Essentials for Creating and Maintaining a Flourishing School Partnership

1. Essentials for Creating and Maintaining a Flourishing School Partnership Jillian Lederhouse, Ph. D. and Sally Morrison, ed. d. Wheaton College

2. A Bit of Background Cleveland Elementary Partnership—21 years Chicago Public School, Pre-K-8 88% Low-Income 81% Hispanic, 7% White, 6% Asian, 3.4% Black, 1.4% Am. Indian Spring Trail Partnership—21 years Elgin Public School, K-6 34% Low-Income 49% White, 20% Hispanic, 18% Asian, 5% Black, 6.4% 2+ Races

3. From a university perspective, what components are essential to establish a partnership that prepares effective teachers?

4. From a school/district perspective, what components are necessary to establish a partnership that prepares effective teachers?

5. Once an effective partnership has been established, how is it maintained?

6. We have found the following 6 aspects to be critical: • Realistic context • Relational foundation • Reciprocal contributions • Rigorous in its curriculum • Research-based in its instructional models • Responsive to the learning community and larger community

7. Realistic context • Site mirrors conditions in which most graduates will work. • Ethnically diverse student body and faculty • Linguistically diverse student body

8. Relational foundation • Danielson (2007) and Marzano, Marzano, & Pickering (2003) emphasize the importance of developing strong relationships between students and faculty. • Marlow & Nass-Fukai (2000) stress the importance of building relationships between school, university and community members to create long-lasting partnerships. All parties must value the contribution of others and trust one another. • This requires reestablishing trust and demonstrating the value of others each time faculty, administrators, or university faculty change. • Preservice teachers placed in schools with higher stay-ratios stayed longer themselves in difficult-to-staff positions (Ronfeldt (2012).

9. Reciprocal contributions • Schools provide a strong cadre of mentors • University faculty serve the school and district in tangible ways: • Parent workshops • Faculty workshops • RTI instruction • District-wide committee work • Formal and informal consulting

10. Rigorous in their curriculum • Core curriculum is standards-based. • School has high academic and social-emotional expectations (Craig, 2016; Durlek et. al., 2015; Luster & Luster, 2017). • All students are challenged (Boaler, 2016; Dweck, 2006; Hattie, 2011) • Curriculum includes opportunities for cross-disciplinary connections. • Faculty and administrators seek opportunities for continuous professional learning.

11. Research-based in their instructional models • Literacy and math instructional models offer both structure and flexibility. • Teacher preparation program is equally committed to evidence-based methodologies. • Models promote universal accessibility. • Faculty have adequate professional development for implementation of instructional changes.

12. Responsive to the learning and larger community • Students’ cultural backgrounds and communities serve as a contextual foundation for learning. • Teacher preparation program has high expectations for candidates’ views of diverse learners.

13. What can universities require of schools in a partnership?

14. What can schools require of universities in a partnership?

15. How do universities get continuous buy-in from school faculty?

16. How do university faculty afford the time that effective partnerships require?