ERIC ED470231: Professional Development in Learning-Centered Schools.

187 Pages·1997·3.4 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
SP 041 159
ED 470 231
Caldwell, Sarah DeJarnette, Ed.
AUTHOR
Professional Development in Learning-Centered Schools.
TITLE
National Staff Development Council, Oxford, OH.
INSTITUTION
1997-00-00
PUB DATE
186p.
NOTE
National Staff Development Council, P.O. Box 240, Oxford, OH
AVAILABLE FROM
45056. Tel: [phone].
Collected Works
General (020)
PUB TYPE
EDRS Price MF01/PC08 Plus Postage.
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Administrator Role; Central Office Administrators; Databases;
DESCRIPTORS
Decision Making; Educational Environment; Elementary
Secondary Education; *Faculty Development; *Inservice Teacher
Education; Knowledge Base for Teaching; Principals; Teacher
Improvement; Teacher Knowledge; Teacher Leadership
Subject Content Knowledge
IDENTIFIERS
ABSTRACT
This collection of papers reports on the emerging thinking in
staff development and organizational learning in schools and districts,
framing issues which have critical implications for staff development. There
"Context," features:
(1) "School
are 10 papers in four sections. Section 1,
Reform Requires a New Form of Staff Development" (Dennis Sparks). Section 2,
"New Roles in the School as a Learning Organization," includes:
(2) "Site-
"Broadening the Concept of
Based Development" (Steven R. Thompson);
(3)
"The Principal's Role and Staff
Teacher Leadership" (Michael G. Fullan);
(4)
"New Roles for Central Office
Development" (Jim LaPlant); and (5)
Administration in School-Based Change and Staff Development" (Fred H. Wood).
"Shifting Rules,
Section 3, "Process and Content of Learning," offers:
(6)
Shifting Roles: Transforming the Work Environment to Support
"Teacher
Learning" (Arthur L. Costa, Lauren Lipton, and Bruce Wellman);
(7)
Content Knowledge: Impact on Teaching and Learning" (Randy Schenkat and
"Putting It All Together: Integrating Educational
Kathie Tyser); and (8)
"Building Capacity Within the System,"
Innovations" (Tom Guskey). Section 4,
(9) "Data-Based Decision Making" (Jon C. Marshall) and (10)
includes:
"Leadership for Professional Development: Essential Arenas of Work and.
Learning" (Margaret Arbuckle). (Chapters contain references.)
(SM)
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Professional Development in Learning-Centered Schools
Edited by Sarah DeJarnette Caldwell
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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Office of Educational Research and
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improve reproduction quality
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)
Points of view or opinions stated in
this document do not necessarily
1
represent official OERI position or
policy.
2
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NSDC MISSION
To ensure success for all students by serving as the international network for
those who improve schools and by advancing individual and organization
development.
NSDC BELIEFS
We believe that:
change creates opportunities for growth
the primary purpose of staff development is school improvement as mea-
sured by success of every student
staff development is fundamental to school improvement
all educators share the responsibility for both individual and organizational
growth
trust is vital for individual and organization development
individuals and organizations are responsible for defining and achieving
standards of excellence
effective staff development is based on theory, research, and proven prac-
tice
diversity strengthens
expectations influence accomplishment
example is a powerful teacher
collaboration within the school, community, students, families, community
members, and staff is essential for school improvement and accelerated stu-
dent success,
effective staff development honors differences in learners by using various
approaches to learning
staff development is responsible for organization development and individ-
ual development
staff development is critical for all those who affect student learning
Copyright 1997 by the National Staff Development Council. All rights reserved. No
part of this publication by be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means
for profit-making purposes. However, permission is granted to reproduce portions
which are to be used as reference materials for instructional purposes.
