, F. (1982). Joining tagether: Group
theory and group skills. New York: Prentice Hall.

Joyce, B., Bush, R., & McKibbin, M. (1982). The California
staff development study: The January 1982 report. Palo
Alto, CA: Booksend Laboratories.

Joyce, B., Murphy, C., Showers, B., Murphy, J. (1989).
School renewal as cultural change. Educational leader-
ship, 47(3), 70-78.

Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (1995). Student achievement through
staff development. (2nd ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman.

Lee, V. & Smith, J. (1996). Collective responsibility for
learning and its effects on gains in achievement and
engagement for early secondary school students. Amecri-
can journal of education, 104, 103-147.

Little, J. W. (1996). Organizing schools for teacher learning.
Paper presented to the AERA Invitational Conference on
Teacher Development and School Reform, May 31, 1996.

Showers, B., Murphy, C., & Joyce, B. (1996). In Joyce, B. &
Calhoun, E, (Eds.), Learning experiences in school re-
newal: Au exploration of five successful programs. Eugene,
OR: Clearinghouse on Educational Management.

Reading More about Data-driven Decisions

Calhoun, E. & Allen, L. In Joyce, B. & Calhoun, E. (Eds.),
Learning experiences in school renewal: An exploration of
five successful programs. Eugene, OR: Clearinghouse on
Educational Management.

Guskey, T. & Sparks, D. (1991, November). What to con-
sider when evaluating staff development. Educational
leadership, 73-75.

Hord, S., Rutherford, W., Huling-Austin, L. & Hall, G.
(1987). Taking charge of change. Alexandria, VA: Asso-
ciation for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

38



Professional development that truly enhances teacher Jearning will provide
opportunities for teachers to be involved in leadership activities that focus on
direct interaction with their fellow teachers, peer-cc -ching study teams, and
action research. These roles expand teachers’ responsibility for their own learn-
ing and their shared responsibility for student learning. They contribute to the
construction of a learning community in which teachers model the types of
learning in which they want students to become engaged. Teachers who perform
well in these roles will make significant contributions to school improvement.

You and your fellow teachers need more time to participate in high-quality
professional development activities. Additional time can be provided by adding
time to your regular schedule, reorganizing how your time is currently allocated,
and/or using school staff in new ways. Professional development activities should

t be held when teachers are fresh and when blocks of uninterrupted time are
| available. They should be scheduled during the school year so you can work on

_ problems in “real-time” (job-embedded inquiry should not have to wait until

vacation time). Teachers are capable of creative ideas and suggestions for finding

: additional time, especially when they feel it will be used in productive joint work.

Fi
if

; Professional development is a shared responsibility for tenchers, schools, and

| districts. Setting priorities is necessary to produce an effective response to com-

| peting needs. Looking at the needs of other levels helps everyone to have the

; broad perspective necessary for wise decisions. Connecting plans for professional
: development across levels makes them more effective and more likely to receive

the suppo"t needed to be successful.



does not occur in other forms of collaboration, In other
words, by becoming a part of a team effort, you sacrifice
some degree of autonomy in order to gain the power and
impact of collective action.

This example of joint work illustrates several key points that
distinguish joint work from other forms of collaboration.

Example: Joint Work as Collaboration

Teachers in the English Department of a large, urban
high school became aware students believed the journal-
ism classes failed to provide meaningful opportunities to
practice what was being taught. These teachers went to
colleagues in the Social Studies Department and pro-
posed a jointly-developed unit on local elections in
which students of American government and journalism
wottld study and report on local elections as if they were
covering them for a local newspaper. They agreed to
work together to develop a list of objectives for the unit
that reflected the interdisciplinary nature of the project.
‘They also agreed to use a type of joint work to develop,
teach, and assess the unit. Here is a description of how
they worked together to accomplish this task.

At their initial planning meeting, faculty members from
both departments brainstormed a list of objectives for
the unit. They looked for objectives that would incorpo-
rate desirable outcomes for both courses, Ainerican
government and journalism. hen they prioritized those
objectives, noting those that would be intermediate steps
toward the broader objectives. Even though teachers
from both departments had made a commitment to
collaboration on this unit, there was some conflict at this
first meeting. The wording of several of the objectives
was debated at length. One group of teachers felt the
objectives, as stated, were not going to be measurable.
Another group was comfortable with the wording of the
initial drafts, holding the view they would be able to
determine when students had achieved those objectives
even if the wording did not give clear direction on how
they would be measured. The debate remained at a
professional level, and by the end of the meeting, a

1ig

105



PROBE: Designing School Facilities for Learning PRDSF $10.00
Promising Practices in Technology: Effective Strategies for Professional

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Promising Practices in Technology: Technology as a Tool for Student

Assessment VPPSA — $9.95
Promising Service-Learning Programs SSPSL $1.00
Putting the Pieces Together: Comprehensive School-Linked Strategies

for Children and Families LNPPT $6.00
Ramping-Up Reform: Aligning Education Rhetoric, Resolve, and Results RDRUR $8.00
Reducing School Violence: Building a Framework for School Safety HTRSV = $8.00
Reflecting on Progress: Site-Based Management and School Improvement

in North Carolina RDSMB_ $4.00
Science in the Elementary Classroom: Portraits of Action Research MSARE $12.00
The Senior Project: Student Work for the Real World VSPRW $9.95
Teacher Dialogue Forums SRTDF $4.00
Teacher Evaluation: The Road to Excellence SSTER $6.00
Terrific Transitions: Ensuring Continuity of Services for Children

and Their Families ECTTC $5.00
Total Quality Management: Passing Fad or “The Real TI hing” ?

An Implementation Study RDTQM $5.00
Using Accountability as a Lever for Changing the Culture of Schools:

Examining District Strategies RDUAL — $8.00

Training and Seminars

For information on these training programs, please call (800) 352-6001.

Continuity in Early Childhood: A Framework for Home, School,

and Community Linkages Trainer’s Guide TRNLC Please Call
Package Deals

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198 189



The Winners of the 1998
National Awards

126

Ganado !ntermediate School

Ganado, Arizona

We protect our professional development budgets in order to
guarantee that teachers, support personnel, and the principal
will have opportunity to develop their potential.

Ganado Intermediate School, a 515-student school serving
predominantly Navajo children in grades 3-5, has an ongo-
ing mission: to continually narrow the achievement gap
between their students and more advantaged children.
Ninety-eight percent of Ganado’s students are Navajo, 64
percent of the students are limited English proficient (LEP),
and 22 percent lack proficiency in both English and Navajo.

In 1992, the staff at Ganado was troubled that their students
were continually scoring in the lowest quartile on the state-
mandated Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) and Stanford 9
norm-referenced tests. Realizing that students scoring in the
lowest quartile on achievement tests might not be granted
equitable opportunity in academic, social, and economic
systems, the staff decided to work collaboratively to increase
student achievement. They focused on the design and
execution of the following specific professional development
issues:

@ Implementing the Career Ladder

®:

Increasing incorporation of students’ culture

ws

Increasing collaboration among staff

2:

Establishing partnerships with outside organizations
The entire staff worked collaboratively in creating the

mission of developing competent learners, including chil-
dren and adults.

140



2. identify standards or criteria for judging targeted practices

There are many lists and summaries of best practices that can serve as a starting point for
assembling criteria for judging your current practices. Use a wide range of sources in
developing these criteria so the evaluation of current practices can be as comprehensive as
possible. Since these criteria will also become the standards you are aiming ior, it is a good
idea to put a significant amount of time into their identification.

3. identify methods for collecting information about targeted practices

and

4. Collect information

As is true about any effort to describe something complex and miulti-dimensional, efforts
to describe your current practices should involve multiple measures so the picture that is
created will be complete and accurate. A number of suggested methods for collecting this
information are described here.

‘¢ Comparisons with expert teachers’ performance (You may benefit from observing
other teachers perform the practices you are seeking to study, so you are able to com-
pare your own performance to that demonstrated by highly effective teachers. Some
training and advice on observing specific practices may be helpful. Firsthand observa-
tion may be supplemented by viewing videotaped examples. Videotape offers the added
benefit of being able to replay relevant segments for closer analysis.)

ee

Peer observation (Having another teacher observe your use of specific practices is an
extremely useful way to collect information on your teaching performance. It is impor-
tant to view this activity in a way that distinguishes it from traditional supervisory
observations. Here, the observer’s purpose is to collect information you will use to
make judgments about your teaching.)

¢ Portfolios (A collection of sample lesson plans, teacher-made materials and tests, and
associated student work can shed light on important patterns of behavior that might
not be identified by other means. The items placed in the portfolio should be related to
the specific practices being studied. Having a cli arly stated purpose will allow you to
decide what will be helpful to include. Self-reflection should be a primary method of
using portfolios, but asking others to review the contents and give you their feedback
can significantly enhance the quality of the insights into your current practices.)

‘@ Surveys or questionnaires (Students can provide a great deal of relevant information
about how your teaching practices impact them. It is best to allow them to respond
anonymously in order to get the most candid feedback.)

168

18]



Activity 3.2
Connecting Your Professional Development Weeds
to School Improvement Plan Objectives

You can adapt the same grid you used to look for connections between your self-assessment and
schoolwide needs identified through the analysis of student achievement data to find the same kind of

connections with your school’s improvement plan objectives. Here are the steps to identify where these
two sets of needs overlap.

Step 1
Using the blank grid that follows the sample grid. rank the topics you and your fellcw teachers identified
through self-assessment activities. List those topics in order in column 1.

Step 2

Match the objectives from your school’s improvement plan to the topics listed in columu 1. 1f more than
one objective is related to a single topic, write both objectives in the same cell.

Step 3

Priority topics for professional development would be those that are reflected in the school improvement
plan and are ranked highly on your list of topics.

Sample Grid
Comparing Self-Assessment Needs to School Improvement Plan Objectives!

Topics Identified School Improvement
through Self-Assessment Plan Objectives
Strategies for teaching reading To improve student achievement in
to at-risk students reading by June 30, 1999

Strategies for assessment that
pinpoint student needs

Content knowledge in science and math To improve students’ ability to apply science
concepts by June 30, 1999; to improve student
achievement in math by June 30, 1999

Classroom management techniques To reduce incidences of classroom
disruption by Junc 30, 1999

Teaching for application ‘Yo improve students’ ability to apply
math skills to problem-solving
situations by June 30, 1999

Use of technology

Professional development activities that address teaching reading comprehension to at-risk students and instructional strategies for

(caching for application af science and math content would be priority topics at the school where this sample grid was completed.

62

AT



102

We know that story-telling exerts some influence on teach-
ers’ classroom practice, but this influence may be relatively
weak. Three things work to reduce the impact of story-
telling exchanges: first, the stories may offer “...only incom-
plete accounts of complex and subtle performances...”
(Little, 1990). That is, teachers are rarely able to communi-
cate through story-telling the depth of their thinking or the
principles that guide their teaching. Second, story-telling
may have purposes other than the improvement of practice.
For example, the exchange of stories may be an attempt to
excuse or defend teachers’ practices that are under attack.
Finally, a school where story-telling is the primary way
teachers interact may have a culture that frowns on asking
for or giving assistance. Story-telling then becomes a poor
substitute for activities that provide an exchange of ideas on
teaching.

Aid and Assistance as Collaboration

Collaboration that fits into this category ranges from a
teacher asking another for help or advice to the more formal
relationships found in teacher induction programs, men-
toring programs, and career ladder plans. When advice can
be sought without loss of professional standing and given
without arousing indignation, stimulating questions and
dialogue can increase the understanding of teaching prac-
tices for all teachers. (See the sections dealing with learning
communities in Chapter Two for conditions that support
this situation.)

Even in situations in which roles of help-seeker and help-
giver are established by a formal program such as a new
teacher induction program, the school culture can depress or
enhance the exchange of information. The examples that
follow show two different responses to the same request for
help. One response comes from a teacher whose school
culture encourages mutual assistance and one from a
teacher who works in a very different culture.

Example #1

Beginning Teacher: J'm having trouble keeping
everyone’s attention at the beginning of my lessons. It

116



same self-assessment the teachrs had completed on the first
morning, and everyone was excited to see how much more
prepared they were to face that first day of school.

Discussion Questions

¢ How did this project utilize the three workshop compo-
nents of the training model?

&

What was their overall objective for this project?

@

Using the effectiveness estimates from the table which
appears at the end of this chapter, did the principal
select the most effective model for this project? If not,
what would have been a more effective model?

& How did they involve aspects of peer coaching in this
project?

Inquiry Model of Professional Development
Professional development activities based on the inquiry
model begin with the identification of a need or problem, as
is the case with several of the other models. The subsequent
phases distinguish the inquiry model from other models of
professional development. In the second phase, participants
measure important aspects of the need or problem and/or
collect data that will help them gain insight into how it
might be addressed. This phase might include reviewing
research findings or actually collecting data on what is
happening in their own classrooms. The third phase in-
volves teachers in the analysis of the information they have
collected and the development and implementation of an
action plan for changing instructional practices or some
other aspect of the problem. Finally, the results of their
action plan are evaluated so the new strategies can be
revised and/or shared with other teachers.

Diverse activities can be structured as inquiry, for example,
when a schoo! faculty works with a university-based re-
searcher to conduct a formal research study on cooperative
learning or when an individual teacher is experimenting
with a new idea for teaching the formula for calculating the
area of a triangle. This model most closely resembles action

SU

65



16

‘@ “Professional development places classroom practice in
the larger context of school practice and the educational
careers of students” (Little, 1993). Professional develop-
ment allows you to see how your classroom practices
impact students in terms of preparing them for future
school experiences and opening up greater opportunities
beyond formal schooling.

@

Professional development activities are mere effectively
designed if they are “...integrated with a comprehensive
change process that deals with impediments to and
facilitators of student learning” (Hawley and Valli, 1996).

Alignment with broader levels (teacher-to-school and
school-to-district) makes available additional resources
and organizational support.

ae

The ever-increasing number of “critical” needs for profes-
sional development makes prioritizing those needs more
important than ever. The process of aligning individual,
school, and district needs can expand your perspectives and
makes school and district perspectives more democratic.
Sharing data for use in setting priorities is a useful way to
participate in this process. Teachers and schools benefit
from looking at district-wide data at the same time districts
gain a clearer understanding of their own data through the
richer detail of data collected at the school level.

Joyce suggests that individual professional development

projects that are disconnect2d from an overall plan to
improve student learning may have less effect on school
improvement than those that are contributing to an inte-
grated plan (1993).

The Role of National Standards in
Creating a Vision of Professional

Development

Groups of educators at the national level have collected and
analyzed the characteristics of effective professional develop-
ment experiences, just as you are doing as you read through

32



Finding More Time for Professional Development
Our Guiding Principles:

Categories of ;
Solutions Possible Ways to Get More Time for Teachers

co
eX

83



Dr.-Collins demonstrates in Achieving Your Vision of Professional Develop-
ment that he inherently understands all of this, and he reflects in each
chapter his belief that effective professional development will have a major
impact on school improvement. He uses the term “professional develop-
ment” because he also believes that you as a professional have personal and
individual needs and that you are not just a cog in the wheel of school
improvement. As you read, you will become increasingly aware that Dr.
Collins has “been there” and that he wants you to personally reap the
benefits of his experience in your pursuit of your important professional
goals. The rest of the world will improve as a result of your hard work.
Why shouldn’t you?

L hope that this book will also be read by policymakers, decision makers,
and those who have the power to increase the financial support for profes-
sional development, as well as teachers who would take their destiny into
their own hands by seriously engaging in the planning and implementation
of an individual professional growth program or a schoolwide program of
professional development for their school. I hope that it will be used as a
medium to stimulate discussion, reflection, and collaboration. This book is |
carefully designed to lead, and it is both comprehensive and to the point. It
includes methods for developing a vision (your vision) of professional
deveiopment, preparing a set of personal and professional decisions for
action, working collaboratively with each other, and evaluating conteut,
quality, and resuits. I invite you to enjoy and profit from this book, as I
have, and to allow Dr. Collins to support you in achieving your vision of
professional development.

Billy V. Ing

Betty Fry
Director of School Development and Reform
SERVE

13 xi



66

research. The key characteristic is that the participants use a
structured, scientific method to find the answer to this
question: What would happen if we did it this way?

Participating in professional development based on the inquiry
modcl produces several benefits for teachers in addition to
improving the practices being studied. These include fecling
more comfortable experimenting with “research-based” prac-
tices, seeing their own teaching more clearly and objectively,
and developing stronger professional relationships with fellow
teachers who are also involved in the inquiry.

The following are the basic elements of the inquiry model:

@ The identification of a problem or need

‘ Anin-depth study of the problem or need that may
include measurement or other forms of data collection to
gain insight into how the problem might be addressed

@# Analysis of the information collected to produce a plan
. and the implementation of that plan

# An evaluation of the completed action plan’s results

Analysis of an Inquiry Model Project

Directions: Read this example of an inquiry model profes-
sional development project and talk through the discussion
questions that appear following the example. Sample an-
swers to each set of discussion questions appear at the end
of this chapter.

Pre-Reading Activities Project

A group of teachers at Peachtree Elementary School became
concerned that their students were not reacting positively to the
newly adopted basal reader. To investigate this problem, they
agreed to begin to categorize the errors their students made in
reading aloud. The data they collected led them to focus on the
influence of background knowledge on reading success.

One of the teachers asked, “Would our students be more

successful if we spent more time on pre-reading activities
that laid a foundation for understanding the story they were

81



@)

of outcome, if no formal training was available on Tom’s
topic, his use of the individually-guided model was very
appropriate.

How could Tom have involved other teachers in this
project beyond asking them for suggestions?

Tom might have invited other teachers to “divide up the
labor” in researching questioning techniques, and he could
have asked tc observe some of his fellow teachers during
their use of questioning techniques they found effective.

Elaine’s and Michael’s Higher-Order Question Project

&!

72

How did Elaine and Michael identify the focus of their
project?

They became interested in the topic at a workshop during
pre-planning.

Using the effectiveness estimates from the table which
appears at the end of this chapter, did Elaine and Michael
select the most effective model for their project? If not,
what would have been a more effective model?

The observation/assessment model is highly rated for this
type of outcome (mastery of a simple, specific teaching skill).
Because they applied peer coaching to their use of this model,
they increased the effectiveness of the model significantly.

How did they involve a:.vects of the training model in
this project?

They attended training together to develop a common
understanding of the strategy they planned to implement.
They also acquired a common language for use in describ-
ing and discussing the strategy.

How could they have involved other teachers in this
project?

Elaine and Michacl could have shared their project and its
results with other teachers (o stimulate interest in joining
their study. They could have observed other teachers’ use of
higher-order questions to broaden their own understanding
of how that type of question could be used.



Acknowledgments

e gratefully acknowledge the following professionals who assisted
in the development of this document. Their time, patience, and
insightful recommendations shaped and enhanced this final product.

Shawn DeNight—Florida 'Yeacher of the Year, Dade County Public
Schools, Florida

Daniel Duke—Professor, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia

Ester Egley—Professor, Mississippi State University, Brooksville,
Mississippi

Charlie Eubanks—Principal, Bay Point Elementary, St. Petersburg,
Florida

Ronny Green—Training Facilitator, Interactive Learning Systems,
Monticello, Florida

Patty Heitmuller—Principal, Harbins Elementary, Dacula, Georgia

Ann L. Ishler-—Education Associate, South Carolina State Department of
Education, Columbia, South Carolina

Anne Jolly—Alabama Teacher of the Year, Mobile, Alabama

Shirley Shaver—Title 1 Director, Liberty County Board of Education,
Atlanta, Georgia

Jill Shearin—Regional Service Center Director, University of Alabama,
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Allan Smith—Ozark City Schools, Ozark, Alabama

J. Fulton Stone—Dircctor of Staff Development, Georgia Department of
Education, Atlanta, Georgia

Cathy Wasson—Director of Leadership Development and Enhancement,
Mississippi Department of Education, Jackson, Mississippi

vii

g



De

@!

