PDS Partnerships: Promoting Teacher Leaders

1. PDS Partnerships: Promoting Teacher Leaders Ms. Rachel Gemo, Principal Ms. Nancy Meskel, 1st grade teacher St. Benedict School, Chicago, IL A DePaul University PDS Partner 2008 Professional Development Schools National Conference April 10-13, 2008 Orlando, Florida

2. Presentation Overview • Give background info of St. Benedict Elementary School (SBES) PDS partnership with DePaul University • What the PDS Partnership means for SBES • How the PDS Partnership has increased teacher leadership at SBES • Questions and Comments

3. St. Benedict School Background as a DePaul PDS School • Chicago, IL • 430 PK-8 students • DePaul University • 1 of 7 PDS partners • 5 elem schools (2 are Catholic) • 2 high schools • Joined partnership in 2004-05

4. DePaul University PDS ProgramLINK-INitiative • Learning, • Inquiring, • Networking, • and Knowing • through Integration, Innovation, and Induction

5. Main DePaul LINK-INitiativePDS Partnership Goals • focus on the individual teacher, the classroom context, communities of support for teacher change, and collegial inquiry; • support study team efforts with a multifaceted network of colleagues, Core Teams, interns, and University faculty partners; • facilitate collegial relationships among university faculty, leverages university resources, and creates opportunities to conduct and learn from research in the urban school setting; and • use of data to inform progressive inquiry. Action research will be designed and implemented throughout the Initiative structure • raise PK-12 student achievement!

6. St. Benedict School PDS History Year One: Discussing, Planning, and Learning • DePaul getting buy-in from constituencies • SBES asking big questions – what does it mean for us? Can we be true to our Catholic mission? What is our “cost?” • Getting to know DePaul faculty & leadership • Whole faculty is needed to support PDS

7. St. Benedict School PDS History Year Two: Goal Setting for the Network • DePaul established PDS network initiatives • LINK-INitiative (structure enhanced) • Funded by Chicago Community Trust • Team building among PDS partner schools and university faculty • SBES – study groups focused on teacher driven topics supported by DePaul PD

8. St. Benedict School PDS History Year Three: Local PD Focus and Teacher Mentoring • SBES School strategic plan – DePaul to help with academic excellence • PD Focus: Teacher created student portfolio assessment program • PD Focus: How do teachers become better mentors for pre-service teachers? What structures are needed? • PD Focus: begin evaluating math program

9. St. Benedict School PDS History Year Four: Local Initiatives Grow • Continuing portfolio program w/focus on authentic and effective assessment • New reading initiatives in K-5 • New one-to-one laptop program in 6 & 7 • Higher demand for quality PD • Initial structures and procedures in place for pre-service teacher mentoring (orientation) • Curricular alignment between DePaul and SBES • Will clock over 2500 clinical hours with pre-service students and trained 7 student teachers, 2 admin interns

10. PDS Partnership – What it Means for the Principal • Expectation that all staff participate • Define expectations for staff • Hire new staff with framework in mind • Focus on a few main initiatives • Don’t try to “do it all” • Say “NO” to other non-essentials • Create regular time for staff PD • Commit $$ resources to support initiatives • Work closely with DePaul liaison • SBES attracts quality teacher and teacher interns

11. PDS Partnership –What it Means for Teachers • Raises self-imposed standards so pre-service teachers see good practice • More professional development opportunities • Access to resources (organized events, classes, funding, classroom materials, experts in the field) • Practicing teachers keep current • Exchange “fresh ideas” – teacher learning in the classroom • Teachers accomplish more • A more professional culture

12. PDS PartnershipWhat It Means for DePaul Students • Feel welcomed and actively involved • Mutual professional treatment • Quality mentoring • Witness a collaborative professional environment • Link between what is learned in the university course and classroom experience • Professional development opportunities • “Grow with professionals already on staff”

13. DePaul PDS Partnership at St. Benedict Elementary School So what have we accomplished? Evidence of Increased Teacher Leadership

14. Unexpected Outcome = Increased Teacher Leadership • PDS Partnership supports several local school initiatives – deeper teacher learning • PDS Partnership requires several key roles at the school level to implement initiatives • PDS partnerships increase teacher mentoring abilities