3
Professional
Development in
Learning-Centered
Schools
Edited by
Sarah DeJarnette Caldwell
1997
National Staff Development Council
P.O. Box 240
Oxford, Ohio 45056
[phone]
4
National Staff Development Council
BOARD OF TRUSTEES (1996)
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dennis Sparks
Joanne Quinn (President)
1124 W. Liberty St.
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103
University of Toronto
[phone]
Toronto, Ontario
ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Kathryn Blumsack
Stephanie Hirsh
Montgomery County Public Schools
7602 Kilmichael
Rockville, Maryland
Dallas, Texas 75248
[phone]
Sandee Crowther
Lawrence Public Schools
DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS
Lawrence, Kansas
Joan Richardson
1128 Nottingham Rd.
Kathy Harwell
Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan 48230
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD
[phone]
Grapevine, Texas
BUSINESS OFFICE/MEMBERS SERVICES
Ted Haynie
Shirley Havens, Business Manager
Calvert County Schools
P.O. Box 240
Lusby, Maryland
Oxford, Ohio 45056
[phone]
Joellen Killion
Adams County/Five Star Schools
JOURNAL OF STAFF DEVELOPMENT
Northglenn, Colorado
Paul R. Burden, Editor
Kansas State University
Rosie O'Brien Vojtek
17 Bluemont Hall
Oregon City School District
Manhattan, Kansas 66506-5301
Oregon City, Oregon
[phone]
Steve Wlodarczyk
South Windsor Public Schools
South Windsor, Connecticut
COVER DESIGN
Marsha Jensen
COVER PHOTO
Margie Grant teaches fourth grade at
Rawsonville Elementary School in Ypsilanti,
Michigan. The school is in the Van Buren
Public School District.
Printed by Mainline Printing, Topeka, Kansas
(Photo by Patricia Beck.)
Table of Contents
Foreward
1
Section OneContext
2
School Reform Requires a New Form of Staff Development
1.
Dennis Sparks
Section TwoNew Roles in the School as a Learning Organization
2.
Site-Based Development
12
Steven R. Thompson
34
3.
Broadening the Concept of Teacher Leadership
Michael G. Fullan
50
4.
The Principal's Role and Staff Development
Jim La Plant
64
5.
New Roles for Central Office Administration in School-Based
Change and Staff Development
Fred H. Wood
Section ThreeProcess and Content of Learning
6.
Shifting Rules, Shifting Roles: Transforming the Work Environment
92
to Support Learning
Arthur L. Costa, Laura Lipton, and Bruce Wellman
Teacher Content Knowledge: Impact on Teaching and Learning
7. 116
Randy Schenkat and Kathie Tyser
8.
130
Putting It All Together: Integrating Educational Innovations
Tom Guskey
Section FourBuilding Capacity Within the System
9.
150
Data-Based Decision Making
Jon C. Marshall
10. Leadership for Professional Development: Essential
168
Arenas of Work and Learning
Margaret Arbuckle
6
Foreward
staff development and orga-
the basis for a new book.
In 1989, the National
nizational learning in
Consequently, we asked the
Staff Development Council
schools and districts. It
authors to frame their dis-
published Staff
frames issues which have
cussions around leading-
Development: A Handbook
critical implications for
edge thinking which dealt
of Effective Practices.
staff development. These
with learning organizations,
Providing a broad overview
ideas also can form the
learning-centered schools,
of "best practices" in staff
basis for discussion about
and collaborative develop-
development, it described
new directions for staff
ment. This content adds to
the context for effective
development that will take
and extends the knowledge
staff development and
us into the next century.
of effective practices.
delineated support roles for
I would like to acknowl-
Specifically, we focused on:
policy makers and leaders.
edge the direction and guid-
shifts in thinking about
It also discussed the "nuts
ance provided by Dennis
school improvement which
and bolts" of designing and
Sparks, NSDC Executive
bring about changes in how
evaluating staff develop-
Director, as we conceptual-
staff development is con-
ment activities.
ized the handbook and as
ceived and implemented
As "how to" material,
we made critical content
(e.g., teacher professional-
the 1989 handbook contin-
decisions along the way. I
ism, result-driven plan-
ues to support the growing
also wish to recognize the
ning).
number of professionals
special work of Paul
shifts in roles and
who lead and direct staff
Burden, Journal of Staff
responsibilities in learning
development programs in
Development editor, for his
and school reform (e.g.,
schools and districts across
contribution to the final
teacher decision making,
the country. It is also used
phases of technical editing
leadership support).
to inform district and school
and production, and of
new models which guide
decision makers regarding
Marsha Jensen for the cover
designs for professional
best practices.
design and layout.
learning (e.g., construc-
When re-examining the
tivism, an emphasis on con-
handbook for a possible
Sarah DeJarnette Caldwell
update, we soon realized
tent).