Using collaboration to produce conformity rather than
unity.

@ Forcing collaboration as an administrative require-
ment—mandating that teachers collaborate during their
planning periods is a sure way to make teachers lose
interest in the shared work of teaching, Requiring the
use of collaboration to aid the implementation of man-
dated programs is also a form of forced collaboration.

Judith Warren Little (1990) describes four types of teacher
activities that can be labeled collaboration. She has ordered
them from weakest to strongest in terms of their capacity to
influence teaching and learning. Examining the three
weaker types of collaboration will enable you to identify the
critical features that make joint work the most powerful
form of collaborative activity for teachers.

Story-Telling as Collaboration

This type of collaboration occurs when you use the ex-
change of stories about teaching, students, and other aspects
of your professional life to obtain information and reassur-
ance. You may seck an answer to a question or problem
related to your own practices through this exchange, but the
request may be hidden “between the lines.” For example, a
teacher who would like to learn more effective strategies for
dealing with students who do not turn in their work may
tell a story of a student's particularly humorous excuse for
not having an assignment, hoping his or her colleagues will
share similar anecdotes that include solutions that worked
well for them.

In seeking reassurance, a teacher may share a vignette from
his or her classroom that will elicit comments that reinforce
the teacher’s actions as described. This reassurance, the ex-
pression of agreement with the teacher’s action, can solidify a
pattern of behavior. Responses from fellow teachers that do
not provide reassurance can cause a teacher to reexamine or
even abandon a particular practice. Or, the teacher may give
up on using story-telling to gain reassurance.

1is

101


Figure 3.4

Effectiveness Estimates for Five Models of Professional Development

Development/
Desired | Individually- | Observation/ | Improvement
Outcome Guided Assessment Process Training Inquiry
mastery of a Medium: requires | High: adding peer | Low: better suited Highest: Medium: less
simple, specific | more time to plan coaching can for broader recommended efficient than

teaching skill

than other models

increase applica
tion to 90%

outcomes

implementation

of a complex set
of teaching
strategies

Medium: less
efficient than
other models

Medium: harder
to observe
complex
Strategies

components make
it very effective

Medium: less
efficient than
other models

gaining insight
into how
students learn

Medium: includes
professional
reading, observation
of students

Low: focuses on
observing
teacher's behavior,
not students"

Highest: more
complex outcomes
make follow-up
more important

other models

High: adding peer
coaching can
increase
application to 90%

Medium: less
efficient than
other models

Medium: less
efficient than
other models

Highest: effective
in testing
hypotheses

mastery of new

Medium: less

High: adding peer

Low: better suited

classroom efficient than coaching can for broader
management other models increase applica- outcomes
skills tion to 90%
implementation | Medium: includes Medium: Medium: less
of new collaboration with assessment efficient than
assessment others procedures are not other models
procedures always observable

Highest:
recommended
components make
it very effective

High: adding peer
coaching can
increase
application to 90%

solving a complex
problem dealing
with improving
student
achievement

High: flexibility
allows activities to
be designed
specifically for
this outcome

Low: better suited
for giving
feedback than
problem-solving

Medium: can be
adapted to preblem-
solving tasks

Highest:
recommended
components make
it very effective

High: effective,
but time-
consuming

Low: better suited
for supporting
implementation
than creating new
knowledge

acquiring group
leadership skills’
working as a
team to solve a
problem

Medium: allows
group members to
learn what they
need, when they
need to know it

Low: these skills
developed outside
the classroom,
less observable

Highest:
leadership
opportunities
abound in this
model

Low: better suited
for supporting
uplementation
than building
leadership skills

Highest: effective
in solving complex
problems,
generates a great
deal of learning

Medium: less
efficient than
other models

increasing
knowledge of

content or
subject mater

Medium: include.
professional
reading and contact
with subject matter
experts

Low: focuses on

teacher's behavior,

not content
knowledge

Highest: important
element is
acquiring new
knowledge to solve
a probleia or meet
aspecific need

High: effective in
helping teachers
acquire new
knowledge.
especially in
applying it

Medium: less
efficient than
other models,
focus is creating
new knowledge,
not acquiring

knowledge

70



a

a

Is based on knowledge about human learning and development

Provides for the three phases of the change process: initiation, implementation, and
institutionalization

Bases priorities on a careful analysis of disaggregated student data regarding goals for
student learning

Uses content that has proven value in increasing student learning and development

Provides a framework for integrating innovations and relating those innovations to the
mission of the organization

Requires an evaluation process that is ongoing, includes multiple sources of informa-
tion, and focuses on all levels of the organization

Uses a variety of staff development approaches to accomplish the goals of improving
instruction and student success

Provides the follow-up necessary to ensure improvement

Requires staff members to learn and apply collaborative skills to conduct meetings,
make shared decisions, solve problems, and work collegially

Requires knowledge and use of the stages of group development to build effective,
productive, collegial teams

CONTENT

Effective staff development...

o

Increases administrators’ and teachers’ understanding of how to provide school envi-
ronments and instruction that are responsive to the developmental needs of children,
young adolescents, and adolescents

Facilitates the development and implementation of school and classroom-based man-
agement which maximize student learning

Addresses diversity by providing awareness and training related to the knowledge,
skills, and behaviors needed to ensure that an equitable and quality education is
provided to all students

fe
co
ie)



out the support of a peer coach, teachers frequently
return to the strategies with which they are more familiar.

# Coaching facilitates the development of professional and
collegial relationships that are based on shared language
and a school culture that promotes continual improve-
ment. It reduces isolation and encourages teachers to
explore important issues together in an atmosphere of
openness (Little, 1982; Garmston, 1987; Ponticell,
1995).

* Peer coaching provides teachers with a clearer picture of
their own teaching performance and where it could be
improved (Ponticell, 1995).

# Teachers scored significantly higher on variables associ-
ated with planning, instruction, and self-assessment as a
result of participating in peer coaching (Phelps, 1986).

Collaboration and Collegiality

While there is strong evidence that peer coaching is effective
in supporting teachers as they implement new practices and
skills acquired through training, it is also appropriate for
broader, more complex approaches to reform in which there
are multiple innovations to be put into place. The elements of
peer coaching and other strategies considered fruitful in
supporting more complex reform initiatives build collegial
relationships and norms of shared responsibility for teacher
and student learning. Hargreaves (1995) writes that one of
the most promising of “..these emergent strategies of teacher
development is the principle of collaboration and collegiality.”
What is the “principle of collaboration and collegiality”?
This principle “..goes well beyond a loosely constructed
sense of ‘getting along’ and ‘working well together’” (Little,
1990). Collaboration and collegiality describe interactions
among teachers that have these three characteristics:

‘@ = ‘They involve a sharing of the responsibilities for tasks
related to teaching and/or the improvement of teaching.

Lil

97



There are at least two problems associated with holding
all professional development activities during the summer
months. First, teachers need to be able to address issues
and concerns when they arise. Most needs teachers want
to address require immediate action. Waiting until the
summer months to begin studying an issue would prove
unacceptable to teachers in many instances. Second,
many teachers use the summer months to recharge their
batteries through non-school-related activities or to work
a second job. Plecins, professional development activities
out of the reach of these teachers may cause a number of
difficulties. Also, the sticcess of many professional devei-
opment activities depends on wide participation among
faculty members. Professional development should occur
when all teachers can participate.

‘¥ Time for professional development should be balanced
between regular school days and non-student-contact days.

Raywid writes “..in finding the time for substantial,
continuing teacher collaboration, two opposing concerns
must be kept in mind: (1) it is neither fair nor wise to
ask teachers to deduct all the time needed from their
personal lives (like weekends and holidays), even with
compensation; and (2) conscientious teachers are
reluctant to be away from their classrooms for an ex-
tended time unless they can feel confident about what is
happening in their absence.” Thus, schools need ongo-
ing, carefully planned programs for classroom coverage.

Obtaining Funding for Professional

Development

Funding for professional development often includes money
for substitutes, materials, stipends for teachers to participate
outside of their regular workday, and consultants’ fees.
Sources of funding for these expenses vary from district to
district but typically include the following:

# School-based professional development funds

a 96

Key idea
Competition for
limited financial
support requires you
to he diligent in
searching for possible
sources of funds, to
state a strong case
(including supporting
data) for funding
your project, and to
conduct a careful
evaluation of the
outcomes you obiain.

81



8. Plan the professional! development activities, including follow-up activities, that
will address the targeted praciices.

See the sections of Chapter 3 dealing with five models of professional development. Figure
3.3 provides estimates of the effectiveness of each model in producing specific outcomes.
Take special note of the information in Chapter 5 on the forms of continuing assistance
you will need to be successful in implementing the content of the professional develop-
ment activities you are planning.

9. Implement the plan; assess and monitor its progress periodically.
Your plan should include anticipated completion dates for each individual activity. Check-
ing your progress in implementing the planned activities will help keep you on track.

10. Use feedback to determine the extent to which the professional development
activities achieved the desired outcomes; continue or modify the activities as
necessary, or identify new practices for study.

Establishing baseline data describing the need or condition prior to the professional devel-
opment activities, as described in step 4, is an important part of assessing the impact of
those activities. At this point in the process, you should “re-measure” using the same
procedures and tools used in collecting the baseline data. A comparison of the “pre- and
post-activity” data will provide you with the best measurement of impact of the profes-
sional development activities.

184 171



ACTIVITY: Planning and Evaluating Professionai
Development Activities

1.

2.

10.

Form small groups of four or five participants, and distribute Writing Form #1.

Explain to the groups that the following exercise asks them to relate a professional
development activity that was particularly satisfying and helpful. They have approxi-
mately ten minutes to think and respond, but they will not be a:ked to read their notes
aloud, nor will their forms be collected. The purpose of this activity is to stimulate
thinking and provide notes for later discussion.

After distributing Writing Form #2, ask the participants to write about a professional
development experience that was particularly frustrating, allowing another ten min-
utes for thinking and writing.

Ask each group to choose a recorder, and then have the group compile two lists on
blank paper: one of satisfying professional development experiences, the other of
frustrating experiences.

Now, ask group members to tell their group deiails of their satisfying experience.
Then, the group works together to describe the aspects that made the experience
satisfying, recording these features on chart paper. Allow approximately 20 minutes.

Repeat step five for frustrating experiences, again allowing 20 minutes.

While groups are working, collect the lists from step four, make a large list of all satis-
fying vs. frustrating experiences recorded, and tape it to the wall.

Distribute the handout “Features of Effective Learning Experiences,” and give partici-
pants a few minutes to read through it. As a large group, ask them to consider satisfy-
ing experiences, identifying features on the handout that correspond to their com-
ments on the chart paper. Have a volunteer letter the items as discussed, and wlien all
items have been considered, circle any items that have no correspondents.

Repeat step eight for frustrating experiences.

Hold a general group discussion, considering whether certain features for their ab-
sence) seem to be key in creating satisfaction or frustration. Do “one-shot” experiences
show up more often on one list than the other? Do traditional educational experiences
(lectures with passive listeners) appear more often on one list than the other? How has
this activity and discussion changed what you understood about effective learning or

175

187



Models of Professional Development

Five models of professional development were idc tified by
Sparks and Loucks-Horsley (1989). They represent ways of
organizing teacher learning. Each is useful and honors
teachers as professionals. They differ in terms of the activi-
ties that are involved and the specific outcomes for which
they are best-suited. The five models are listed here and
described in detail in the pages that follow:

‘@  Individually-Guided
‘=~ Observation/Assessment

‘= Involvement in Curriculum Development/School
Improvement Process

@ Training
‘¢ Inquiry

Selecting an appropriate model of professional development
is an important decision. For example, if your study of
student learning generates curiosity concerning the use of a
particular learning theory with your students, you might
benefit more from activities based on the inquiry model than
from those based on the training model. This section will
help you make better-informed decisions regarding the
model of professional development that is best suited to your
needs. It will also include an example of how teachers have
used each model. Figure 3.3 is included at the end of this
chapter to provide an estimate of the effectiveness of each
model in producing specific types of outcomes. To use this
table, identify the outcome(s) you are seeking and locate the
model with the highest effectiveness estimate for that type
of outcome. The cell that is shaded indicates the model with
the highest effectiveness estimate for each type of outcome.
This estimate of the effectiveness of the five models will
enable you to compare the “fit” between each model and the
type of outcome you are seeking.

Individually-Guided Modei of Professional Development
Activities that you initiate, design, and carry out on your
own fit into the category of individually-guided professional

Key Idea
Numerous models exist
for structuring
professional
development activities.
Each has strengths
and weaknesses
relative to specific
outcomes. No matter
which model is used,
the activities should
(1) focus on reducing
the gap between actual
and desired levels of
student achievement,
(2) involve
participants in
identifying the content
and objectives, (3} help
participants develop a
theoretical as well as
practical
understanding of the
new practices, (4)
include follow-up and
support, and (5) be
linked to a
comprehensive change
process that focuses on
student learning.

49



Comparing Self-Assessment Needs to Student Achievement Needs

Topics Identified through Analysis of
Topics Identified through Self-Assessment Schoolwide Student Achievement Data

45



Observation/Assessment

Direct observations of teaching performances are used to
collect information that becomes the hasis for developing a
plan for improvement or growth. Analysis of observational
data and teacher reflection upon this data are at the heart of
this model. While this model can be perceived as too much
like traditional teacher evaluation, it has benefits for both
the teacher and observer. When you observe another
teacher, you benefit from seeing a demonstration of specific
strategies, from analyzing what was demonstrated, and from
comparing it to previous demonstrations or your own
teaching. The teacher you observe gains access to data about
his or her teaching performance that would not be available
without the aid of’ an observer. Finally, you both benefit
from talking with each other about what happened during
the lesson.

Involvement in a Development/improvement Process
This model involves you and your fellow teachers in design-
ing or redesigning curriculum or instructional programs,
solving a curriculum or instructional problem, or creating
an action plan to reach a school-improvement objective. You
will typically work as part of a team, sharing leadership
roles and utilizing group process techniques. When you are
involved in a curriculum-development or school-improve-
ment project, you benefit in at least two ways. You learn
about the content of the program, and your involvement
may require you to learn new skills such as planning,
research, or group-process skills, in order to complete the
project. This model utilizes your participation in activities
that are considered part of your professional responsibility
as a means of producing professional growth. Adult learning
theory supports this model as an effective vehicle for teacher
learning because you are trying to solve a problem that is
relevant to you and your colleagues.

Training

The most current version of the training model involves a
“workshop” design that describes what should happen
during training sessions and a “workplace” design that
describes what should happen when you return to your
classroom (Showers, Murphy, and Joyce, 1996). The work

22



Figure 3.1

Overview of the Pianning Process

Component

Primary Decisions

Sources of Information

Content

What knowledge, skills,
strategies, and/or values and
belicfs nced to be studied?

Analysis of students’ work or performance
Teacher self-assessment

School or district programs or practices
National staidards*

Objectives

What will participants know and/or
be able to do as a result of their
participation in professioual develop-
ment activities? What is the desired
impact on student learning?

Analysis of students’ work or performance
Professional growth goal-setting

School or district programs or practices
National standards”

professional development
activities be measured?

Activities What will participants do to achieve | « Five models of professional development
the identified objectives? « National standards
Evaluation How will the results of the °

Changes in knowledge, beliefs, values, skills,
or practices of participants

Changes in student achievement, behavior,
attitudes, or other characteristics

* NOTE: “Standards for S+aff Development,” developed by NSDC, appear in the appendix.

36

The next step involves the collective analysis of this evi-
dence—you and your fellow teachers working together to
analyze and interpret the student work you collected. These
steps explain how to analyze three types of student data or
evidence of student learning.

‘€ Collective analysis of samples of student work

e Select work samples representing high, average, and
low levels of student achievement (homework or
classwork assignments, tests, or projects).

* Collectively review the samples, comparing tr_m to
standards, where available, and draw inferences or
conclusions about areas needing improvement.

€ Collective analysis of assessment results

* Use a variety of assessm2nt tools, including those
available for use throughout the school year such as
teacher-made tests, assessment materials that sup-

BEST COPY AVAILABLE



Bees eae

40

This process of self-assessment occurs in four phases
(Airasian and Gullickson, 1995):

® Focusing the self-assessment on a particular topic(s)

= Collecting information about the targeted practices or
ideas

& Constructing meaning from the information collected

@ = Planning and/or selecting the most appropriate profes-
sional development activities

In addition to the ideas listed above, self-assessment is
important as a process for identifying areas for growth and
study through professional development for these reasons:

@ Awareness of one’s teaching practices and their impact
on students is essential in determining the need for
change.

@ = Teachers have a professional responsibility to improve
their own practices.

@

Self-assessment has the capacity to make teachers
willing to examine their own practices critically.

= Self-assessment increases commitment to improvement
as well as teamwork and collegiality.

@:

Self-assessment aligns professional development with
what is actually happening in classrooms.

Figure 3.2 illustrates a model for self-directed teacher
change that was adapted by Betty Fry from the work of
Richard Boyatzis. It is included here as a way to describe
how you can use self-assessment to identify content and
objectives for professional development activities.

The model leads you to begin with a review of actual prac-
tices used in classrooms and ideal practices as described by
benchmarks or the knowledge base of instructicnal prac-



focuses on engaging teachers in “doing mathematics,”
deepening teachers’ understanding by working as mathema-
ticians rather than teachers of mathematics.

Special institutes and centers provide teachers with cxperiences
which offer depth, extended time for working with ideas and
materials, a “sense of doing real work rather than being ‘talked
at)”and direct contact with subject-area experts.

Common Design Principles

Each of the five models of professional development pos-
sesses strengths that make it appropriate for specific out-
comes. Figure 3.4 lists those stresigths relative to typical
outcomes. The model most highiy recommended for each
outcome is identified by a shaded cell ~vithin the table.

As with any process, the sieps comprising each mode}
should be given thoughtful! consideration in planning profes-
sional development activities. Neglecting an element of the
model selected for a particular project may severely impact
the project’s success. For example, Joyce and Showers
(1995) state that training activities that do not include
provision for follow-up and support will enable fewer than
ten percent of the participants fo add the target strategies to
their teaching repertoire.

All of these models can be useful and effective methods for
structuring teacher learning. Hawley and Valli (1996)
synthesized a comprehensive list of design principles that
can be used to guide the design of professional development
activities employing any of these five models. These design
principles are listed here in brief form.

@ The objectives and content of the professional devclop-
ment activities are guided by an analysis of the discrep-
ancy between actual student performance and desired
levels of student performance.

@ Participants are involved in ilentifying the content and
objectives of the professional develovment activities and,
wher possibie, in the design of learning experiences to
achieve thase objectives:

o4

69



132

By measuring both teaching and learning, the district can
more clearly see if there is movement toward the goal of
improved student achievement. When there is no movement
toward the goal, programs are discontinued or modified. For
instance, a few years ago, the school psychologist ran a
statistical analysis to determine the effectiveness of a pro-
gram. After much review of the achievement data and
gathering input from teachers, parents, and administrators,
the program was abandoned because it was determined that
the program was not meeting its proposed objectives.

Structures and resources are currently in place to maintain
continued professional development. There is district
support for ongoing commitments to organizations and
occasions to present at conferences. In addition, teachers
choose district-funded staff development opportunities in
areas where they are concerned about student learning from
regional course offerings. Plus, there are accessible competi-
tive grants within the district from district funds and from
private corporations that finance special projects.

Evidence of Success

Teachers and staff learn from one another, and the invest-
ment in professional development is paying off in a big way.
Teachers claim that as they improve their teaching, students
are acquiring higher test scores, are more inspired to learn,
and are more self-disciplined. In addition, professional
development has led to greater comprehension of strategies
that work to meet the needs of a diverse group of students.