15. What is Teacher Leadership? • Set of skills demonstrated by teachers who continue to teach, but also influence beyond their own classroom • Mobilizing and energizing others • Engaging in complex work with others • Passion for the core mission of the school (Teacher Leadership That Strengthens Professional Practice, Charlotte Danielson, ASCD, 2006)

16. Why is Teacher Leadership a Big Deal? • Necessary for sustained and substantial school change • Teachers’ tenure usually longer than principal’s • Effective teachers don’t have to leave the classroom to be leaders • Collective endeavor rather than a collective of individual initiatives • Principals NEED teacher leaders (Teacher Leadership That Strengthens Professional Practice, Charlotte Danielson, ASCD, 2006)

17. Structural Factors Impacting Teacher Leadership • Mechanisms for Involvement in School Governance • Mechanisms for proposing ideas • Time for collaboration • Opportunities for skill acquisition (Teacher Leadership That Strengthens Professional Practice, Charlotte Danielson, ASCD, 2006)

18. Cultural Factors Impacting Teacher Leadership • Culture of risk taking • Democratic norms • Teachers as professionals (Teacher Leadership That Strengthens Professional Practice, Charlotte Danielson, ASCD, 2006)

19. Why Are PDS Partnerships Important for Teacher Leadership?

20. *Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning *Learning to Think, Thinking to Learn: Models and Strategies to Develop a Classroom Culture of Thinking, Pohl, Michael, (2000) Hawker Brownlow.

21. Teacher Learning: Remembering • Knowing the “business” of the day • The way the school runs • Where resources are located • Basics of professionalism • Dress code, attendance, etiquette • Paperwork This teacher may be a beginning teacher or “passive” learning teacher.

22. Teacher Learning: Understanding • Explain how classroom “works” • Explain how curriculum is followed • Articulate classroom management/discipline • Articulate teacher organization techniques • Communicate this to others This teacher may be a good teacher…but not a teacher leader!

23. Teacher Learning: Applying • Applying lessons learned in workshops, peer observations, professional sharing, etc. • Applying what is being taught by university • Applying what is being learned from other PDS partners • EX: Staff applies new (for SBES) PK-8 created portfolio assessment program Teacher leadership begins to take off at this stage.

24. Teacher Learning: Analyzing • Analyzing – breaking into smaller parts • Looking at individual students or teacher • Looking at one aspect of a program • Compare/contrast with faculty, PDS partners, PDS learning communities • Reflection by teachers and teacher groups • What is working? What needs to be changed? • What else do I need? • EX: May PD Day with staff – picked the program apart! Teacher Leadership Grows - impacts students and teaching partners.

25. Teacher Learning: Evaluating • Collecting and evaluating data • How do I know this is making a difference? • Action research • Informal and formal assessment • Using data and observations to revise programs • EX: Is this impacting student learning? What can be done to impact more? Is this meeting our goal? Teacher Leadership Grows - impacts larger educational community.

26. Teacher Learning: Creating • Teachers as collective groups driving school change to enhance student learning • Research-based • University supports with PD • Funds committed by administration • EX: Portfolio revised according to feedback and informal data • The process is cyclical! Teacher Leadership Grows - impacts all levels of the education profession.

27. Bloom’s Taxonomy Applied to Teacher Learning Long-term change in practice Using data to improve Reflective practice Applying lessons “learned” Explain how classroom “works” Knowing “business” of the day

28. Increased Teacher Learning = Increased Teacher Leadership Level of Teacher Leadership Long-term change in practice Using data to improve Reflective practice Applying lessons “learned” Explain how classroom “works” Knowing “business” of the day

29. PDS Partnership Catalyst for Increased Teacher Leadership Long-term change in practice Teacher Leadership Using data to improve Reflective practice Applying lessons “learned” ------------------------------------------------------------------ The “PDS Springboard” Explain how classroom “works” Knowing “business” of the day

30. Higher Teacher Learning = Increased Teacher Leadership = Wider Influence Outside Classroom Pre-service Teachers DePaul Faculty SBES faculty Teacher Leaders Level of Impact Increases SBES students

31. Levels of Impact on Partner Groups

33. Challenges for SBES… • Our PDS Partnership is still evolving • Only so much time… • A lot of work to do! • Novice teachers

34. Questions? Comments? • Thanks to DePaul University • Searle Funds at the Chicago Community Trust • McDougal Family Foundation