Editor
tools and leadership for
that we were dealing with
building the capacity for
important new directions in
continuous improvement
staff development that took
(e.g., data-based decision
us beyond mere revision. It
making, creating a learning
was apparent that emerging
culture).
learnings regarding staff
This handbook reports
development and instruc-
on the emerging thinking in
tional reform should form
1
Chapter
School Reform Requires a New
Form of Staff Development
Dennis Sparks
the ways students learn
Darling-Hammond, and
hatever it
and the ways teachers
Milbrey McLaughlin
was called
learn: "...people learn
have called for a new
over the
best through active
form of professional
past 20
involvement and through
development (the terms
yearsinservice educa-
thinking about and
staff development and
tion, staff development,
becoming articulate about
professional development
professional develop-
what they have learned.
will be used interchange-
ment, or human resource.
Processes, practices, and
developmentit most
ably throughout this
policies that are built on
chapter). Lieberman
often meant that educa-
this view of learning are
(1995) argues for a "radi-
tors (usually teachers) sat
at the heart of a mpre
cal rethinking" of profes-
relatively passively while
expanded view of teacher
sional development if
an "expert" "exposed"
development that encour-
school reform is to be
them to new ideas or
ages teachers to involve
successful. "What every-
"trained" them in new
themselves as learners -
one appears to want for
practices. The success of
in much the same way as
studentsa wide array of
this endeavor was typical-
they wish their students
learning opportunities
ly judged by a "happiness
would" (p.592).
that engage students in
quotient" that measured
Constructing a contin-
experiencing, creating,
participants' satisfaction
uum of practices that
and solving real prob-
with the experience and
encourage teachers'
lems, using their own
their assessment regard-
growth, Lieberman
experiences, and working
ing its usefulness in their
with othersis for some
describes the movement
work.
from "direct teaching"
reason denied to teachers
Recognizing the link
(the current dominant
when they are learners,"
between staff develop-
mode of training-focused
Lieberman observes (p.
ment and successful edu-
professional develop-
cational change, leading
591).
ment) to "learning in
Lieberman points out
school reformers such as
school" to "learning out
the similarities between
Ann Lieberman, Linda
2
8
School Reform Requires a New
Form of Staff Development
suggest
of school." "Because
that staff
`direct-teaching' currently
Recognizing the link between staff develop-
develop-
dominates much of what
ment and successful educational change,
ment that
the public and many dis-
leading school reformers such as Ann
is linked
tricts consider staff devel-
Lieberman, Linda Darling-Hamniond, and
to a
opment," Lieberman
reform
argues, "it is important
Milbrey McLaughlin have called for a new
agenda
that teachers, administra-
form of professional development.-
must sup-
tors, and policy makers
port a
become aware of new and
learner-
broader conceptions of
complex subject matter
centered view of teaching
professional develop-
from the perspective of
and a career-long concep-
ment" (p. 592).
diverse students" (p.
tion of teachers' learning.
Lieberman believes
597), and point out that
"The success of this agen-
that "...teachers must
understanding cannot be
da," they write, "ultimate-
have opportunities to dis-
developed just through
ly turns on teachers'
cuss, think about, try out,
traditional top-down
success in accomplishing
and hone new practices"
teacher training strategies
the serious and difficult
through taking new roles
that are limited to teach-
tasks of learning the
(e.g., teacher researcher),
ers' acquisition of new
skills and perspectives
creating new structures
knowledge and skills.
assumed by new visions
(e.g., problem-solving
"Professional develop-
of practice and unlearn-
groups), working on new
ment today," they write,
ing the practices and
tasks (e.g., creating stan-
"also means providing
beliefs about students and
dards), and by creating a
occasions for teachers to
instruction that have
culture of inquiry. "What
reflect critically on their
dominated their profes-
characterizes these exam-
practice and to fashion
sional lives to date. Yet
ples of professional learn-
new knowledge and
few occasions and little
ing," Lieberman writes,
beliefs about content,
support for such profes-
"is that their lifespan is
pedagogy, and learners"
sional development exist
not one or two days.
(p. 597).
in teachers' environ-
Instead, they become part
Fortunately, a new
ments" (p. 597).
of the expectations for
form of staff development
Darling-Hammond
teachers' roles and form
is being fashioned by irre-
and McLaughlin (1995)
an integral part of the cul-
sistible forces that are
seek a form of profession-
ture of a school" (p. 593).
currently at work in edu-
al development that pre-
Darling-Hammond
cation. History teaches
. to see
pares teachers ".
and McLaughlin (1995)
3
e