Over the past three years, there has been a tremendous rise
in exit rates due to the addition of various computer-assisted
instructional programs in the classrooms. Professional
development was once again recognized as essential, and
professional development time was scheduled to help teach-
ers integrate their use of technology and learning styles.

Another way Geneva Schools have evolved into exemplary
status is by administering needs assessments to both staff
and community members. Doing this helps identify and
resolve major areas of concern; plus, it empowers teachers

146



this type of publication exists—to share ideas, promising
practices, and success storics. The following summaries of
the eight winning programs include reasons behind the
success of each program, factors that make each program
outstanding, and examples of the faculty’s positive impact
on their students.

The Review Process

The Department's regional laboratories coordinated a
review process that included a first-round evaluation by a
non-federal panel of experts, comprehensive site visits of the
most promising applicants, and a final review by a seven-
member blue-ribbon panel. The panel made recommenda-
tions to U.S. Secretary of Education, Dr. Richard Riley, who
selected the final honorees. Each of the acclaimed programs
received a privately funded monetary award to be used to
support professional development activities and to help
share strategies and lessons learned with others.

Investing in Teachers

Dr. Riley spoke at the Awards Ceremony on May 18, 1998,
where he stressed the importance of ascertaining that
teachers have the training and support to teach to high
standards. Dr. Riley commented, “Unless we invest in
teachers and their learning—ensuring that teachers are
equipped to teach to higher standards to meet the challenges
of today’s classrooms—we will never reach our education
goals.” He expressed pleasure in recognizing the winning
schools and districts because “honoring these schools fits
with this administration’s continuing effort to ensure a
talented, dedicated, and well-prepared teacher in every
classroom.”

139

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‘Chapter One

Developing a Vision of Effective
Professional Development

he purpose of this chapter is to supply the foundation

for a new and different vision of professional develop-

ment that is individually owned by teachers and not a
“one-shot” experience. If a vision is “a compelling picture of
the future that inspires commitment” (Mendez-Morse, 1993),
then a vision of effective professional development will
provide an image that encourages you to seek out professional
development experiences that possess these characteristics.
This chapter provides an overview of effective professional
development through the following nine sections: “How
Adults Learn,” “Trying Something New,” “Making a Wise
Choice,” “Five Ways to Learn,” “Working Together,” “Data-
Driven Decisions,” “A Starring Role,” “Finding the Time,”
and “Fitting in With Other Efforts.” A brief activity at the
end of this chapter will lead you through the development of
your own vision of effective professional development. Your
vision can be used to evaluate current professional develop-
ment activities and to guide the planning of future efforts.

How Adults Learn

As an adult learner, you will learn more effectively when:

= Your learning is directed at solving a specific, job-related
problem (Snyder, 1993).

= You are involved in selecting the content and, where
possible, the development of the learning experiences or
process to be used (Little, 1993).

‘@ = ~=You are involved with your colleagues in solving prob-
lems that represent collective concerns (Brookfield,
1986).

ve 1‘

Key Idea
Adult learning is
enhanced when adults
are allowed to work
with colleagues to
solve a work-related
prob‘em which they
identified and that
represents a collective
concern. Adult
learners are able to
achieve extremely
high levels of
implementation when
support is provided
after initial training.



Components of the Program

The staff at Ganado Intermediate School set out to do three
things. First, they decided on a five-year plan for studeni
and adult learning in the school. They constructed a profes-
sional development program presenting all teachers and
support personnel with the opportunity to become involved
in continual learning in areas that enticed them and their
students. Second, in the 1993-94 school year, the staff
accepted the challenge of meeting state and national achieve-
ment standards and began to track and examine student
assessment scores within the Arizona Student Assessment
Program (ASAP). Third, the staff began to integrate curricu-
lum and instruction with the district’s curriculum model,
Foundations of Learning, that describes Navajo values and
ways of life, as well as academic readiness.

Since Ganado’s student population consists mostly of
American Indians whereas two-thirds of the teachers are
Anglo, the staff decided it was imperative that they meet the
cultural needs of their students by incorporating into the
curriculum local values and Navajo culture. A second issue
the staff tackled was the creation of professional develop-
ment plans that included structured and self-directed
teacher support (depending on the level of teacher exper-
tise), as well as self-assessment through use of teaching
portfolios, in which teachers monitor their progress based
on student achievement. Another point the faculty ad-
dressed was collaboration among staff. Focusing on the
importance of communication, the staff held regular grade-
level meetings to review curriculum and student needs.
During the meetings, teachers examined results of specific
activities and then considered why they attained those
results. By sharing specific stories about students, the
teachers learned how to better serve students’ learning
styles. The final thing Ganado staff did was increase their
partnerships with outside organizations. By doing this, the
school was closely linked to the most current research and
best practices in teaching and learning.

Evidence of Success

While test scores are not entirely indicative of student
learning, they do help teachers see improvement trends in

14)

127



1

Activity 3.|
Connecting Your Professional Development Needs
to Student Achievement Needs

There are at least two ways in which you may view your own needs for professional development in
relation to the priority needs of the school. One approach involves correlating your needs with schoolwide
student achievement data. The other approach focuses on linking your needs with school improvement
goals and objectives. This activity will illustrate how to combine the analysis of student performance data
with the self-assessment of teaching practices to identify priority topics for professional development.

Step 1
Using the blank grid provided on the next page, rank the topics you and your fellow teachers identified
through self-assessment activities (see the sample grid below).

Step 2
In this same way, prioritize areas of need in schoolwide student achievement.

Step 3

Compare the topics on both lists to identify where they match. Priority topics for professional develop-
ment would be those that are ranked highly on both lists.

Sample Grid

Comparing Self-Assessment Needs to Student Achievement Needs!

Topics Identified through Analysis of
Topics Identified through Self-Assessment Schoolwide Student Achievement Data
Strategies for teaching reading to at-risk students Reading comprehension
Strategies for assessment that pinpoint Application of math concepts and skills in
student needs problem-solving
Content knowledge in science and math Application of scientific concepts
Classroom management techniques Math computation skills
Teaching for application Reading vocabulary
Use of technology

Professional development activities that address teaching reading comprehension to at-risk students and instructional strategies for
teaching for application of science and math content would be priority topics at the school where this sample grid was completed.

4A 59



Chapter Six

Assessing and Monitoring Progress ..
Evaluating Program Content
Evaluating Program Quality
Evaluating Context Factors .
Evaluating Program Outcomes ..
The Role of National Standards in Evaluating ‘Professional Development
References and Readings

i
113
114
115
119
122
122

Chapter Seven

The 1998 National Awards Program and Winners
Ganado Intermediate School (Ganado, Arizona) ....
Geneva City School District (Geneva, New York)
HD. Hilley Elementary School (El Paso, Texas)
Hungerford School (Staten Island, New York) .
International High School at LaGuardia Community College
(Long Island City, New York) ..
Lewisville Independent School District (Lewisville, Texas
Montview Elementary School (Aurora, Colorado)......
Shallowford Falls Elementary School (Marietta, Georgia) .

123
126

143
148
152
156

Appendix A

Evaluating Current Professional Development Opportunities «0.0.0... 163

Appendix B
Steps in Using Self-Directed Change Model ......cccscsesersesssssssnssnvesee 167

Appendix C

Evaluating Professional Development: A Tool for Staying on Track 173

Appendix D
Features of Effective Learning Experiences ...csccssssssssssseseessessssessssssssseesessessnnseses 177

Appendix E

Shifting the Paradigm of Professional Development 179

Appendix F
National Staff Development Council Standards for Staff Development............ 181

About SERVE ..

SERVE Publications Ordering Information ...seccsescscsssecessssesesesssssesssssssassessnseesee 187



164

Numerous models exist for structuring professional development activities. Each
has strengths and weaknesses relative to specific outcomes. No matter which
model is used, the activities should (1) focus on reducing the gap between actual
and desired levels of student achievement, (2) involve participants in identifying
the content and objectives, (3) help participants develop a theoretical as well as
practical understanding of the new practices, (4) include follow-up and support,
and (5) be linked to a comprehensive change process that focuses on student
learning.

Meaningful, effective collaboration is more likely to occur when you and your
colleagues share responsibility for major tasks of teaching and for student learn-
ing, when you are committed to collective inquiry into student learning and
collective action in improving it, and when you support one another in ways that
invelve elements of coaching. Individuals differ in how they seek out or avoid
learning experiences. These differences have implications for group functioning.
Groups require time to develop into more effective teams. Groups thi: view their
work as meaningful and challenging will develop higher functioning and higher
levels of collegiality.

Data-driven decisions are made throughout the process of identifying a problem,
selecting a solution, implementing it, and assessing its results. Collective exami-
nation of data will be a new experience for most teachers and is likely to produce
some conflict. However, the value of data-driven decisions far outweighs the
difficulties in learning to use. them. Data-driven decisions force you to face the
realities of problems and your efforts to solve them. Your implementation of valid
strategies is the key to improving student learning. Data concerning degrees of
implementation are vital if you are to be confident of what you are evaluating.
Comparisons of baseline data and “post-test” data should be used to draw conclu-
sions about the effects of any innovation.

Professional development that truly enhances your learning will provide opportu-
nities for you to be involved in leadership activities that focus on direct interac-
tion with your fellow teachers, peer-coaching study teams, and action research.
These roles expand your responsibility for your own learning and your sharing of
the responsibility for student learning. They contribute to the construction of a
learning community where you and your colleagues model the types of learning
in which you want students to become engaged. Performing well in these roles
will enable you to make significant contributions to school improvement.

178



Montview was aware of some of the essential components of
a quality professional development plan. Faculty knew that,
in order to see substantial school improvement, they needed
to have the following:

#@ A shared ; urpose
@ Norms of collegiality
&@ Norms of continuous improvement

& Structures that represent the organizational conditions
necessary for significant improvement

The staff adopted a consistent belief system about teaching
and learning in order to meet the constantly evolving and
always diverse needs of the community. The staff felt that
the skillful teacher is one who considers herself a learner,
ensures the conditions for learning are in place, keenly
evaluates to identify learning needs, and has a well-defined
theory about teaching and learning, which is translated into
classroom practice.

Compwnenis of the Program

Five » cars ago, Montview’s reading achievement scores were
below average for the district. The school, realizing that the
true potential of the culturally and economically diverse
population was not being met, began the restructuring
process, beginning with finding a balanced literacy model
that would both address student needs and provide instruc-
tional development for the staff. They found such a model in
the New Zealand literacy model. Montview has established a
range of practices that blend professional learning into
teachers’ daily work lives. Teachers engage in weekly
coaching sessions with a teacher leader, and through analy-
sis of student data, they reflect on their practice and create
future goals.

To reflect the faculty's commitment to a job-embedded staff
development approach, the following belief statements were

167

153



They have also dropped the use of technical feedback follow-
ing the observation. Learning to provide this kind of feed-
back was quite time-consuming, and removing it from the
peer-coaching model has not reduced its effectiveness in
supporting implementation of new practices (Joyce, et al.,
1989). Teachers in this type of peer coaching relationship
learn from watching one another teach rather than from
technical feedback they receive after being observed.

The impact on teacher learning and classroom use of these five
components of the training model is presented in Table 3.1.

Table 3.1!

Impact of Training Components

Impact of Training Components on Teacher
Learning and Use
_ Concept Skill Attainment
Training Components Understanding (mechanical use) | Application
Presentation of Theory 85% 15% 5-10%
Modeling by Trainer(s) 85% 18% 5-10 %
Practice and Low-Risk Fee.'back (in 85% 80% 10-15 %
the training setting)
Coaching 90% 90% 80-90 %
Figure 3.3 reflects information from the following sources:
‘@ “Characteristics of Adult Learning,” a paper prepared by
Theodore E. Andrews, Andrews-Bryant, Inc., 1239 D
Street NE, Washington, D.C. (1979)
€ Taxonomy of Educational Objectives by Benjamin Bloom,
Cognitive Domain, New York: McKay (1956)
# Power in Staff Development by Bruce Joyce and Beverly
Showers, ASCD Stock Number 611-83304 (1983)
@ “Implications for Training” outline prepared by Charles
Ahearn and Betty Fry, SERVE, 1997
BEST COPY AVAILABLE ties 61



# Rescheduling or reorganizing your time by revising the
school’s schedule to “find” time during the school day

8

Utilizing staff in new ways to allow you to spend more
time in professional development activities

Raywid (1993) identifies four guidelines for allocating and
scheduling time for professional development activities.
These activities should be (1) held when teachers are fresh
and capable of active participation, (2) in uninterrupted
blocks of time, (3) primarily during the school year, and (4)
balanced between regular school days and non-student-
contact days.

You and your colleagues are the ones most capable of finding
ways to reorganize or reschedule your activities to provide
time for professional development. One way that your ideas
and suggestions might be collected is to use Raywid’s article
as a starting point for discussion, then involve the group in a
problem-solving strategy session to generate possible alter-
natives for finding time for professional development (Joyce
and Showers, 1995).

Fitting in with Other Efforts

There are at least five compelling reasons for aligning
individual, school, and district professional development
efforts:

© = Priorities must be set if competing issues and needs are
to be addressed in a logical, coherent manner that allows
significant resources to impact the reform of instruction
and curriculum (Corcoran, 1995; Joyce, et al., 1993).
Conflict in priorities across the teacher, school, and
district levels will inhibit gains at any of the three levels.

There is a natural intersection of interests and needs
among the three levels. Professional development, when
seen as “a strategy for specific instructional change and
a strategy for basic organizational change” (Fullan and
Stiegelbauer, 1991) is in the middle of that intersection.

&:

LSel
ee

Key idea
Professional
development is a
shared responsibility
for teachers, schools,
and districts. Setting
priorities is necessary
to produce an effective
response to competing
needs. Looking at the
needs of other levels
helps everyone have the
broad perspective
necessary for wise
decisions. Connecting
plans for professional
development across
levels makes them
more effective and
more likely to receive
the support needed to
be successful.



the conceptual base of a particular strategy also helps
you know what to expect in terms of student outcomes.

@ Joyce and Showers refer to modeling or demonstrations as
“anchoring the theory in clarified behavior.” They
suggest 20 demonstrations to develop adequate skill in
the use of a teaching strategy of medium complexity.
They also recommend the use of videotaped demonstra-
tions in real classroom settings so that you can see the
crucial early phases of a lesson in which the teacher
organizes students and gives directions or instructions.
Involving participants in role-playing can be an effective
method of demonstrating, but videotapes of actual
classroom use of the strategies are much more effective.
‘These “real-life scenes” are important because they give
you concrete examples to follow when you return to
your classroom.

= Practice within the workshop setting gives the trainer an
opportunity to follow-up with additional demonstrations
that focus on problems or rough spots in your early
attempts to use the new strategies or tecliniques.

These three components will develop adequate skill for you to
begin practice in your own classroom. However, if the follow-
up components are forsaken, fewer than ten percent of the
participants will sustain practice attempts long enough to add
the new strategies to their repertoire (Showers. Murphy, and
Joyce, 1996). These follow-up components involve imniediate
and sustained practice, sharing, and peer coaching.

Practice in using new strategies should begin immediately
upon returning to your classroom. !f you try to avoid the
anxiety associated with trying something new hy delaying
practice, you will lose understanding and may never actually
attempt to use what you have learned. Sustaining practice
for 20 to 30 attempts is necessary to achieve the desired
levels of confidence in the new strategies (Joyce and Show-
ers, 1995). Most of the anxiety you feel will fade after six to
cight trials, so you should persevere through the rough carly
stages and continue to practice until you have successfully
added the new strategies to your repertoire.

I
a

59



&

Enhanced parental engagement

s

The professional development of teachers in technology

a:

‘Technology in curriculum integration

Vhe Community of 21" Century Learners project furnishes
extensive professional development for the classroom
teacher. The curriculum enables mservice teachers to
strengthen and further develop their lesson plans through
progression of instruction. The coursework is done in a
computer lab that houses state-of-the-art computer equip-
ment. In addition, a major importance in this program is
that the teachers chosen to enlist in the program agree to
serve as mentors to their fellow teachers by sharing and
distributing new information and techniques.

A third major professional development program was
initiated in 1994 when the Socorro JSD School Board
commissioned a task force of classroom teachers to examine
procedures for rewarding exemplary teachers in the district.
The task force suggested tuition credits for teachers working
toward a master’s degree and the establishment of a special
institute for the best teachers. This institute was approved
by the Board and called the Socorro Teacher Academy. The
basic premise behind the Academy is to gather a group of
remarkable teachers to provide opportunities to improve
professionally and personally. ‘The Academy’s curriculum
aligned its mission with the district’s vision to become a
learning cstablishment that holds the conviction that all
children will learn.

Evidence of Success

While it is true that faculty and students can both feel and
see a difference in the adoption of professional development
programs, it is nice to see concrete evidence of success.
During the 1996-97 school year, the College of Education
evaluation team conducted an examination to determine the
results of a program entitled Challenge Grant in Technology.
The findings revealed a positive impact on students, with
teachers using the words “confidence,” “enthusiasm, ” and



52

@ = Prepare a brief summary of his study to share with other
teachers at the school.

In talking with his fellow teachers about the strategies they
used to ask questions, Tom discovered many were not safis-
fied with the strategies they were using, but a few offered
suggestions for promising alternatives. Through two senior
interns who were completing their final internship with other
teachers at Tom’s school, he was able to get his hands on
several textbooks that described effective questioning strate-
gies. He also used the college’s library to find several research
si.dies on questioning strategies. From all of this study, Tom
was able to identify three promising strategies.

He outlined the strategies on 3 x 5 cards and practiced using
them while recording his practice attempts on an audiotape.
When he felt comfortable with each strategy, he began to try
it out with his students. Tom understood that his initial
efforts with each of the new strategies might be rough, so he
allowed several weeks for practice and experimentation. At
the end of that period, Tom brought in a video camera and
set it up, so it could take in the entire classroom. Then he
videotaped several lessons, using a different questioning
strategy in each one. He asked his principal to sit alongside
him as he watched the tapes and provide Tom with feedback
on his use of the strategies and their impact on student
responses.

Tom and his principal found that his students responded well
to all three of the new strategies he used. They seemed less
confused, and their answers were longer and included more
details. He decided he would continue his experimentation
with all three strategies and look for ways in which the
strategies produced different results, so he would learn under
what conditions each strategy would be most appropriate
(gaining executive control). Tom refined his use of these
strategies over a period of several months. Then he asked the
principal for a few minutes during one of their faculty meet-
ings to share the results of his study. Tom was pleased that his
colleagues showed a great deal of interest in his study and
asked manly questions. Several asked for help in learning to
use Tom’s three new strategies in their own classrooms.

67



Key idea
Meaningful, effective
collaboration is more

likely to occur when
you and your
colleagues share
responsibility for
major tasks of
teaching and for
student learning,
when you are
committed to collective
inquiry into student
learning and
collective action in
improving it, and
when you support one
another in ways that
involve elements of
coaching. Individuals
differ in how they
seek out or avoid
learning experiences.
These differences have
implications for
group functioning.
Groups require time
to develop into more

Continued

it might be addressed. This step might include reviewing
research findings or collecting data firsthand. Next, you will
analyze the information you collected and develop and
implement a plan for changing instructional practices or
some other aspect of the problem. Finally, the results of your
action plan arc evaluated, so the new strategies can be
revised and/or shared with other teachers. The key charac-
teristic is that you and the others who are working with you
use a structured inquiry method fo find the answer to this
question: What would be the results if we did it this way?

Working Together

Working together is critical to producing improvements in
student learning. But, what is involved in “working to-
gether?” Working together requires a commitment to the
following ideas:

‘= Everyone shares responsibility for student learning
(Little, 1996).

@ Actions are based on collective inquiry into student
learning and how those actions impact student learning
(Calhoun and Allen, 1996).

# Collective action is required to make significant improve-
ments in student learning (Showers, Murphy, and Joyce,
1996).

