Professional Development in Hard Times

1. Mark A. Minott FHERDSA(Registrant), Ed.D., M.Sc., PGDE. Associate Professor, Teacher Education Department University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) Ionie Liburd Willett M.A., B.Ed., Cert. Ed. Head, Division of Teacher Education Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College, St. Kitts- Nevis November 26-27, 2010 Student teachers’ supervision as a professional development activity: building work-related skills Professional Development in Hard Times

3. Reasons for the study The economic “hard times”. Need for ‘cost effective’ professional development methods. Professional Development in Hard Times

4. A belief that acting as a cooperating teacher is a cost effective professional development method Professional Development in Hard Times

5. Why cost effective? Work related skills are developed or reinforced during the regular working day in the context of teachers’ classroom Little or no financial demands Professional Development in Hard Times

6. Reasons for the study Cont’d Need to ‘sell’ this idea to potential cooperating teachers we train. Professional Development in Hard Times

7. Reasons for the study Cont’d Problems Encountered Little knowledge of skills that could be developed or reinforced. No known local research which addressed this concern. Professional Development in Hard Times

8. Literature Review Potential skills that could be developed and/or reinforced: Self-reflection (Lopez-Real & Kwan 2005, Hamlin 1997 Simpson et al 2007 & Koerner 1999). Adopting and utilising strategies and innovations introduced by student teachers (Simpson, Hastings and Hill 2007). Professional Development in Hard Times

9. Literature Review Cont’d Modelling best practices (Weasmer & Woods 2003). Instructional advising and guiding the student teaching (Weasmer & Woods 2003, Blank & Sindelar, 1992). Observing and giving feedback (Glenn, 2006). Professional Development in Hard Times

10. Literature Review Cont’d Tuning-in and becoming a listener (Blank and Sindelar, 1992 and McCann and Baker , 2001) Empathy (Feldman, 1997). Being friendly (McCann and Baker 2001). Professional Development in Hard Times

11. Aim (Three fold) To ascertain what specific skills local cooperating teachers reinforced or developed. Professional Development in Hard Times

12. Aim (Three fold) cont’d 2. To aid in filling a literary gap and make an original contribution to knowledge development(Phillips & Pugh 1995). Professional Development in Hard Times

13. Aim (Three fold) cont’d 3. To discuss the implications of the findings for teachers’ professional development. Professional Development in Hard Times

14. Method Qualitative instrumental case study (Creswell 1998 and Stake 2000). 4 cooperating teachers, Cayman Islands 4 cooperating teachers, St. Kitts-Nevis Professional Development in Hard Times

15. Method Cont’d Purposeful convenience or opportunity sampling (Guba and Lincoln 1998). E-mail and face-to-face interviews Professional Development in Hard Times

16. Main Research Question Having recently completed the supervision of a student teacher, what skills did you develop or reinforce during the process? Please provide a practical example in support of each skill you identify. Professional Development in Hard Times

17. Data Analysis Within and cross-case analyses Direct interpretation of the data (Creswell 1998). Professional Development in Hard Times

18. Data Analysis Cont’d We read through each response to find words and phrases that recurred These became our initial categories Professional Development in Hard Times

19. Data Analysis Cont’d By examining these initial categories, the main categories emerged. Main categories were defined after working with the data or as a result of working with the data. Professional Development in Hard Times

20. Data Analysis Cont’d For example, we found words such as Lessons, planning, teaching strategy, modelling and evaluations. (Essential teaching skills) Professional Development in Hard Times

21. Results Professional Development in Hard Times

22. Results Cont’d Professional Development in Hard Times

23. Results Cont’d Professional Development in Hard Times

24. Implications for Teachers’ PD First, we concur with the findings of the study of Mark (2006) which highlight that it is acceptable and feasible to recognise the work of cooperating teachers in schools as Professional Development: Professional Development in Hard Times

25. Implications for Teachers’ PD because they develop and reinforce work-related skills. they are contributing to the development of the teaching profession. Professional Development in Hard Times

26. Specifically :In St. Kitts-Nevis and the Cayman Islands where the teaching practicum is scheduled for ten weeks, cooperating teachers have some time to be exposed to current best practices which they use to improve their instruction. Professional Development in Hard Times

27. Over time, these teachers are selected for subsequent teaching practicums and thus become “expert” cooperating teachers, contributing to the development of their personal repertoire of skills and strategies. Professional Development in Hard Times

28. Implications for PD Cont’d Despite the benefits to cooperating teachers, universities and colleges run the risk of not finding competent teachers who readily agree to assume such responsibilities. This is because the teaching practicum experience has not been duly given the recognition it deserves. Professional Development in Hard Times

29. Implications for PD Cont’d In the Cayman Islands and St Kitts-Nevis, there is the need to develop policies to guide the recognition process. Professional Development in Hard Times

30. Implications for PD Cont’d Secondly, our study suggests the need to provide opportunities - through training programmes - to encourage cooperating teachers to engage reflectively with their teaching Professional Development in Hard Times

31. Conclusion Carrying out the role of cooperating teacher had some positive effects on the majority of the participants. There were clear reports of the various skills reinforced or developed. Professional Development in Hard Times

32. Conclusion Cont’d The comments show that participants are aware of the need to make time for their role but, this is not without its challenges. Professional Development in Hard Times

33. Conclusion Cont’d Data in this study facilitate general conclusions similar to other studies, but also provide a more in depth analysis of cooperating teachers’ responses from a part of the world not yet explored by other researcher, i.e. the Cayman Islands and St Kitts-Nevis. Professional Development in Hard Times

34. THANK YOU! E-mail: mminott@ucci.edu.ky Website: http://www.faynot.webs.com & E-mail: liburdwillett_ionie@yahoo.com Professional Development in Hard Times