We show that teachers can take a lead role in education research by showing them how to take a reflective stance on what goes on in their classroom and how to learn from that. Those insights can be formalized and shared with other members of the educational community. Clark helps provide teachers who are already practicing with tools for examining their own teaching practices. Another mission of the Center is to enlist Worcester teachers in the education of new teachers. Faculty at Clark collaborate with teachers to develop some common ground about what constitutes good teaching and learning.
Teachers practicing in the community become key collaborators in Clark's education program.
For example, Julia is working with a teacher who has been participating for a number of years on a math curriculum team sponsored by the Hiatt Center that includes Clark faculty and other Worcester teachers. I did my student teaching at Sullivan Middle School here in Worcester, one of the schools that partners with the Hiatt Center. There are 1000 kids at Sullivan, and they're divided into teams of 100 students. Each team is divided into four groups. Each team stays in their own part of the school and each of the four groups rotates between the math teacher, science teacher, history teacher, etc.