# Collegiality is needed to support the use of new practices
Qoyce and Showers, 1995).

# An understanding of how individuals approach (or
avoid) learning experiences and how groups develop into
effective, collaborative teams is important in building
and maintaining study groups (Joyce and Showers,
1995).

= Collegiality will develop to the degree to which teachers

perceive the group’s work to be meaningful and chal-
lenging (Showers, Murphy, and Joyce, 1996).

24



Chapter Tivo

Creating a Context for Change:
The School as a Learning
Community

rofessional development is about change—change in
what you know and believe about teaching and

_. learning and in what you can do in the classroom. Part
of bririging about real change is creating a context or climate
in which change is less difficult. According to Roland Barth,
a school that has a strong context for change resembles a
“comimunity of learners,” and he describes such a learning
community as “..a place where all participants-—teachers,
principals, parents, and students—engage in learning and
teaching. School is not a place for important people who do
not need to learn and unimportant people who do. Instead it
is a place where students discover, and adults rediscover, the
joys, the difficulties, and the satisfactions of learning.” This
is an exciting concept. This chapter describes what a learn-
ing community looks like, how a learning community can
benefit you and your fellow teachers, how to create a learn-
ing community at your school, and the conditions that keep
a learning community going.

ares . Key Idea

A school that has turned itself into a community of learners The identifyi
is filled with daily examples of people learning from each eu entifying
other, sharing what they are learning, and being excited characteristics of a
about and participating in what others are learning. These learning community
examples may include a group of teachers who together are are that everyone is
studying how students reveal their preferences for learning involved in learning
through one or more of their five senses, two students trying and that this learning
to figure out how to catch the interest of potential readers is highly visible.
for a story they co-authored, or the principal and a teacher
reading arid talking about how to compose questions that
stimuiate higher-order thinking.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE _ 25

mary



International High School is proactive in attempting new
strategies—one reason that the school has become so effec-
tive and highly regarded. Some of these changes include
lengthening class periods to give students a more coherent,
less disjointed learning experience and creating a more
consistent, interrelated approach to teaching by creating
interdisciplinary block programs that generate a higher level
of sophistication in student work. The school was also
involved in designing a guide to assessment standards
(“Beyond High School Graduation Requirements: What Do
Students Need to Learn at the IHS?”) outlining specific
expectations for students who surpass the state’s basic
competency tests, enabling them to graduate with a portfolic
demonstrating mastery of all subjects.

Evidence of Success

The school’s professional development efforts have resulted
in measurable student success. Student graduation rates
have increased (on average 72 percent graduate in four
years), the percentage of IHS students passing courses has
increased (94.8 percent up from 93.2 percent three years
ago), the daily attendance rate has increased (93.9 percent),
and dropout rates are below the city average. In addition, the
college acceptance rate for LEP students now exceeds 90
percent.

Looking Ahead

Professional development has been instrumental in higher
student achievement, better methods of student assessment,
and heightened support for teacher development. Contrived
assessment is a thing of the past-authentic assessment (via
portfolios, peer assessment, collaborative tasks) is clearly
preferable.

In New York City, where there are few educational alterna-
tives for LEP students, IHS is determined to continue
enabling other schools in the area to address the needs of
their immigrant students. Through their newly created task
force, they plan to spread hest practices among all schools
for immigrant students, as well as collaborate with col-
leagues to provide a richer, deeper education for all LEP
students,

161

147



Key Idea
School improvement
goals and objectives

represent the
consensus of the
school community as
to priority needs of
the school and its
students. You should
consider these goals ~
significant source of
direction, along with
self-assessment, in
identifying your own
professional
development needs.
Conversely, teacher
self-assessment
should provide a rich
source of goals and
objectives for school
improvement.

46

The following example illustrates how these two processes
influence one another.

An Example of Correlating Professional Development
Needs with School Improvement Plan Objectives

As next year’s school improvement plan for Northwest-
ern Middle School is being developed, the school advi-
sory council identifies reading and writing as high-
priority needs. After reviewing the needs assessment
data collected for the plan, the teachers agree to empha-
size aspects of their own teaching that contribute to
student literacy in identifying the professional develop-
ment activities in which they will participate during the
upcoming year. When the school improvement plan’s
objectives and action plans are being created, teacher
representatives help the council integrate appropriate
professional development activities into .“e plan. Having
these activities included in the school improvement plan
ensures that the resources needed to complete the
activities will be provided.

While working with the school advisory council, the
faculty of Northwestern Middle School share their
interest in multiple intelligences as a topic that would
improve their effectiveness in helping a wide range of
learners. Council members are intrigued by the presenta-
tion the teachers make at the council meeting and make
a study of multiple intelligences a key objective in the
school improvement plan.

In this example, teachers used the needs assessment con-
ducted by the school advisory council to identify priority
needs, and they influenced the school advisory council's
planning by sharing information from their own investiga-
tion of current needs. The two groups worked in concert to
identify what needed to be done.

61



‘é Standardized test data should be broken down by race,
gender, and any cther criteria you see as relevant to your
student population.

#@ Because standardized test data is not available on an on-
going basis throughout the year, you will want to be sure
fo include data sources that are available more fre-
quently. (Student work samples, teacher-made tests,
assessment materials that accompany textbooks and
other resources, surveys, and non-academic data such as
discipline referrals and absentee data are examples of
data that are available to you throughout the year.)

Once you have identified a problem, decisions about possible
approaches to solving it should be based on valid data. As
noted in an earlier section, “Not ail educational innovations
are created equal” (Guskey and Sparks, 1991); a program or
strategy you are considering should be investigated thor-
oughly. Proven results make a much stronger case for a
particular innovation. If you and your colleagues create your
own solution to a particular problem, it should be examined
collectively in light of what is known about principles of
learning and child development.

“Implementation is the key. Powerful instructional strategies,
when implemented, produce student achievement” (Joyce,
Showers, and Izumizaki, 1996). Data related to implementa-
tion is important to inform those who are supporting you and
to aid in the interpretation of effects of the new practices.
Assessment of the effects of a new strategy or program are
useless without data on the implementation of the strategy or
program. Without implementation data, it is impossible to
know what is being evaluated. Data on implementation may
he collected through a variety of sources:

‘= Direct observation of teaching by peer coaches or other
knowledgeable professionals

‘€ Journals or planbook notations

@ = Videotaped teaching episodes

Z

vw



134

Located in rural Western Texas is the Socorro ISD, one of
the fastest growing school districts in Texas, which has a
student body that is 90-percent Hispanic. In addition, 70
percent of the students come from economically disadvan-
taged homes. H.D. Hilley Elementary School serves 687 K-5
students. The staff at H.D. Hilley Elementary wanted to
refute any negative stereotypical preconceptions concerning
the learning capabilities of students from minority and
economically disadvantaged homes so they increased their
investment in professional development programs and, in
turn, have noticed a significant and positive impact on
student learning at the school. Staff at H.D. Hilley report
that by implementing multiple programs that employ tradi-
tional and non-traditional approaches to professional devel-
opment, a spirit of renewal and rededication to teaching has
been generated among teachers and admiuistration.

Components of the Program

H.D. Hilley Elementary is a superb example of the many
gains and benefits a school’s faculty and students can
experience by adopting professional development programs.

In the Socorro district, there were several education and
community-based organizations and elements that played
essential roles in the district’s commitment to the profes-
sional development and continuing education of teachers
and administrators. These include the El Paso Collaborative
for Academic Excellence, the College of Education at the
University of Texas at Kl Paso, the National Science Founda-
tion Mentors Program, and the Socorro Teachers Academy.

Being a part of any decision-making process is, in essence,
being a part of the team. One’s input can quite possibly
effect positive and lasting change. Where is the notion of
collaboration more important than in the educational
setting? At H.D. Hilley Elementary, staff believes in such
collaboration. This is why they have developed School
Improvement Teams, which includes parents, community
members, teachers, and principals, to take an active role in
the decision-making process. Once a week, the School
Improvement Teams meet to discuss issues such as estab-



#!

teachers to divide up the hours from those days and
spread them out throughout the year. For example, a
district that pays teachers for four eight-hour profes-
sional development days may reserve two of those days
for district-wide professional development and allow
teacher teams to use the remaining 16 hours in two-hour
blocks across several weeks. When the scheduled profes-
sional development days arrive, those teachers who used
the time earlier would not report for duty on those days
but would receive their regular pay.

Many districts in Florida dismiss students one hour
early on Wednesdays and assign a specific use to the
extra hour of non-contact time. In Orange County, for
example, the first Wednesday of each month is reserved
for district-wide professional development activities.
How teache : use the other Wednesdays is a school-
based decision.

When the teacher duty day extends thirty minutes or
more beyond the student day, teachers may be dismissed
along with students two days a week in exchange for
remaining at school an additional hour on a third day to
participate in professional development activities.

Changing Staff Utilization

2

s

Art, music, physical education, exceptional education
teachers, and other student support teachers at Kapaa
Elementary in Hawaii put together a series of half-day
programs which are offered to each of the six school-
within-school teams. This provides a half-day of non-
contact time for each team every two-and-a-half weeks.

Administrators and other certified staff who do not have
regular classroom assignments can cover classes for
teachers to release them for professional development
activities such as peer coaching.

Larger-than-normal classroom size instruction can be
effective in special situations. Joyce and Showers (1988)
cite an example in which a teacher who is an expert in
children’s literature conducts a special hour-and-a-half

od

19



162

The Winners of the 1997
National Awards

Lawrence Public Schools
Lawrence, Kansas

@

@!

Samuel L. Mason Elementary School
Roxbury, Massachusetts

‘= San Francisco Unified School District
San Francisco, California

@ = Wilton Public Schools
Wilton, Connecticut

€ Woodrow Wilson Elementary School
Manhattan, Kansas

Additional information on the 1997 Award Winners is
available upon request from SERVE’s Publishing and Qual-
ity Assurance Office.

176



age

Figure 2.1

How is My School Like a Learning Community?

Learning Community Activities

Direct Benefits

using shared planning to develop units,
lessons, and activities

divides the labor; saves time because no one has to do it all;
increases quantity and quality of ideas

learning from one another by
watching each other teach

provides concrete examples of effective practices; expands
the observer's repertoire of skills, stimulates
analytical thinking about teaching

collectively studying student work to
identify weaknesses and plan new ways
to teach to those weaknesses

inercases quantity and quality of insights into student performance;
focuses efforts on “the bottom line”—student learning; increases
professionalism and self-esteem of learning community members

sharing articles and other professional
resources for ideas and insights;
conducting book studies of books on
teaching and learning

expands pool of ideas and resources available to
members of the learning community

talking with one another about what
and how you teach and the results your
teaching produces

decreases feelings of isolation; increases experimentation and
analysis of teaching practices; increases confidence of teachers;
provides teachers with greater access to a range of teaching styles,
models, and philosophies

providing moral support, comradeship,
and encouragement

enables teachers to stick with new practices through the rough early
stages of learning to use new skills; decreases burnout and stress;
increases team members’ willingness to try new methods and to share
ideas and concerns with other members of the learning community

joinuy exploring a problem, including
data collection and analysis; conducting
action research

improves quality of insights and solutions; increases professionalism

attending training together and
helping each other implement the
content of the training

helps learning community members get more out of training:
enables them to go to one another with questions or to get clarifica-
tion about what was presented during training

participating in continual quality
improvement activities

creates more efficient use of time: takes advantage of particular
talents or interests of learning community members

using collective decision making to reach
decisions that produce collective action

improves quality of instruction, student
performance, and school operations

providing support for “help-seeking” as
well as “help-giving”

makes a strong statement of shared responsibility
and commitment to one another’s learning

sharing the responsibility for making
and/or collecting materials

helps learning community members feel secure in asking for help
and advice; enables the giving of assistance and advice without

establishing onc-up/one-down relationships

*Note: Most of these learning community activities cost nothing to implement.

32

48



74

select the most effective model for this project? li not,
what would have been a more effective model?

The training sessions focused on mastery of new classroom
management skills, an outcome for which the training
model is very effective.

How did they involve aspects of peer coaching in this
project?

The consultant used collaborative activities similar to the
activities of a peer-coaching study team. The sessions also

featured shared planning, a primary activity of pecr-

coaching study teams.

Pre-Reading Activities Project

é

What did the teachers at Peachtree Elementary do to
identify the root cause of the problem of their students’
difficulties with the new basal reader?

The teachers collected data on the types of errors their
students were making in reading aloud. This preliminary
investigation enabled them to narrow the focus of their
inquiry to the aspect of the problem that held the most
promise of producing positive results.

What was their overall objective for this project?
To identify instructional practices that would produce an
improvement in student performance in reading.

Using the effectiveness estimates from the table which
appears at the end of this chapter, did the teachers select
the most effective model for their project? If not, what
would have been a more effective model?

This type of problem, solving a complex problem dealing
with improving student achievement, is accomplished
effectively through the inquiry model.

How did the process the teachers followed compare to
the action research model?

Of the five models of professional development described in
this chapter, the inquiry model is the most similar to the
action rescarch model. Table 3.2 highlights the similarities
between these two kinds of activities.

89



Appendix B

Steps in Using Self-Directed
Change Model

I, Identify practices to be studied

Identifying specific practices for study may be done by surveying teachers, reviewing lists
of effective practices, analyzing student achievement data or reviewing school-wide or
district improvement goals and objectives. A brief list is provided here as an example of
practices that might deserve closer examination.

B

Subject matter knowledge (Am | as knowledgeable as I should be in the subject
areas [ teach?)

Teachers as learners (Am | continuing to learn? Is the climate of the school support-
ive of me as a learner?)

Instructional strategies (Are the instructional strategies ] use based on sound re-
search? Are they effective? How do students respond to these strategies?)

Classroom assessment (Am J using assessmnent to inform instruction or merely to
record grades? Do I use a variety of assessment strategies?)

Time management (Am I using class time and planning time efficiently? Are faculty
and department meetings operating e/ficiently?)

Beliefs about teaching (Is there a mission statement that reflects the beliefs of
teachers? Are teachers’ stated beliefs about teaching consistent with actual practice?
Are school policies supportive of the stated beliefs of the faculty?)

Relationships with students (How do students feel about themselves and about
learning? How do | irapact these feelings?)

Planning for instruction (Am | using available resources to plan? Am I including

information about learning styles, multiple intelligences, and other relevant student
attrivutes as | plan?)

167

~~
co
CS



Analysis of an Individually-Guided Project

Directions: Read this example of an individually-guided
professional development project and talk through the
discussion questions that appear following the example.
Sample answers to each set of discussion questions appear at
the end of this chapter.

Tom’s Questioning Project

During Tom’s annual assessment conference, his principal
shared data collected during a classroom observation that
indicated the questioning strategy ‘Tom was using was causing
confusion for some students. Tom told his principal he had been
concerned for some time that his students were not participating
in class discussions. They agreed it could be the way he asked
questions that was causing this problem. He decided to begin an
individually-guided study of questioning techniques and to
experiment with several strategies until his repertoire included a
number of effective ways to ask questions.

Tom’s plan for carrying out his study included these activities:
‘@ Ask other teachers to explain the strategies they use to
ask questions.

# Look up strategies for asking questions in texthooks
used in teacher education programs at the local college
of education.

®

Review four or more research studies dealing with
questioning strategies.

# Create a “strategies file” to keep a record of the ideas
and strategies he identifies.

®

Experiment with the different strategies, and use a video
camera to capture how students respond to each one.

* Ask his principal to review selected videotaped examples
of his use of the various techniques and provide Tom
with feedback on his effectiveness and the students’
response to the new strategy.

5l



Table 3.2

Comparison of the Inquiry Model and the Action-Research Model

Steps of the Inquiry Modei

Steps of the Action-Research Model*

Identification of a problem or need

Faculty members select an area or
problem of collective interest.

An in-depth study of the problem or need that
may include measurement or other forms of
data collection to gain insight into how the

problem might be addressed

Faculty members collect, organize, and interpret
on-site data related to the area or problem.

Analysis of the information collected to produce a
plan and the implementation of that plan

Faculty members take action based on their
interpretation of the data.

Au evaluation of the completed
action plan’s results

Faculty members assess the results of the imple-
mentation of their action plan.

* These steps for the action research model were taken from The Self Renewing School by Joyce, Wolf, and Calhoun.

References and Readings

Reading More about Planning for Professional!

Development

Airasian, P. & Gullickson, A. (1995). Examination of
teacher self-evaluation. Journal of personnel evaluation in

education, 8, 195-203.

Airasian, P. & Gullickson, A. (1995). Teacher self-evaluation
tool kit. The Evaluation Center, Western Michigan

University.

Barth, R. (1990). Iszeproving schools from within, San Fran-

cisco, CA: Josse-Bass Publishers.

Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F M. (1998). Studying teach-
ers’ knowledge of classrooms; Collaborative research,
ethics, and the negotiation of narrative. Journal of

educational thought, 22 (2A), 269-282.

Duke, D., Hall, A., Hargadine, D., Randall, A., Rose, D.,
Russell, J., Steinburg, P., Struthers, D., & Yoshida, J.
(1994). Journeys of Discovery: Promoting teacher profes-

sional growth in Washington
Washington Education Association,

JU

tate. Federal Way, WA:

75



Chapter Six

Assessing and Monitoring Progress

he evaluation of professional development utilizes both

formative and summative evaluation Joyce and Show-

ers, 1988; Guskey and Sparks, 1991; National Staff
Development Council, 1995). The formative aspects provide
information to those who are planning and providing
professional development activities to enable them to inoni-
tor and improve the quality of the activities. As such, forma-
tive evaluation must occur prior to and during the activities.
Summative evaluation addresses the impact or results of the
activities. This type of evaluation involves comparing the
situation that exists after you have completed the profes-
sional development activities, and sufficient time has passed
for the results to appear with the situation that existed prior
to the activities.

Joyce arid Showers (1988) reported several reasons why the
evaluation of professional development activities is difficult.

® The actual implementation of new practices is impacted
significantly by the context or climate of the school. A
school where teachers provide support for one another,
share responsibility for student achievement, and engage
in collective problem-solving is more likely to sustain the
effort needed to bring about real improvements (Little,
1982). The evaluation of a professional development
activity must take into account this context, or the
results might be misleading.

# Professional development activitics impact student
achievement through a “chain of events.” ‘This chain
begins with the identification of significant needs and
continues with the selection of high-quality content and

Be
nh

Key Idea
The evaluation of
professional
development deals
with determining the
potential value of a
program or activity,
keeping the
professional
development aftivity
on track as teachers
work through it, and
assessing its impact
on teachers, students,
and the school after
teachers have had
adequate time to
implement new
practices. Evaluation
of professional
development is made
more difficult by the
influence of the
school’s culiure and
the fact that
professional
development impacts
student achievement
through a “chain of

Continued



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114

these sources can be analyzed more readily by displaying the
data in a table, chart, or graph that breaks down the data by
gender or race. The importance of basing the selection of
content for professional development activities upon this
kind of thoughtful, collective inquiry into student learning
cannot be overemphasized.

Program content should be selected with these needs in
mind, but it is unlikely that an innovation will be able to
meet those needs without some modification or adaptation
to fit the context of the school. Little (1993) expands this
idea when she writes:

..it requires that teachers and others with whom they
work enjoy the latitude to invent local solutions—to
discover and develop practices that embody central
values and principles, rather than to “implement” or
“adopt” or “demonstrate” practices thought to be univer-
sally effective. This assertion acknowledges both the
uncertainty surrounding best practice and the complex-
ity of local contexts.

Here are some questions to guide your evaluation of pro-
gram content:

‘= What results have been achieved when this program
content was implemented with students similar to ours?

* At what points is the program content in agreement
with our beliefs about teaching and learning? At what
points does the program content differ with our beliefs?

# What specific student and/or teacher need(s) does this
program content address? Are these high-priority needs?

«

At what points is the program content aligned with how
we do things? At what points is the program content in
conflict with how we do things?

Evaluating Program Quality

Program quality refers to how the program’s design com-

pares with what you poy about effective professional
we



this decision be a thoughtful one. The selection of
content should be based on 1) a strong research-
base that proves the effectiveness of the program
in producing student learning, 2) a review of the
program to ensure it makes sense to teachers, 3)
its match with student and teacher needs, and 4)
its compatibility with current practices, programs,
and policies.

Numerous models exist for structuring profes-
sional development activities. Each has strengths
and weaknesses relative to specific outcomes. No
matter which model is used, the activities should
(1) focus on reducing the gap‘between actual and
desired levels of student achievement, (2) involve
participants in identifying the content and
objectives, (3) help participants develop a
theoretical as well as practical understanding of
the new practices, (4) include follow-up and
support, and (5) be linked to a comprehensive
change process that focuses on student learning.

Meaningful, effective collaboration is more likely
to occur when you and your colleagues share
responsibility for major tasks of teaching and for
student learming, when you are committed to
collective inquiry into student learning and
collective action in improving it, and when you
support one another in ways that involve ele-
ments of coaching. Individuals differ in how they
seek out or avoid learning experiences. These
differences have implications for group function-
ing. Groups require time to develop into more
effective teams. Groups that view their work as
meaningful and challenging will develop higher
functioning and higher levels of collegiality.

Data-driven decisions are made throughout the
process of identifying a problem, selecting a
solution, implementing it, and assessing its
results. Collective examination of data will be a
new experience for most teachers and is likely to
produce some conflict. However, the value of data-
driven decisions far outweigh the difficulties in
learning to use them. Data-driven decisions force
you to face the realities of problems and your
efforts to solve them. Your implementation of
valid strategies is the key to improving student

learning. Data concerning degrees of implementa-
tion are vital if you are to be confident of what
you are evaluating. Comparisons of baseline data
and “post-test” data should be used to draw
conclusions about the effects of any innovation,

Professional development that truly enhances
your learning will provide opportunities for you to
be involved in leadership activities that foctis on
direct interaction with your fellow teachers, peer-
coaching study teams, and action research. These
roles expand your responsibility for your own
learning and your sharing of the responsibility for
student learning. They contribute to the construc-
tion of a learning community whcre you and your
colleagues model the types of learning in which
you want students to become engaged. Performing
well in these roles will enable you to make
significant contributions to school improvement,

You and your fellow teachers need more time to
participate in high-quality professional develop-
ment activities. Additional time can be provided
by adding time to your regular schedule, reorganiz-
ing how your time is currently allocated, and/or
using school staff in new ways. Professional
development activities should be held when
teachers are fresh and when blocks of uninter-
rupted time are available. They should be sched-
uled during the school year so you can work on
problems in “real-time” (job-embedded inquiry
should not have to wait until vacation time).
Teachers are capable of creative ideas and
suggestions for finding additional time, especially
when they feel it will be used in productive joint
work.

Professional development is a shared responsibility
for teachers, schools, and districts. Setting priorities
is necessary to produce an effective response te
competing needs. Looking at the needs of other
levels helps everyone to have the broad perspective
necessary for wise decisions. Connecting plans for
professional development across levels makes them
more effective and more likely to receive the
support needed to be successful.

—CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE—

35



146

rigorous graduation requirements. In terms of student
achievement, the school’s goal is to continue to improve
studc it attendance, retention, and graduation rates while
raising standards in order to prepare students for success in
college and beyond.

Teaching strategies are constantly fine-tuned to help aug-

ment student achievement. Doing so has led to outstanding

student outcome:. Therefore, faculty members at IHS are

encouraged to adhere to the following basic strategies:

Facilitate cooperative learning within small groups of
students working on projects where the student con-
structs his/her own learning with careful coaching by
the teacher.

a:

Adjust curriculum so it is accessible yet challenging for
all students.

# Integrate both first- and second-language development
with content areas in classrooms where students speak
several languages and have diverse levels of English
proficiency.

@

Build an interdisciplinary course of study that allows
students to make connections and solve meaningful
problems.

The staff at International High School holds a set of beliefs
that has helped them design and implement professional
development plans. One belief maintains that language skills
are best learned in context and emerge most naturally in
purposeful, interdisciplinary study. A second belief states
that everyone (both students and teachers) learn best from
each other in heterogeneous, collaborative settings. Collabo-
ration not only promotes self-confidence; it provides recog-
nition for everyone. A third conviction asserts that the most
successful educational programs are those that stress high
expectations coupled with qualified support systems. A final
belief contends that the most effective instruction takes
place when teachers are actively involved in the decision-
making process.

160



Acquisition goals = goals that involve learning new skills or new knowledge:
‘@ Learn to use advance organizers (a new skill).
% Learn to use rubrics to score student essays.

Developmental goals = goals which improve or refine existing skills, knowledge, atti-
tudes, or attributes:

@ Improve the use of corrective feedback.
@ Develop a greater knowledge of United States history.
‘@ Increase sensitivity to the needs of limited-English proficient students.

Application goals = goals which apply new or existing skills or knowledge to a familiar
or new situation:

# Use knowledge of American government to enhance content of United States history
course.

@ Use recently acquired computer skills to enhance activities within creative writing
unit.

ee

Use knowledge of consumer math skills to create an interdisciplinary unit for home
economics students.

# Use recently acquired strategies for encouraging higher-order thinking to develop a
new unit for students in the new advanced placement physics course.

In his report of an extensive case study of teachers who implemented a professional
growth plan in lieu of their traditional evaluation process, Duke cites these pieces of advice
from teachers who were successful in setting challenging, meaningful goals:

@ Do not rush into goal selection. Take time to examine possibilities that are not obvious.

# Do not get “locked into” any particular goal if it means losing the flexibility to take
advantage of unforeseen opportunities.

@ Be prepared to seck help rather than waiting for it to come to you.

¢ Find out what you really want to do to improve your teaching. Be honest with yourself,
and don’t worry about what somebody else thinks would he great.

176

183



Foreword

rofessional development programs and models tend to focus on the
individuai teacher as the key to school improveme nt, reform, restruc-
turing, and the attainment of national goals for education including
the number-one issue on most people’s minds—student achievement on
standardized tests. Commitment to higher academic standards is strong
both nationally and locally. At last year’s National Education Summit
(1996), the nation’s governors and business leaders reaffirmed their 1989
commitment to the national education goals and encouraged states and
districts to develop academic standards to improve student performance.
These goals address school readiness, high school completion, student
competency in nine academic areas, preparation for responsible citizenship
and productive employment, school safety, teacher professional develop-
ment, and parental involvement in schools. This type of national approval
and encouragement to reach higher levels is important. It is also important
that teacher professional development made their list. Just as students
cannot achieve what they have not been taught, teachers cannot teach what
they do not know.

By most accounts, the brand of inservice training we have been offering
teachers and administrators has not proven to be effective for helping them
gain the deep content knowledge, classroom management and interpersonal
skills, technological know-how, understanding of schools as organizations,
and other concepts and attitudes required by an increasingly complex
educational context. The wake-up call that now has been sounded regard-
ing the critical role teachers’ professional development will ultimately play
in the accomplishment of our fundamental national goals for education
must surely lead us to focus our attention on adopting and developing a
significantly different context for the planning, delivery, support, and
evaluation of professional development. At least three features of the new
context have emerged clearly. The first of these is the alignment of state and
local policies on professional development with national goals. The second
is the development of well-designed systems to support the adoption,
implementation, and institutionalization of the knowledge, skills, and
attitudes enhanced or changed through professional development. The third
feature of a new and more productive context is national, district, school,
and community recognition of professional development as an essential

Li



idea that a community of learners breeds a creative atmo-
sphere, which, in turn, produces an extraordinary school
where all students can and will succeed.

Ganado offers the following findings/beliefs based on their
experience with schoolwide change:

@ In any change process, the people directly involved in
identifying a need and in designing changes are most
likely to successfully take action.

€ Collaboration in aligning curriculum and student assess-
ments lends clearer and shared comprehension of grade-
level performance standards.

@ On-site graduate courses in subjects named by teachers
as critically vital to help them meets students’ needs is
an effective way to advance professional learning.

@~ Effective professional development for complex instruc-

tional strategies is clearly useful to teachers and entails
sharing ideas and applicability to the classroom.

‘@ Networks provide for extraordinary learning when
supported by personal interaction and conferences with
mentors.

Geneva City School District

Geneva, New York

The culture of schools is not universally one where people
routinely share their successes and expect to learn from col-
leagues. Our advice is to provide support internally hy mecting
with each other just to share.

Geneva City School District, a proud district that has found
the notion of change to be a challenging, rewarding, and
stimulating experience, has also found that attaining posi-
tive change is possible only through the process of sharing
and providing internal support. The district serves approxi-
mately 2,500 students and has unique demographics. The

143

129



“eagerness” to describe the attitudes of their students. The
findings, conducted by using surveys and interviews, sug-
gested that respondents had increased levels of confidence in
integrating technology into their daily teaching activities.
Plus, evaluation respondents reported that coursework had
extended their own outlooks on the possible uses of technol-
ogy into their curriculums.

Success was also acknowledged in December of 1997 when
H.D. Hilley Elementary was awarded the Texas Successful
School Award for demonstrating sustained success and
improvement in achieving academic goals. In addition, the
school received the Recognized Status Award for the last
two years, as well as the Socorro ISD Award for academic
gains and schoolwide technology applications.

Teachers love the implementation of professional develop-
ment programs because the programs ultimately challenge
the students. When teachers learn things in profesional
development activities and bring what they’ve learned back
to the classroom, the students interact more, learn more, and
try harder. Plus, prefessional development fosters confi-
dence in teachers as they learn more and exude confidence.
Ultimately, that confidence rubs off on their students, and
suddenly, teachers find themsclves with a classroom full of
students who love nothing more than a good challenge and a
chance to flaunt their abilities.

Looking Ahead

Commitment to professional development is like anything
else you want to do well in life. If you want to stay healthy,
you exercise regularly. If you work out on a sporadic basis or
only when your body reminds you that it is not well, ben-
efits are few. Staying healthy means staying proactive by
taking preventative measures such as eating well and exer-
cising regularly to keep from getting sick. The same mindset
is true of maintaining a healthy school or school district. All
parties involved (faculty, parents, and community) must
remain dedicated to professional development for it is what
ensures student success.

15

137



development in a school. They offer the following advice to
others:

# Schools and School Districts: Clarify your educational
purpose to get a results-driven education.

Schools and School Districts: Construct a clear mission
statement with measurable objectives.

&:

®:

Schools: Have staff members develop an annual school
improvement plan related to a set of agreed-upon
ob’ ctives.

= School Communities: Ask yourselves, “What should a
graduate know and be able to do as a result of his/her
education?”

International High School at LaGuardia

Community College
Long Island City, New York

Our mission is to enable each of our students to develop the
linguistic, cognitive, and cultural skills necessary for success in
high school, college, and beyond.

International High School (IHS), established in 1985 and
housed on the LaGuardia Community College campus,
boasts incredibly diverse demographics. This alternative
high school, which admits students not on the basis of
achievement but rather on need, has a large concentration of
students from low-income and immigrant families who
speak 37 different languages. Seventy-three percent of the
450 students are Limited English Proficient (LEP). Forty-
five percent ere Hispanic; 30 percent are Asian; 22 percent
are white; and two percent are African American. The
school is proud to say that it has successfully narrowed the
achievement gap between students with limited English
proficiency and those who are native-born. The school’s
mission is to continually narrow this gap.

International High School is another model schoo! that
believes in the importance of engaging everybody in learn-

157

143



Chapter Three

Planning for Professional
Development

t present, you may participate in professional develop-

ment activities without being involved in planning

them. However, as professional development becomes
more focused on school-based initiatives, you may have
opportunities to plan professional development activities for
yourself and others at your school. Also, understanding what
is involved in planning these activities will help you become a
better-informed consumer of professional development.

Planning for professional development involves decisions
concerning four major components: content, objectives,
activities, and evaluation. This chapter serves as a guide for
making decisions related to the first three components.
Concepts and practices related to evaluation may be found
in Chapter 6: Assessing and Monitoring Progress. Figure 3.1
provides an overview of the planning process for profes-
sional development. The remainder of this chapter identifies
key ideas for using the sources of information listed in the
table to plan effective professional development activities.

The Key Ideas that follow in this chapter describe two ways
to identify the most appropriate content and objectives for
professional development activities, how to connect your
needs with schoolwide needs and the objectives of your
school’s improvement plan and how to select the model of
professional development that is best suited for the out-
comes you want to achieve.

By studying the impact of your teaching on student achieve-
ment, you can discover how to improve both teaching and
learning. The study of student learning begins with collecting
information about student achievement—evidence of what
students have learned and how well they have learned it.

BEST COPY AVAILABLE J

Key Idea
Identifying content
and objectives for
professional
development should
involve the systematic
study of student work
and the impact of
instructional practices
on student learning.

35



viii

Andrea Willit—Director of School Improvement, Florida Department of
Education, Tallahassee, Florida

Pam Winton—Director of Dissemination, National Center for Early
Development of Learning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
We also gratefully acknowledge the following SERVE staff who contributed

to the development of this publication.

Charles Ahearn—Director, Publishing and Quality Assurance, Florida

Deborah Childs-Bowen—Director, Initiative on Teachers and Teaching,
Georgia

Francena Cummings—Director, Improvement in Science and
Mathematics, Florida

Betty Fry—Director, School Development and Reform, Florida
Nancy Livesay—Director, SERVEing Young Children Project, Florida

Wendy McColskey—Director, Assessment, Accountability, and Standards,
North Carolina

Jerry Natkin—Director, Evaluation, North Carolina

Nancy Verber—Policy Analyst, Georgia

10



28

¢ Within a specific subject or course, what do you
want your students to know or be able to do by the
end of the year, semester, or grading period? List
those long-term goals that are the same or similar for
more than one teacher in the group.

e What objectives will you need to accomplish during
the next six weeks/grading period to help your
students reach your common long-term goals?

« What instructional strategies, activities, and materi-
als are most appropriate for the objectives you have
set for the next six weeks or grading period? What
will you use to teach to these objectives?

e If teachers in your group share some of the same
objectives and/or will be using similar strategies, are
there ways you can “divide the labor” and develop
materials, activities, or assessment tools you can
share with each other?

Agree to continue to meet and talk about how these
strategies, materials, activities. and assessment tools are
impacting your students’ achievement of the objectives
you identified as common objectives.

Find ways to involve the entire faculty in making impor-
tant decisions such as selecting the focus and procedures
of collective inquiry or the content of professional
development activities. Deciding together what will be
studied, how it will be studied, and what will be done
with the results make a strong statement of shared
responsibility and commitment to one another’s learning
(Joyce and Showers, 1995).

Encourage strong teacher leadership to step forward and
help the group build consensus on important issues
(McLaughlin, 1994). Because most schools lack experi-
ence with shared decisionmaking, strong leadership is
necessary to “build faculties into the collective problem-
solving groups that can influence the shape of education
of children and also the shape of the workplace.”

44



semi

110

Hargreaves, A. (1995). Beyond collaboration: Critical
teacher development in the post-modern age. In John
Smyth (Ed.), Critical discourses on teacher development.
New York: Cassell.

Hosack-Curlin, K. (1988, April). Measuring the Effects of a
Peer Coaching Project. Paper presented at the Annual
Meeting of the American Educational Research Associa-
tion, New Orleans, LA.

Joyce, B. and Showers, B. (1988). Student achievement
through staff development. White Plains, NY: Longman.

Joyce, B. and Showers, B. (1995). Student achievement
through staff development. (2nd ed.). White Plains, NY:
Longman.

Little, J. W. (1990, Summer). The persistence of privacy:
Autonomy and initiative in teachers’ professional
relations. Teachers college record, 91(4).

Little, J. W. (1993, Summer). Teachers’ professional develop-
ment in a climate of educational reform. Educational
evaluation and policy analysis, 15 (2), 120-151.

Little, J. W. (1996, May 31). Organizing schools for teacher
learning. Paper presented at the American Educational
Research Association Invitational Conference on
Teacher Development and School Reform.

Lortie, D. (1975). Schoolteacher. Chicago: University of
Chicago Press.

Phelps, M. (1986). Peer coaching: A staff development strategy
for rural teachers. Paper presented at the National Con-
ference of the States of Inservice Education, Nashville,
TN.

Ponticell, J. (1995). Promoting teacher professionalism
through collegiality. Journal of staff development, 16 (3)
13-18.

Raywid, M. (1993). Finding time for collaboration. Educa-
tional Leadership, 51(1), 30-35.

Showers, B. (1982). Transfer of training: The contribution of
coaching. Eugene, OR: Center for Educational Policy
Management.

Showers, B. (1984). Teachers coaching teachers. Educa-
tional leadership, 42(7), 43-49.

Sparks, G. (1986). The effectiveness of alternative training
activities in changing teaching practices. American
Educational journal, 23 (2), 217-225.

124



shop design has three components: (1) activities to develop
theoretical understanding, (2) demonstrations that provide
behavioral examples of the new practices, and (3) initial
practice in the workshop setting. Understanding the concep-
tual basis of new practices enables you to move beyond
repeating what was demonstrated in the training session.
‘Those demonstrations, the “fulcrum of training design,”
help you sec the practices as they might be used in your own
classroom. Showers, et al., recommend a minimum of 20
demonstrations in training teachers to use practices that are
moderately complex. Initial practice during the workshop
should include getting the lesson started, a frequent trouble
spot when learning a new skill.

Training that stops at this point will enable fewer than 10
percent of the teachers to engage in enough practice to add
the new strategies to their repertoire (Joyce and Showers,
1995). An effective workplace design greatly increases the
transfer of what you have learned to the level of mechanical
use and eventually executive control. The three key rules of
an effective workplace design are:
¢ Practice in the classroom must be immediate. If you wait
a longer period before beginning to practice, you will
find your understanding has eroded.

‘# Practice must be sustained. Showers, et al., indicate 20
to 30 uses of new practices are necessary before teachers
become comfortable with them.

¢ Companionship and peer coaching will significantly
improve your implementation of new practices. Study
groups in which you observe one another, talk about
what you observed, and develop a sense of community
in your efforts to learn new practices will enable all
teachers to reach, at the least, a mechanical level of use.

Inquiry

As in several of the other models, the inquiry model hegins
with the identification of a problem or need. In the second
step, you will measure important aspects of the problem
and/or collect data that will help you gain insight into how



# You believe you are being prepared for tasks and respon-
sibilities that are more challenging or complex than
current tasks (Sprinthall and Sprinthall, 1983).

a:

You are provided with opportunities for carefully guided
reflection about your performance of new competencies
(Sprinthall and Sprinthall, 1983).

€ Your concerns are understood and used to provide
appropriate support as you learn about and implement
the new practices (Hord, Rutherford, Huling-Austin,
and Hall, 1987).

@ You are given support after initial training in the form of
coaching, study teams, and opportunities to learn by
watching your colleagues perform (Joyce and Showers,
1988).

However, if the support for what you have learned ends
with the initial training, there is only a one-in-ten chance
that you will be able to engage in sufficient practice on your

Comparison of Competency Acquisition and Cemponents of Training

Table 1.1

Competency Components of
Acquisition Training (Joyce
(Boyatzis) Description and Showers)
Recognition Study and explication of the theoretical base, Presentation of Theory
usually through a formal presentation
by the trainer or presenter.
Understanding Portrayal of the theory in visible examples, Modeling
usually through participant or trainer
demonstrations or on videotape.
Self-Assessment, Practice of the new skill in a safe environment, Practice (within the
Experimentation, | analysis of the behavior of others, and the opportunity training setting)
and Practice to receive constructive criticism.
Job Application Incorporation of the new skill into the classroom Coaching (Teaming)
setting, application of knowledge to deal with specific
problems, and the use of coaching/mentoring/teaming
to enhance implementation.
BEST Copy AVAILABLE

18



List of Tables, Figures, and Activities

Table 1.1

Comparison of Competency Acquisition and Components of ‘Training.......

Table 1.2

Stages of Concern and Appropriate Assistance

Activity i.1
Creating Your Vision of Professional Development

Activity 2.1
Creating a Learning Community at Your School .

Figure 2.1

How is My School Like a Learning Community? ..0.....c.ccccccceceecesnecneseeseseeteeressnesteanees BE

Figure 3.1
Overview of the Planning Process ..

Figure 3.2
Self-Assessment and a Self-Directed Change Model

Activity 3.1

Connecting Your Professional Development Needs to Student Achievement Needs ....44

Activity 3.2
Connecting Your Professional Development Needs to School Improvement Plan
Objectives occ

AT

Table 3.1

Impact of Training Components .........00..0.005

Figure 3.3
Effective Professional Development ............00.0.00008

Figure 3.4

Effectiveness Estimates for Five Models of Professional Development

Table 3.2
Comparison of the Inquiry Model and the Action Research Model

Activity 4.1
Finding Additional Time.



122

The Role of National Standards in
Evaluating Professional Development

‘The United States Department of Education and the Na-
tional Staff Development Council have each developed a set
of national standards for professional development. These
standards may be uscd to evaluate currently available
professional development activities and fo assess the poten-
tial of future professional development experiences. Indi-
vidual teachers may use the standards to make decisions
about participation in upcoming professional development
activities. Schools and districts may use them to solicit
recommendations for improving the professional develop-
ment activities provided to teachers, The National Staff
Development Council's “Standards for Staff Development”
may be found in the appendix.

References and Readings

Reading More about Assessing and Monitoring

Progress

Duke, D., Hall, A., Hargadine, D., Randall, A., Rose, D.,
Russell, J., Steinburg, P., Struthers, D., and Yoshida, J.
(1994). Journeys of discovery: Promoting teacher profes-
sional growth in Washington state. Federal Way, WA:
Washington [education Association.

Guskey, I. (1986). Staff development and the process of
teacher chauge. Educational Researcher, 15(5), 5-12.

Guskey, 'T. and Sparks, D.(1991) What to consider when
evaluating staff development. Educational leadership, 49
(3) 73-76.

Joyce, B. and Showers, B. (1988). Stadent achievenient

through staff development. White Plains, NY: Longman.
Little, J. W. (1982). Norms of collegiality and experimenta-
tion: Workplace conditions of school success. American
educational rescarch journal, 19 (3), 325-340.
National Staff Development Council (1995). Standards for
staff development. Oxtord, OH: author.

136



100

own classrooms with little opportunity for contact with
peers. Secondary teachers are segregated by department
lines. Collaboration across these lines or across class-
rooms gives teachers many more opportunities to learn.
Hargreaves (1995) shares these examples:

...teachers in one department who felt insecure and
alone experimenting with changes like cooperative
learning could be unaware that similar changes (and
the sources of expertise and moral support that
accompanied them) were available in other depart-
ments. Similarly, teachers facing a forthcoming
provincial mandate to destream or detrack Grade 9,
and unclear as to what destreamed classes would
look like and what skills were required to teach
them, were unaware that destreamed classes already
existed in their own school in other subjects.

Collaboration promotes a norm of continual improvement.
Reflecting on current practice and seeking ways to do
things better creates a culture that sees planned change
as an expectation of the professional staff. It helps you
view change as a never-ending process. You can sce
improvement as a journey, not a destination.

Using collaboration as a form of continual assistance is not
without pitfalls or problems. If you want the benefits of
collaboration, you should be aware of the following situa-
tions and use care to avoid them:

Engaging in collaborative activities because it sounds so
progressive, yet without a clear and direct link to profes-
sional development and the improvement of teaching
and learning.

Confining collaboration to providing moral support and
the exchange of materials without interaction about
their use—these are safe and comfortable areas that
allow teachers to “collaborate” without addressing
classroom practices or topics that might bring confronta-
tion among peers (Little, 1990).

114



58

document their requests for inservice credit for working on
the project. As they completed each section, the teachers
who were responsible for that section made a brief presenta-
tion of their drafts to their fellow teachers. The feedback
they received proved very helpful. They also exchanged
ideas and information with other groups who were involved
in similar projects around their region.

Finally, they presented the faculty with the completed
interpretive guide to the state frameworks. They asked their
fellow teachers to use the guide for six weeks and then to
complete a brief evaluation of it. The evaluations were
analyzed, and the teachers’ responses were used to revise
the guide to create a final draft.

Discussion Questions

‘@ How did the teachers identify the focus of their project?

‘@ What was their overall objective for this project?

€~ Using the effectiveness estimates from the table which
appears at the end of this chapter, did the teachers select

the most effective model for their project? If not. what
would have been a more effective model?

@:

How did they involve aspects of the training model in
this project?

Training Model of Professional Development

The training model, as defined by Joyce and Showers

(1995), makes a distinction between what you should expect

from workshops or training sessions and what you need in

terms of follow-up to enable you to help one another master
what you learned in the workshop setting. High-quality
workshops or training sessions will include these three
components:

‘@ Understanding of the theory supporting new practices is
essential if you are to apply these new practices in
situations that differ from those made visible during
modeling or demonstrations. A deep understanding of



Key Idea
Professional
development that truly
enhances your
learning will provide
opportunities for you
to be involved in
leadership activities
that focus on direct
interaction with your
fellow teachers, peer-
coaching study teams,
and action. research.
These roles expand
your responsibility for
your own learning and
your shaving of the
responsibility for
student learning.
They contribute to the
construction of a
learning community

Continued

‘e Minutes or notes of study team meetings and discussions

&% Interviews using tools such as Innovation Configuration
Matrices or Levels of Use (Hord, Rutherford, Huling-
Austin, and Hall, 1987)

When you assess the impact of new practices on student
learning, you should compare data collected after you have
been using those practices using the same measurement
tools you used earlier to identify the problem. For example,
if a problem related to students’ expository writing was
identified through collective examination of samples of
students’ writing, then the effects of new practices aimed at
improving the problem should be measured by the same type
of collective analysis of new samples. Using the same mea-
sures allows the comparison of “apples to apples.”

A Starring Role

Lieberman (1995) identifies three examples of new roles for
teachers in professional development: teacher leader, peer
coach, and teacher researcher. Fullan and Stiegelbauer
(1991) identify teacher leaders as “those interested in
playing a larger leadership role” in efforts to produce
change. Teacher leaders should consider these tasks as they
apply to professional development:

@ Helping others look critically at proposed professional
development activities to determine if they address a
priority need and if they have proven effective in similar
settings.

@ Helping the group stay focused on a limited number of
change initiatives or professional development projects—

“If everything is attempted, nothing will succeed.”

‘@ In'-racting with the administration to determine and/or
influence the level of support for the project.

Assessing faculty interest in the project.

@ Involving faculty members in collaborative exchange and
experimentation that builds a collaborative culture.

e8



by aliowing them to have a voice in such areas as curriculum
development, scheduling, instructional time issucs, and class
size.

Looking Ahead

Geneva City Schools are looking toward the future and
already making plans. One issue they are addressing is
proactivity in the schools. For instance, they have come to
realize that, in the past, summer school has taken a more
reactive (rather than proactive) stance. Therefore, summer
school has not been as beneficial for students. Hence, staff
and administration at the secondary level are considering
the development of teacher-staffed tutoring programs to
assist students in meeting their academic needs as they
become aware of them. Parents and students will be in-
formed when the student is falling behind, and additional
opportunities will be created for students who want to
accelerate or catch up. The district is hopeful that such a
program will be successful.

The broad goals of the district will remain the same—to
provide rich, relevant opportunities that support all mem-
bers of the school community in helping students learn, in
realizing their potential as lifelong learners, responsible
citizens, critical thinkers, and effective communicators who
value diversity.

H.D. Hilley Elementary School

EI Paso, Texas
Teachers at H.D. Hilley believe that improving student learn-
ing is the ultimate measure of success.

A common misconception in the educational realm is that
professional development is something that comes as a result
of mandatory response to legislative guidelines or as a
reaction to a big problem in a school district. However, the
Socorro Independent School District (ISD) does not see
things that way. They see professional development as
proactive—as a preventative maintenance program that
keeps teachers and administrators fresh and in touch with
their colleagues and peers in the field of education.

147

133



Introduction

Anna,a middle school science teacher, and Wayne, an elementary teacher,
sit together in the stands at the Little League field, where their children
play on the same team. After catching up on family news, the two begin
talking about their passion—teaching.

66

ayne, I want to tell you about a new series of professional
development activities my school is offering,” Anna tells
Wayne. “I’m so excited because I can see that it is already making
a difference in my teaching and in how well my students are learning.”

Anna describes how the faculty chose their own topics to study—topics
that reflected areas of student achievement that were schoolwide concerns.
She and her fellow teachers spent a lot of time up-front researching strate-
gies and practices that were proven to produce the results they wanted for
their students. They attended training in teams, and the members of these
teams supported one another in a variety of ways as they implemented the
new practices.

“Wow,” Wayne comments. “The professional developinent activities I
attended during pre-planning were pretty dull and ineffective compared to
what you’re describing.”

On the first day of pre-planning, Wayne had received a flyer with available
sessions. The presenter had been enthusiastic and even included activities
that could be described as practical and hands-on. Wayne took notes and
collected handouts, but he decided to wait until the students were settled
into a routine before experimenting with the new strategies. He soon
realized that he had forgotten almost everything that he had heard at the
workshop. With no one to talk to about how he could get started, Wayne
decided to continue with the strategies he had always used.

Anna’s principal had rearranged the school’s schedule to provide more time
for the tearas to plan together and exchange ideas about the new strategies.
“The best part,” Anna says, “is the feeling that we are involved in some-
thing together. Relationships among teachers have never been better! There
is this whole new level of prefessionalism because we’re working together

14 xiii



Components of the Program

Success is what the district wants for all students. The
district deems that all students can achieve at high levels,
which is why their focus for staff development has been to
furnish teachers with the necessary means to address the
needs of all students—regardless of background. The
Geneva District feels that professional development involves
all members of the learning community—everyone from
teachers’ assistants and aides to bus drivers. They believe
that by including all of these people, students’ specific needs
can more readily be acknowledged.

The district’s professional development program centers on
organizational, individual, and collegial improvement. One
thing they focus on is the shared decision-making model.
When teachers share training responsibilities with outside
consultants, when principals teach lessons with teachers in
their classrooms, when study groups meet to learn new
strategies and share plans they’ve prepared for students, and
when the superintendent conducts workshops and meets
individually with principals and new teachers, a common
sense of purpose is bred. A real sense of collaboration is
built when all of these people work together in a focused,
aligned, and unified way.

Continuous improvement is imbedded in the daily life of the
Geneva schools where teachers use their scheduled, shared
planning time to build, critique, and revise ways to help
students learn. Planning together and using each other's
strategies helps teachers modify what they do and how they
do it, and this, in turn, affects students. In addition, the
district feels very strongly about testing new programs
before adopting or rejecting them too hastily. Before the
district chooses a professional development program, the
program must first be proven to produce results. Continuous
evaluation of student results drives changes in existing plans
and is designed to cause and hold people accountable for
student achievement. The district believes that by measuring
both teaching and learning, it can easily be determined
whether or not a program is worth continuing.

145

i131



professional development? Are there ways in which your current professional develop-
ment plans could be adapted to create more satisfying and effective learning? Has this
learning experience been satisfactory for you in modeling the features of effective
learning as described on the handout?

Writing form #1

Think of a professional development experience you have had that was satisfying and
helpful. Briefly, what did you learn?

Now, reflect for a moment on the experience, and then write about what made that experi-
ence satisfying for you.
Writing form #2

Think of a professional development experience you have had that was frustrating.
Briefly, what did you learn—or what were you supposed to be learning?

Now, reflect for a moment on the experience, and then write about what made that experi-
ence frustrating for you.

176 188



and think about the Key Ideas discussed in this chapter. The
results of these national-level studies of effective professional
development are referred to as standards. These standards
may be used to develop or clarify your vision of professional
development, to evaluate currently available professional
development activities, and to plan future professional devel-
opment experiences. Not all schools will use all of the stan-
dards, but many will find them to be useful aids in planning
and/or improving professional development.

Secretary Richard Riley of the United States Department of
Education has produced the following set of standards that
prescribe seven characteristics of effective professional
development. “Standards for Staff Development,” a set of
standards developed collaboratively by the National Staff
Development Council, the National Association of Elemen-
tary Principals, and the National Association of Secondary
Principals, appear in Appendix F.

Recommendations for Professional Development Activities
Professional development activities should:
@ = Stimulate and support site-based initiatives

@ Draw upon a valid knowledge base of teaching and
learning

‘é Model constructivist teaching

ee

Offer intellectual, social, and emotional engagement
with ideas, materials, and colleagues

2

Demonstrate respect for teachers as professionals and as
adult learners

@ Support teachers’ initiatives; provide sufficient time and
follow-up support for the mastery of new content and

strategies and the integration of these into practice

@ Be accessible, inclusive, and viewed as an integral part of
teachers’ work

- 83



IF

appreciation and recognition, and the honest, open commu-
nication have all made Montview a stronger and more
effective school. In addition, partnerships among the school,
parents, and community have a great deal to do with
Montview’s success.

Looking Ahead

Montview has been so impressed with the impact parents
have had on student learning that they have planned a
parent resource center for the 1998-99 school year.
Montview also strongly believes in the philosophy of giving
back to the education profession so that other schools can
learn and grow. This is why, once a month, Montview
allows up to 15 visitors to tour the school, observe classes,
and interact with faculty. Another way Montview shares its
knowledge and valuable experience is by offering on-site
leadership seminars bi-annually where the principal trains
administrators from across the country. These seminars
share the staff development model, along with instructional
constructs and assessment data. Lessons learned and mis-
takes to avoid are also addressed so that other schools can
know what to realistically expect where change and imple-
mentation of programs are concerned.

Shallowford Falls Elementary School
Marietta, Georgia
Our mission is one not to sustain, but to continuously improve.

Shallowford Falls Elementary serves approximately 660 K-5
students in Cobb County, a suburb of Atlanta. ‘The school,
which opened in 1990, has always held high professional
development goals, but within the past several years, the
staff has fully committed itself to continuous improvements
and has made great gains in overall school and student
improvement. To accomplish such rigorous performance
standards, the school established total quality management
(TQM) and site-based decision-making and consensus-
building processes.

Teachers felt that their individual students’ success de-
pended on the success of students in the entire school.

10



/Ippendinx €

Shifting the Paradigm of
Professional Development

From Too Much

Yo More

Focus on teacher needs

Focus on student-learning outcomes

Focus on individual development

Focus on individual and system development

‘Transmission of knowledge, skills, and
strategies

Inquiry into teaching and learning

“Pull-out” training

Job-embedded learning

Generic teaching skills

Combination of content and content-
specific teaching skills

Fragmented, piece-meal, ore-shot

Driven by clear, coherent, long-term
strategic plan

District direction and decision making

School direction and decision making

Professional developers as trainers

Professional developers as facilitators,
consultants, and planners

Professional development as some people’s
jobs

Professional development as everyone’s job

Professional development for teachers

Professional development for everyone

Professional development as a “frill”

Professional development as essential

Source: Adapted from “Shifting the Paradigm of Professional Development” by Susan Loucks-Horsley and
Dennis Sparks. Developed for the Goals 2000 Conference, Washington, DC, May 1994.

190 "9



During the Activity

«

Be

@

&

Arrive early so you can be sure to find the room and be
ready to start on time. Look for an agenda and other
materials that may be available for you to pick up as you
enter the room. Greet others as they come in, and talk
about what you expect to learn. You may want to look
for someone to work with you on implementing what
you learn when you return to school.

Look over the agenda to see if the presenter has planned
to address any of the questions you thought of as you
prepared for the activity. Asking your questions at the
right time will help everyone get more out of the experi-
ence. Asking them at the wrong time could be distracting.

Participate actively and encourage others to do so. If you
are given opportunities to practice new skills, use those
opportunities to get feedback from others on how well
you are able to follow the model that was presented.

Think about how the topic could be applied in your
classroom. Make notes to help you remember as much as
possible. During breaks, ask others how they plan to
apply what they are learning.

Write out what you intend to do to put what you have
learned into practice in your classroom.

After the Activity

Find someone who will work with you as a peer coach or
partner as you implement the new practices you learned.

Think about breaking down the new practices into
manageable pieces and put them into action ona
planned schedule.

Stay in touch with others who attended the same activ-
ity. Talk with them about how you are using what you
learned, and ask one of them to watch you use the new
practices and talk with you about what they see.

10e

87



130

student population in the Geneva City School District varies
along SES, racial, and cultural continuums; therefore, the
district faces the same academic challenges that accompany
both inner-city school districts and geographically isolated
rural districts. Given the fact that the needs of the student
population are so polarized, it was a great challenge to create
a prograin that was applicable across gender, language,
ethnic, and SES categories. The district realized that staff
development aimed at improving learning for all students
needed to be broad in scope.

The district was up for the challenge, and in 1993, recogniz-
ing that it had an aging teaching force and a fluid student
population, Geneva City Schools chose to dedicate consider-
able time and energies to long-term professional develop-
ment strategies. Since that time, professional growth has
remained an emphasis in the district, and there have been
noticeable differences in both students and faculty.

The infrastructure that supports staff development in the
district involves an assortment of research-based effective
programs.

@ Focus with intent to improve student learning

= Active participation by administrators at all levels

Compensation for participation in learning
opportunities

@ Linking of applications of learnings to teacher
evaluation

@

Scheduling for workday and extracurricular learning
opportunities

@ Orientations, expectations, and accountability for all
district staff

‘@ Interaction among all constituents



or

«:

program once a week for half of the students from either
the primary grades or upper grades. Her programs bring
children in contact with important literature, and their
teachers put their release time to effective use. Pairs of
teachers might undertake a similar practice by joining the
two classes under the direction of one teacher for a
special topic while the second teacher is involved in peer
coaching or some other form of professional development.

Students may be able te perform independent study or
research in the library or media center under the super-
vision of the media specialist, giving their teacher release
time.

Raywid (1993) identifies four guidelines for allocating and
scheduling time for professional development in ways that
make it more productive:

Pa

:

Professional development activities should be scheduled
for times when teachers are fresh and capable of devot-
ing the level of energy needed to get the most out of
these activities.

Teachers cannot be expected to conduct serious collec-
tive examination and reflection concerning curriculum
and instructional practices or new programs at the end
of a regular school day. The expenditure of energy
needed to teach in today’s schools leaves little in re-
serve—far too little to produce the level of collaborative
effort tlivse activities require.

Time must be allocated for professional development
activities in uninterrupted blocks of substantial length.

A single planning period or an extra thirty minutes here
or there are not sufficient to enable teachers to produce
the kind of concentrated effort that is needed.

Some professional development activities can be con-
ducted during the summer months, but most profes-
sional development should occur during the school year.



Chartering for Excellence: Developing and Implementing Charter

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Does Class Size Make a Difference? RDCSD $4.00
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Families and Schools; An Essential Partnership SSFSP $6.00
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188

197



xiv

on important aspects of teaching and learning, and that’s more exciting
than any afternoon session with a motivational speaker!”

“How can we get that kind of professional development going at my
school?” Wayne asked.

Anna smiled. “You’re in luck!” She pulled out her ever-present bag of

papers to grade and handed Wayne a book: Achieving Your Vision of Profes-
sional Development: How to Assess Your Needs and Get What You Want.

15.



Key Idea
You can increase the
impact of
professional
development activities
by preparing
thoroughly before the
activity,
participating actively
during the activity,
and putting what you
learned to use as soon
as possible.

86

Getting the Most from Your Investment

There are several things you can do to get the maximum
benefit from your investment in professional development.
These suggestions are a detailed expansion of the Before-
During-After Model (Pike, 1994), identifying what you can
do before, during, and after professional development
activities. They are divided by roles, and suggestions are
included for participants and principals or professional
development coordinators. Expectations for the person
delivering the activity are also included. If you are respon-
sible for making arrangements with the presenter, you
should let the him or her know well in advance of the first
session what you expect.

Participants

Before the Activity

‘@ Make sure your input is used in the planning of the
activity. If you have completed a self-assessment, be sure
this information is provided to those who are planning
the activity.

‘# Become familiar with the topics to be covered during the
activity. Find at least one article or book dealing with:
the topics, Read it and share it with someone else who
will be attending with you.

¢ Keep a list of questions that come up as you read about
the topics. Discuss your questions with others who will
be attending this activity.

‘& Plan your schedule carefully so no last-minute surprises
will keep you from attending. If your class will be
covered by a substitute, contact that person in advance
and go over your plans and routines. Tell him or her
what you expect a substitute to do and whom he or she
can call if help is needed during the day.

@ Remind your principal or department chairperson you
will be attending the activity.

101



_/tppendin F

National Staff Development
Council Standards for Staff
Developrnent

Adapted by the Professional Development Institute at SERVE, Inc.
P.O. Box 5406, Greensboro, NC 27435-5406 (336) 334-4667

The Standards

CONTEXT

Effective staff development...

‘@ Requires and fosters the norm of continual improvement

& Requires strong leadership in order to obtain continuing support and to motivate all
staff, school board members, parents, and the community to be advocates for continual
improvement

@ = Isaligned with the school’s and the district’s strategic plan and is funded by a line item
in the budget

‘@~ Provides adequate time during the work day for staff members to learn and work
together to accomplish the school’s mission and goals

¢ Js an innovation in itself that requires study of the change process

PROCESS

Effective staff development...

w

Provides knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding organization development and
systems thinking

191 181



a

- After the Activity
Offer to help teachers find someone who will work with
them as a peer coach or partner, someone to talk with as
they implenient the new practices they learned.

#¢ Establish a way for participants to contact you with
questions. Be prepared to offer a refresher if asked.

@ = Talk with the principal about ways to improve the
transfer of new practices to the classroom and ways to
help teachers feel secure in taking the risks associated
with trying something new.

References and Readings

Reading More about Investing in Professional

Development

Block, J., Everson, S., & Guskey, T. (1995). School improve-
ment prograims: A handbook for educational leaders. New
York: Scholastic.

Corcoran, T. (Ed.). (1995). Transforming professional devel-
opment for teachers: A guidebook for state policymakers.
Washington, DC: National Governors’ Association.

Fullan, M. & Miles, G. (1992). Getting reform right: What
works and what doesn’t. Phi delta kappan, 73 (10),
744-752,

Hargreaves, A. (1994). Changing teachers, changing times:
Teachers’ work and culture in the postmodern age. Loudon:
Cassell.

Johnson, D. & Johnson, R. (1989). Cooperation and competi-
tion: Theory and research. Edina, MN: Interaction Books.

Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (1988). Student achicvement through
staff development. White Plains, NY: Longman.

Little, J. W. (1982). Norms of collegiality and experimenta-
tion: Workplace conditions of school success. American
educational research journal. 19 (3), 325-340.

National Education Commission on Time and Learning.
(1994). Prisoners of tine. Washington, DC: U. S. Govern-
ment Printing Office.

Pike, B. (1994, Spring). Your role in maximizing the training
investment. In-touch. Kaser International, 19.

Raywid, M. (1993). Finding time for collaboration. Ldutca-
tional leadership, 51(4), 30-35.

100

91

EE ———— st



SERVE Publications Ordering Information

1. Please complete the order form at the
end of the publications listing and mail
with check or purchase order to

SERVE
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Make check or purchase order out to
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administered by the University of
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Description Item # Price
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The 1998 SERVEing Young Children Specialty Area Annual Report ECAR2 $2.00
Achieving Your Vision of Professional Development HTAYV = $10.00
Action Research: Perspectives from Teachers’ Classrooms MSARP $12.00
Assessment HotSpots (Volume 1, Number 1) MAAHS $8.00
Assessment in Early Childhood Education: Status of the Issue ECESI $1.00
Blue Ribbon Conference Proceedings: Creating a Continuum of Excellence PCBRC — $7.00
A Call to Action: Family Involvement as a Critical Component of Teacher

Education Programs HTCTA — $6.00
The Charter School Review Process: A Guide for Chartering Entities SRCSR $8.00

196

187



Illustrating joint Work Using the Development/Improvement Model

Figure 5.1

Stages of the
Development /

A problem or need is
identified.

Improvement Model J

Joint-Work Activitics

A group of teachers who share the same students meet
to analyze student achicvement data and prioritize the
strengths and weakne: they find,

A plan of action to address
the problem or aed is
developed,

‘The teachers use a group problem-solving strategy to write
a problem statement, identify possible cuot causes, and
brainsform a list of corrective actions,

New skills aud/or knowl
edge needed to implement
the plan of action are
identified and plans for
acquiring them are added to
the plan of action.

Several study teams are formed to acquire new stalls and knowledge

uceded to put the corrective actions into place. One team will atlend a

workshop and train the remaining teachers once they have mastered

ill themselves. Other teams already possess other skills needed to

implement the new strategies, and they will share their expertise with
their fellow teachers ov a one-to-one basis.

The plan is implemented.

All teachers in the original group are involved in
‘They meet every other
and problenis.

implementing the new strategi
week to share success

The results of the plan's
implementation are
ed

assi

When the teachers have had adequate time to master the new strate-
gies and have been using them long enough for students to be im-
pacted, the group compares student achievement data with the original

data collected prior to the implementation of their plan.

108

References and Readings

Reading More about Providing Continual Assistance

Ashton, P. & Webb, R. (1986). Making a difference: Teachers’
sense of cfficacy and student achievement. New York:
Longman.

Fullan, M. & Stiegelbauer, 5. (1991). The new meaning of
educational change. New York: Teachers College Press.

Garmston, R. (1987). How administrators support peer
coaching. Educational leadership, 44(5), 18-26.

Guskey, ‘P. (1986). Staff development and the process of
teacher change. Mducational researcher, 15(5), 5-12.

Guskey, T. (1990, February). Integrating innovations.
Educational Leadership, 11-15.

i

dS

ie)
te



54

‘ Anaction plan or growth plan is developed and moni-
tored, sometimes through additional observations.

Analysis of an Observation/Assessment Project

Directions: Read this example of an observation/assess-
ment professio.l development project and talk through the
discussion questions that appear following the example.
Sample answers to each set of discussion questions appear at
the end of this chapter.

Elaine’s and Michael’s Higher-Order Question Project:

Two high school mathematics teachers, Elaine and Michael,
attended a workshop on using higher-order questions during
pre-planning. They agreed to use the observation/assess-
ment model to diagnose their current use of higher-order
questions and to monitor their growth in using this type of
question. Elaine suggested the observer use a legal pad to
record verbatim each question asked by the teacher being
observed. Then they would use the information they learned
at the workshop to identify the higher-order questions. In a
pre-observation conference before Michael’s lesson, he
explained to Elaine the sequence of activities and lesson
objectives so she could foctis on the questions he asked
during the lesson.

Before the observation, Elaine practiced writing down what
she heard by listening to an audiotape of her own teaching
so she would be sure to get an accurate record of Michael’s
questions. During the observation, Elaine concentrated on
recording the questions word for word. After the lesson, she
and Michael reviewed each question and classified it as
higher or lower order. Then she helped Michael draw some
conclusions about his use of higher-order questions and
create a plan to increase the ratio of higher-order to lower-
order questions. Elaine told Michael that listening to his use
of questions and trying to analyze them made it easier for
her to use higher-order questions in her own lessons.

Michael’s subsequent observation of Elaine’s teaching
revealed she was ising more higher-order questions than
she had expected to use. This seemed to be a result of her
work in observing Michael and conferencing with him
about his use of higher-order questions.

63



60

Before attending workshop training, you should join a study
group to provide peer support or peer coaching. The purpose
of peer coaching has traditionally focuséd on supporting the
implementation of new practices. However, Joyce and
Showers (1995) have defined the roles and purposes of peer
coaching to expand its purpose to include “building perma-
nent structures for collegial relationships....” Joyce and
Showers refer to these new practices as “peer-coaching
study teams” to set them apart from their earlier forms of
peer coaching. Peer-coaching study team members agree to
commit to three tasks:

# Sustained use of new practices that are being implemented
as a part of the professional development activities

@ Help and support of fellow teachers through shared
planning, setting objectives, and developing materials
and lesson plans

‘@ Collection of data on the implementation of new prac-
tices and the effects on student learning

Shared planning involves time for peer-coaching study teams
to talk about objectives and the types of lessons, activities,
and materials needed to reach those objectives. In such
interactions, you and your fellow team members reflect on
what you want your students to learn and identify ways to
“divide up the labor” involved in creating lesson plans and
materials. This shared planning is the primary activity of
peer-coaching study teams.

Joyce and Showers include observation among other activi-
ties for peer-coaching study teams, but they have redefined
the meaning of the term coach as it applies to classroom
observation. In such observations, “the one teaching is the
coach and the one observing is the coached” (Joyce and
Showers, 1995). Teachers teach each other by demonstrat-
ing their use of new practices. The observer benefits by
comparing the observed performance to demonstrations
provided during the original training and/or to his or her
own use of those strategies.

75



research-base that
proves the effectiveness

of the program in

producing student

learning, 2) a review of

the program to ensurc
it makes sense to
teachers, 3) its match
with student and
teacher needs, and 4)
its compatibility with
current practices,
programs, and policies.

Key Idea
Numerous models
exist for structuring
professional
development activities.
Each has strengths
and weaknesses
relative to specific
outcomes. No matter
which model is used,
the activities should
(1) focus on reducing
the gap between actual
and desired levels of
student achievement,
(2) involve
participanis in
identifying the content
and objectives, (3)

Continued

Make Sense

New practices must make sense to teachers. While it is not
necessary for teachers to be totally committed to a program
prior to training (Guskey, 1986), new practices that violate or
disregard teachers’ understanding of the principles of teach-
ing and learning are not likely to be used in the classroom.

Relevant to Needs

The content of professional development activities should
reflect the needs and interests of teachers and students.
Your needs can be identified effectively through self-assess-
ment. Needs identified through efforts to understand and
improve your own practice bring out the deepest commit-
ment to change and the most meaningful participation in
professional development activities (Duke, et al., 1994).

Student needs should he identified through the collective
study of student performance. Information sources for
identifying student needs include g-ades, discipline referrals,
standardized tests, teacher-made tests, and work samples.
Information from these sources can be analyzed more
readily by displaying the data in a table, chart, or graph that
breaks down the data by gender or race. The importance of
basing the selection of content for professional development
activities upon inquiry into student learning cannot be
overemphasized.

Five Ways to Learn

Sparks and Loucks-Horsley (1989) organized descriptions of
effective professional development strategies into models
that depict important attributes of each strategy. Each of
their models represents a set of assumptions about how
teachers learn. The models may also serve as patterns to
guide the design of professional development activities.

Individually-Guided

In this model, you and your fellow teachers design and
conduct learning experiences to meet identified needs. It
assumes that you are able to identify your own needs more
accurately. It places a high value on the motivation you and
your fellow teachers derive from setting your own objectives

20



150

reciprocal learning between seasoned, mentor teachers and
pre-professionals and new teachers was created.

Three objectives emerged from the model. 'I‘he first objec-
tive was to formulate a comprehensive staff development
continuuin addressing these six education#! strands:

Needs assessment and application strategies
Theory of learning

Curriculum and instruction

Planning and leadership

Technology

6. Evaluation and monitoring systems

DE oo

The second objective included creating a supportive Induc-
tion Year Program Model and a university Professional
Development Center for mentoring training and observa-
tion/feedback interaction among teachers. This is important
because educators who share research and ideas strengtl en
their own professionalism. In addition, collaboration among
schools, colleges, and businesses increases educator effec-
tiveness and builds professional knowledge. The third objec-
tive called for increasing parental and community involve-
ment in education to nurture a planned community of
learners. This is because LISD recognizes parents and con-
munity as essential members of the learning community.

Evidence of Success

‘The LISD plan views professional development as a career-
long process rather than small transferable tidbits of knowl-
edge handed out periodically. Faculty members at Lewisville
believe in ongoing learning for teachers, which is why they
have happily embraced LISD’s dynamic, constantly evolving
plan that promotes collaboration and focuses on intentional
improvement of professional skills.

Both qualitative and quantitative data and both formal and
informal means of assessment have heen collected to deter-
mine results of Lewisville’s investment in staff development.
Process evaluation ensures that problems are detected and
promptly fixed, and the product cvaluation tool is a manual

164



88

Principals or Professional Development Coordinators
Before the Activity

‘e

Make sure teachers’ input is used in the planning of the
activity. If they have completed a self-assessment, be sure
this information is provided to those who are planning
the activity. Touch pase with the presenters often.

Plan to attend the sessions yourself, and let others know
you will be there. Put announcements and reminders
where everyone can see them. Stop by and speak to each
person who has signed up, and let them know you are
pleased they will be participating.

Become familiar with the topics to be covered during the
activity. Find at least one article or book dealing with
the topics. Read it and share it with those who will be
attending the activity.

Keep a list of questions that come up as you read about
the topics. Discuss your questions with those who will
be attending this activity.

Plan your schedule carefully so that no last-minute
surprises will keep you from attending. Make sure
arrangements are made for all of the teachers who
signed up to attend.

Remind your direct supervisor you are attending the
activity.

During the Activity

e

@

Arrive early so you can be sure to find the room, and be
ready to start on time. Look for an agenda and other
materials that may be available for you-to pick up as you
enter the room. Greet others as they come in, and talk
about what you expect to learn.

Look over the agenda to see if the presenter has planned
to address any of the questions you thought of as you
prepared for the activity. Asking your questions at the
right time will help everyone get more out of the experi-
ence. Asking them at the wrong time could be distracting.

103



Teachers exercise shared responsibility for student learning effective teams.
through collective inquiry into how changes in curriculum Groups that view their
and instruction impact student learning, This form of study work as meaningful
is frequently referred to as “schoolwide action research.” It and challenging will

is defined by Calhoun and Allen (1996) as “cooper. tive,
disciplined inquiry by school faculti collective.” functioning and
The group develops or identifies an idea for a change (a new higher I ‘els of
strategy for teaching reading or a program for improving egner ov oS
thinking skills) and creates a plan to implement the innova- collegiality.
tion and test its effectiveness. The new practices are imple-

mented and their results studied. A colleetive decision is

made to continue or discontinue the new practices. ‘Then,

the faculty members begiu the process again with another

idea for improving student learning.

develop higher

Learning (o work as a team takes time. Study teams, like
niost groups. will move through several stages or phases as
they develop their working relationships (Tuckman, 1965 in
Johnson and Johnson, 1982). The first phase, forming,
involves getting the group members oriented to the purpose
of the group and the roles and tasks they will be expected to
fulfill, Expeet questions and some anxicty at this stage.

The next phase is called storming because group members
engage in conflicts as they clarify goals, start task assign-
ments, and work through feelings of confusion, [his
normal part of learning to work together. Groups that move
to the third stage, norming, begin to see an increase in
collegiality and trust. Confidence grows, and procedures no
longer scem arbitrary. Groups at this stage are productive,
and group members develop greater skill and understanding
related to the problem(s) being addressed.

The final phase is labeled performing. Collaboration and
shared leadership are more evident. The group’s focus is on
completing the task with a high degree of competence and
quality. They are more efficiett in their use of time and more
effective in applying interpersonal skills to group work.
Success leads to celebration, and completion may lead to the
end of that particular group’s work.

OR

he



@ ‘To improve the quality and effectiveness of feedback
provided to students about their writing

2

To develop writing assignments that motivate
students to invest greater effort in their writing

‘Teachers continued to meet for several weeks with a
district language arts specialist until they felt con.ident
that all of their objectives had been achieved. At their
final meeting, the teachers shared how much improve-
ment had resulted from their experimentation with the
new strategies they had learned. Their ratings of student
writing samples were much higher, and students seemed
more interested and enthusiastic about writing.

Self-assessient is a process in which you examine and
reflect upon important aspects of your work to make judg-
ments about the following:

¢ What you know and believe about teaching and learning

‘e ‘The competencies you are able to perform and how well
you perform them

@ Your roles and relationships as a member of your profession

a:

The impact of your teaching on students and student
achievement

Needs identified through teachers’ efforts to understand and

improve their own practice bring out the deepest commit-
ment to change and the most meaningful participation in
professional development activities. Duke, et al., (1994)
describe the impact of enabling teachers to identify profes-
sional development goals that are based on self-assessment
in this way:

When empowered to select professionally and personally

meaningful goals, our teachers demonstrated a wide
range of needs and interests, a strong commitment to
improving classroom effectiveness, and a keen sense of
collegiality and teamwork.

cv?
hems

Key Idea
Self-assessment is the
process of examining
your own knowledge,

Skills, attitudes,
interactions, and
performance in order
to make judgments
about their quality
that will guide your
efforts to improve.

39



84

«

District-funded projects and grants

a

School improvement funds
@ External agency grants and programs

Your initial efforts to secure funding should be aimed at
funds already designated for professional development at the
school or district level. Projects that cannot be funded
through these sources may require you to develop a grant
proposal or make a presentation to district staff or an
external agency. Guidelines for grant proposals are available
directly from the sponsoring agency. If you develop a presen-
tation designed to persuade a funding source to invest in a
professional development project, you should include the
following elements:

A statement of need (Supporting data might include an
analysis of student-performance trends or other evi-
dence that indicates the strength of the need. Visual aids
such as charts or graphs can add to the presentation but
should not overwhelm the audience with too much
detail.)

a

A clear statement of the purpose or objectives of the
project (including the results you expect the project to
produce)

= An outline of project activities (These should show an
efficient use of funds and list who is responsible for
carrying out each activity.)

@ A projected budget

A process for monitoring the activities and budget (This

should include conducting a summative evaluation at

the end of the project.)

@ A timeline (including a final report to the funding
source of the impact of the project)

99



Snyder, K. J. (1993). Competency development: Linking
restructuring goals to training and coaching. In Ander-
son, R. & Snyder, K. (Eds.), Clinical supervision: Coach-
ing for higher performance, Lancaster, PA: Technomics.

Sprinthall, N. & Sprinthall, L. (1983). The teacher as an
adult learner: A cognitive-development view. In Staff
development: The yearbook of the national society for the
study of education, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Reading More about Trying Something New

Hall, G. (1979). The concerns-based approach for facilitat-
ing change. Educational horizons, 57, 202-208.

Hord, S., Rutherford, W., Huling-Austin, L. & Hall, G.
(1987). Taking charge of change. Alexandria, VA: Asso-
ciation for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Reading More about Making a Wise Choice

Cawelti, G. (Ed.). (1995). Handbook of research on improving
student achievement. Arlington, VA: Educational Re-
search Service.

Duke, D., Hall, A., Hargadine, D., Randall, A., Rose, D.,
Russell, J., Steinburg, P., Struthers, D., & Yoshida, J.
(1994). Journeys of discovery: Promoting teacher profes-
sional growth in Washington state. Federal Way, WA:
Washington Education Association.

Guskey, T. (1986). Staff development and the process of
teacher change. Educational researcher, 15(5), 5-12.

Guskey, T. & Sparks, D. (1991, Novemher). What to con-
sider when evaluating staff development. Educational
leadership, 73-75.

Met, M. (1995). Foreign Language. In Cawelti, G. (Ed.),
Handbook of research on improving student achievement.
Arlington, VA: Educational Research Service.

National Staff Development Council (1995). Standards for
staff development. Oxford, OH: author.

Reading More about Five Ways to Learn

Joyce, B. & Showers, B. (1995). Student achievement through
staff development. (2nd ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman.

Showers, B., Murphy, C., & Joyce, B. (1996). In Joyce, B. &
Calhoun, E. (Eds.), Learning experiences in school re-
newal: An exploration of five successful programs. Eugene,
OR: Clearinghouse on Educational Management.

aa 37

21



158

a

expanded, professional development has matured from
content-specific improvements to enhancements of the
whole instructional program.

In 1993, the Georgia Department of Education offered each
of the 1,800 schools in the state a chance to apply for a
group merit pay/incentive grant, entitled Pay-for-Perfor-
mance (PfP). Applicants were asked to address four sec-
tions: academic achievement, client involvement, educa-
tional programming, and resource development. Over 100
schools applied, and Shallowford Falls was one of ten
schools that received grant monies.

During the 1993-94 school year, the school targeted math
and science; in 1994-95, the emphasis was on socia! studies;
and from 1995-1998, the school has focused on reading and
language. A great deal of time has been given to reading and
language, and teachers have attended numerous professional
development inservices and conferences on reading and
language because studies have shown that all curricular
areas are affected by a student’s reading capacity and devel-
opment. During the 1997-98 school year, the faculty decided
to be trained in “Frameworks,” a balanced literacy reading
model. The model was used to design a consistent philoso-
phy/approach for the teaching of reading comprehension,
language arts/vocabulary development, writing composition,
and spelling.

In addition, many activities for marketing the school’s
literacy and communication goals include student participa-
tion in:

@ = Reading Awards

= The Writing Fair

ge

Daily Oral Language

‘@ The Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Writing and Drama Clubs

A student newsletter

1%e



Chapter 7

The 1998 National Awards Program
for Model Professional Development

by Christy Casbon

Honoring these schools fits with this administration’s continuing effor to ensure a talented,

dedicated, and well-prepared teacher in every classroom.

n 1996, The U.S. Department of Education established

the National Awards Program for Model Professional

Development to highlight and reward schools and
school districts with superlative professional development
programs. The purpose of developing this national recogni-
tion program was to honor excellence in education by
identifying individual schools and sc ‘100 districts that have
raised achievement through continuous professional devel-
opment and clearly understand that professional develop-
ment must begin and end with a focus on improving student
achievement. The program received a multitude of impres-
sive applications from schools and districts that were com-
mitted to excellence in education. Ultimately, eight out-
standing schools and districts were named.

@ Ganado Intermediate School, Ganado, Arizona

# Geneva City Schools, Geneva, New York

# H.D. Hilley Elementary School, El Paso, Texas
® Hungerford School, Staten Island, New York

@ Internationa! High School at LaGuardia Community
College. Long Island City, New York

3EST COPY AVAILABLE
137

— Dr. Richard Riley
U.S. Secretary of Education

123



and using self-directed learning to achieve them. The follow- help participants

ing basic steps make up this model: develop a theoretical as
well as practical
A need or interest is identified by an individual or group. understanding of the
new practices, (4)
A plan for mecting that need or exploring the topic is include follow-up and

developed, and objectives are identified. support, and (5) be

. : ae . linked to a
©) Learning activities are designed and completed. .
comprehensive change

« An assessment is conducted to determine if the objec- process that focuses on
tives were met. student learning.

Table 1.2

of Concern and Appropriate Assistance

Stage of Concern Example Appropriate Assistance
; Q-— Awareness 1 am not concerned Involve this person in discussions about the
i with this change. change; share enough information to arouse
t interest, but don’t overwhelm them.
; 1—Informational 1 would like to know more Use a variety of ways to share information;
H about this change. whelp this person sec how the change
i relates to current practices.
t
t 2-—Personal How will this change Let the person know everyone feels these kinds
i affect me? of concerns; conuect him or her with those
H whose personal concerns have diminished.
: 3—Management 1am spending all my Provide answers that address specific “how-to”

time getting teady for the issues; demonstrate exact and practical solutions.
next lesson.

4—Consequence Slow is my use of these Provide opportunities for the teacher (o visit
lew practices affecting other settings where the practices are in use;

my students? encourage a study team to look at the effective-
ness of the practices.

5—Collaboration Lam concerned about Bring together others who are interested in
relating what I am doing collaboration; use these people to provide
with what other teachers technical assistance to someone who needs help.

are doing.

6—Refocusing have an idea that might Encourage this person to experiment with
work even better. his or her ideas.



50

development. This type of professional development as-
sumes that you are able to diagnose your own needs more
accurately than can be done by others. It also assumes you
are capable of designing activities that will enable you to
achieve your objectives. It places a high value on the motiva-
tion you derive from using self-assessment to determine
your own learning objectives and using self-directed learn-
ing to achieve them. An additional benefit is the customized
nature of the activities. Because you design them yourself,
the activities can be tailored to your specific needs, context,
or learning style.

If there is a downside to individually-guided professional
development, it is the amount of time you must spend in
diagnosing needs and planning learning activities. Yet it is
these tasks that produce a major portion of the benefit you
derive from using this model.

The following are the basic steps or elements that make up
individually-guided professional development activities:

‘ A need or point of interest is identified by an individual
or group. This is accomplished through the study of
student learning, teacher self-assessment, or a combina-
tion of the two processes.

¢ A plan for meeting that need or exploring the topic of
interest is developed, including objectives that describe
changes that will result from the study or what the
participants hope to learn. The objectives may be ex-
pressed as changes in student learning or teacher prac-
tices or beliefs.

we

Learning activities are designed, planned, and completed
by the individual or group. These may be self-study
activities, training sessions, and/or joint work projects.

€ An assessment is conducted to determine if the partici-
pants met their objectives. I’hat is, what were the
changes in student learning or teacher performance?



ew.

the same way as the instrmment mentioned previously; it is a
guide for developing your own evaluation process.

A sample grid is provided for your review, and a blank grid
is included for use in evaluating your own professional
development activities.

Key Questions to Guide the Evaluation of Professional Development Activities

Figure 6.1

Evaluating the Impact of Professional Development

Sample Grid

Target or What need will How was this need What change is How will this
Group this activity measured? this activity change be
address? intended ta measured?
produce?
Teachers Teachers need A survey was Teachers will be A large sample of
training and conducted in which able to use the teachers will be
practice in strate- | teachers prioritized | identified strategics | interviewed using
gies proven to be their professional with a high degree the “Levels of
effective in improv- | development uecds. of effectiveness. Use” instrument
ing reading Training and from the “Con-
achievenient for at- | practice in reading cerns-Based
risk students. strategies for at-risk Adoption Model”
students was the materials,
highest-rated need.
Students Student achieve- A norm-referenced Reading achieve- The same norm-
ment in reading achievement test is ment of at-risk referenced test
among at-risk given to all students students will will continue to
students has each spring, Scores improve. be given cach
declined for three of | f > at-risk students spring and the
the past four years. were broken out results broken
and analyzed to out to reveal the
reveal this trend. achievement for
at-risk students
as a sub-group.
Organization The school needs to | Test scores of at- The school will Test scores will
be responsive to the risk students improve its he disaggregated,
needs of all declined while awareness of and and the perfor-
students. scores of other responsiveness to mance of all sub-
groups improved or the needs of all groups will be
remained stable. students. identified and
. analyzed.

120

BEST COPY AVAILABLE
134



104

er

guiding principles. Sharing goes beyond asking for and/or
giving advice in that it can provide a broader, more in-depth
look at teaching styles and classroom decisionmaking.

Sharing may vary in how it is structured and what it pro-
duces. That is, sharing may arise from a need felt by teach-
ers or be mandated by the department or team Icader,
principal, or district staff. Teachers may share their materi-
als and ideas liberally, or they may keep their “best stuff” to
themselves, Others may view sharing as a way to compete
with other teachers to see who has the best ideas. Yet, with
all of these possible shortcomings, sharing retains potential
for influencing teacher motivation and practice that is
greater than either storytelling or aid and assistance.

Joint Work as Collaboration

Joint work requires a deeper level of collaboration. When
you share responsibility for multiple aspects of teaching
such as planning, problem-solving, curriculum development,
and assessment of student progress, you are participating in
joint work. The product of this joint work may be the
selection of a course of action all will follow or a list of
principles that will guide the actions of individual teachers.
For example, teachers at a middle school observed that
students’ ability to understand what they read in their
textbooks was decreasing each year. They outlined a plan to
investigate this decline and to develop a schoolwide re-
sponse. They met regularly during the investigation into the
problem to share insights they had gained. The plan they
created involved every teacher in providing support to
students through pre-reading activities and other ideas for
teaching reading in the various content areas. Student
progress was monitored and the feedback shared with all
teachers. The collective nature of the original concern, the
investigation and the action taken make this an example of
joint work.

Teachers are motivated to participate in joint work when
they feel success cannot be achieved by individual teachers
acting independently. This is in conflict with widely ac-
cepted norms of autonomy for individual teachers. In joint
work, your actions may be examined by others in a way that

118



106

consensus had been reached on wording that was mea-
surable, without being too restrictive for those teachers
who preferred a more open-ended way of assessing
objectives.

The group saw from the decisions made at the first
meeting some procedural guidelines might be helpful.
‘They agreed consensus would be the goal for all deci-
sions, but if consensus was not possible, the two depart-
ment chairs and the assistant principal for instruction
would try to reach a compromise. Despite the minor
conflict over the wording of the objectives, there was a
great deal of enthusiasni being generated by the project.
‘Teachers from each department were excited about what
they were learning from their colleagues. They began to
realize there had been little communication between the
two groups prior to this project, and they wanted to
continue to learn from each other even after this unit
was complcted. Even with this excitement, some of the
teachers were experiencing a certain amount of awk-
wardness at sharing their ideas in a forum where they
might receive criticism. For many, placing their practices
and suggestions for new practices out for open review
was quite frightening.

At subsequent meetings, the activities and materials that
would comprise the unit began to take shape. They
continued to experience a mixture of conflict and coop-
eration as they worked through the planning of the unit.
As the teaching phase of the unit approached, some
teachers began to feel uncomfortable that their col-
leagues were prescribing how certain activities would be
conducted. Also, the timing of many of the activities was
decided by the group so a logical and necessary sequence
would be followed. This caused further concern for
those teachers who were accustomed to near complete
control over their own planning and teaching. Because
the group had established a policy of openness from the
outset, these teachers felt little reluctance to express
their concerns at the next team meeting. The discussion
that followed was an intense exploration of what it



vi

Figure 5.1

Illustrating Joint Work Using the Development/Improvement Model ........eceseereeeee 108
Activity 5.1
Evaluating the Continual Assistance Provided to You ...... + 109

Activity 6.1
Practice in Evaluating Potential Professional Development Programis.....

Figure 6.1

Evaluating the Impact of Professional Development



Activity 4.|
Finding Additional Time

Finding More Time for Professional Development
Our Guiding Principles: No reduction in instructional time, no increase in use of substitutes, no sacrifice of
academic learning time

The grid that follows was used hy teachers at an elementary school to brainstorm ways to find additional time fo.
professional development.

Directions: Read over the sample grid. Use the blank grid to come up with your own categories (you may use any or all of
the ones on the sample grid), and then brainstorm some possible actions to obtain additional time for your own profes-

sional development activities. Remember, in brainstorming, it is the quantity of ideas that count. The more ideas you come
up with, the better the chances of coming up with ideas that will really be effecuve.

Categories of
Solutions

Possible Ways to Get More Time for Teachers (Elementary)

Rework or rotate
the schedule

Place art, music, and PE classes
next to lunch period to give

teachers extended non-contact

time at least three times per w

Dismiss students directly from
art, music, and PE at the end of
the day rather than returning to
their regular classrooms to give
classroom teachers extended
non-contact time.

Rotate ideas 1 and 2
30 that all teachers
will have extended
non-contact time at
least part of the
school year.

Share
responsibilities

Share extracurricular duties so
that half of the teachers are “duty-
free” at any given time.

Look for projects or activities in
which two classes can be supervised
by one teacher and a non-
instructional staff member.

Obtain additional
resources

Write grants to pay for stipends
for teachers to participate in
professional development
evenings and weekends.

Recruit parent and
community volunteers to
do non-instructional duties
such as photocopying and filing.

Extend teachers’
day

Dismiss teachers 30 minutes early
two days per week to gain an
extra hour on a third day.

Extend teachers’
year

Ask school beard to put money
saved on substitutes into a fund to
pay for an extra day or two of
professional development.

Explore use of distance
learning to provide additional
instructional time.

Improve
efficiency

Form a “process study team”
to look at various procedures
and create ways to save
time and moncy.

82

97



learning experiences.
Having visible models

having worked through
them yourself, makes
it far easier to design

similar experiences for

26

Key idea
Participation in a
thriving learning

community will
provide you with
higher-quality

of these types of
experiences, and

your students.

Teachers “...learn by doing, reading, and reflecting (just as
students do); by collaborating with other teachers; by
looking closely at students and their work; and by sharing
what they see” (Darling-Hammond and McLaughlin, 1995)
This description of how teachers learn is corroborated by a
list of sources teachers rely upon to provide the knowledge
and skills they need to be successful (Smylie, 1989). The
following were the four highest-rated sources:

@ Direct experience as a teacher (learning by doing)

@ Consultation with other teachers (collaborating with
other teachers)

‘é Study and research pursued on one’s own (reading and
reflecting)

* Observation of other teachers (sharing what they see)

A learning community offers opportunities for you and
your fellow teachers to engage in joint work (Little, 1990).
This type of collaboration involves teachers in shared
responsibility for important aspects of teaching. It can begin
with a collective concern which prods you and your col-
leagues to collective investigation and leads to collective
action.

The concept of continual improvement assumes you will
continue the examination and refinement of your skills
throughout your career and that you will always be involved
with vour colleagues in looking for better ways to teach.
Learning communities view continual improvement as a
normal part of life. They expect the members of the commu-
nity, you and your fellow teachers, to be committed to and
participate in this ongoing cycle of collective investigation
and action.

Students in a learning community have before them a
consistent model of litelong learning. They see significant
adults seek out learning opportunities, put substantial effort
into those experiences, and enjoy the satisfaction of acquir-
ing useful, new knowledge. The kind of thoughtful inqui-y

Az



148

Lewisville Independent School District

Lewisville, Texas
All employees in the district are included in the district's
professional development program.

‘There are three high schools, ten middle schools, 27 elemen-
tary schools, one career center, and one alternative/at-risk
center in the Lewisville Independent School District (LISD).
The district, serving 32,500 students and located in a highly
populated portion of suburban north Texas, is the fastest
growing district in the state. During the last ten years,
enrollment has increased an average of 1,100 students per
year, but this colossal growth has not precluded LISD from
emerging as a leader in managing growth while maintaining
high academic standards. Recognizing that the number of
students was expanding and estimating that enrollment
would continue to grow indefinitely, LISD established a
long-term professional development plan that would be
responsive to student needs. The comprehensive, needs-
based staff development mode} is a dynamic, multidimen-
sional continuum, which allows teachers to enter at varying
levels, correspondent with need. It was important to design
such a model since 400-500 new teachers could conceivably
be incorporated into the system each year. (Incidentally,
approximately 1,300 teachers were added in a consecutive
three-year period several years ago.)

The district’s ongoing goal is to enhance education through
partnerships with parents, communities, and universities
and thus produce a learning environment that allows all
students to meet challenging academic standards. Other
goals include increasing awareness and sensitivity to differ-
ences among staff and students.

Components of the Program

Lewisville Independent School District recognized that it
was imperative to provide an instructional setting that
encourages and allows all students to reach their full educa-
tional potential. When developing the plan, however, LISD
kept its feet firmly planted in reality. The district knew that
nothing could be improved by a quick fix—especially in



development activities. For example, a well-designed training
activity will include a clear and specific presentation of the
theory that supports the new practices, modeling or demon-
strations, practice for participants in a low-risk environ-
ment, and coaching or other forms of support during appli-
cation in the your classroom.

Here are some questions to guide your evaluation of pro-

gram quality:

é Which model of professional development was used to
design the program?

Is this model appropriate for the intended outcomes?
‘= Are all elements of the model included?

‘@ Does the program’s design include inquiry into how
learning can be improved?

‘@ Does the program’s design have a problem-solving focus?

Evaluating Context Factors

Context factors such as the level of support and trust that
surrounds you when you are implementing the new prac-
tices, the amount of continual assistance that is provided,
and the presence of collaboration and collegiality impact the
success of professional development activities (Little, 1982).
For example, a program that depends on collaborative
planning among teachers who share the same students
might not be implemented as effectively at your school if
your schedule does not include time for such activities.

The following are questions to guide your evaluation of
context factors:

® What actions demonstrate the extent of the faculty’s
shared responsibility for student learning?

# How and when is time provided for professional devel-
opment activities, especially joint-work activities?

12g

Hs



®

Participate actively and encourage others to do so. If you
are given opportunities to practice new skills, use those
opportunities to get feedback from others on how well
you are able to follow the model that was presented.
Teachers will appreciate that you are willing to try new
ideas in front of them and others.

Think about how the topic could be applied by your
teachers. Make notes to help you remember as much as
possible. During breaks, ask others how they plan to
apply what they are learning.

Write out what you intend to do to help teachers put
what they have learned into practice in their classrooms.

Afier the Activity

‘€

Help teachers find someone who will work with them as
a peer coach or partner as they implement the new
practices they learned.

Think about how to break down the new practices into
manageable pieces, so teachers can put them into action

on a planned schedule.

Give teachers an opportunity to share what they learned
with others on your faculty.

Go over the session evaluations.

Presenters or Facilitators

A

Be:

fore the Activity

Make sure teachers’ input is used in the planning of the
activity. If they have completed a self-assessment, be sure
this information is provided to you in time to put it to use
in planning. Tailor your presentation to the group.

Practice modeling the skills you will be presenting. Ask
someone to watch you and give you feedback on how
well your performance matches the model. Read as
much as you can about the skills you will be presenting
so you are knowledgeable as well as experienced in
using them. Anticipate the questions you will be asked,

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89



# Reinforce leadership that emphasizes problem-solving
over problem-hiding or assigning blame. Speak positively
about efforts to experiment with new ways of teaching
and new approaches to solving long-standing problems.

‘@ Encourage shared responsibility for student learning.
Collaborative planning and teaming are strong methods
for developing shared responsibility.

‘é Engage in collective inquiry and collective action. It is
likely that your fellow teachers are working to solve the
same problems you face in your classroom. Bring your
concerns and questions out in the open and tackle them
as a group. Then share th. results openly.

Little (1996) identifies “traditions of privacy and individual-
ism” as an aspect of a school’s professional culture that
create roadblocks to teacher learning. These norms make it
harder for teachers to talk with candor about their teaching
practices and the values and beliefs which guide them. A
school culture based on these norms will make teachers
reluctant to ask for advice or offer insights that might be
construed as criticism. Here, collegiality and collaboration
stop at the classroom door. Teachers in these schools feel
isolated and unsure of whether their practices are as effec-
tive as they could be, but they are constrained to continue
without the help of their peers. Seeking help by revealing
your own teaching practices or offering help by appearing to
look at the practices of others is strictly forbidden.

These three suggestions will serve you well in supporting an
ongoing learning community in your school.

1. Build on the belief that all members of the school’s
faculty share responsibility for student learning.
Schools in which the culture supports this belief provide
teachers with strong incentives to learn and to help
others learn. When you are involved in the “...system-
atic, sustained, collective study of student werk...,” you
expand how you learn from your own teaching. You go
beyond the informal trial-and-error that occurs in day-
to-day teaching. You and your fellow teachers should

a)

Key idea
You can support the
continued success of a
learning community
in your school ky
building on the belief
that you and your
fellow teachers share
responsibility for
student learning, by
spending time together
dealing with
professional issues,
and by demonstrating
leadership that builds
consensus on
important issues.

29