Med. Program Standard 6:
Standard 6: Communicates and collaborates with a variety of stakeholders
Courses Aligned with Standard:
EDU 6589
EDU 6600
Original Assumptions:
I didn’t know much about communication and collaboration in schools. All I knew was the
importance of having families be a part of the school. Years of lack of parental assistance except to
blame teachers toward the end of each semester for their child’s work was the only form of parental
involvement I have seen. Another areas I have not been accustomed to was techniques to build
facilitation in professional settings. After working in my school for five years now there have been
waves of different teaching practices that have come through mathematics. From the article, "Building
Hope" by Stephanie Hirsh and Shirley M. Hord brings up facilitating questions that helped me focus
on what professional practices have come through. The first question asked, "how will educators
acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to implement the strategies successfully?" An example on
that question is my school's initiative to having a one-to-one school with the use of iPads. The district
offers classes over the summer on how to implement these tools into the classroom for a more rich
learning experience. There are also classes throughout the year called, Learners In-service Training
(LIT). On these LIT days, teachers have the opportunity to get paid for an hour of their time, after
contracted hours, to work on implementing iPads in a class sponsored by fellow teachers. The iPads
are just one example of how the school and the district helps teachers to implement strategies.
importance of having families be a part of the school. Years of lack of parental assistance except to
blame teachers toward the end of each semester for their child’s work was the only form of parental
involvement I have seen. Another areas I have not been accustomed to was techniques to build
facilitation in professional settings. After working in my school for five years now there have been
waves of different teaching practices that have come through mathematics. From the article, "Building
Hope" by Stephanie Hirsh and Shirley M. Hord brings up facilitating questions that helped me focus
on what professional practices have come through. The first question asked, "how will educators
acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to implement the strategies successfully?" An example on
that question is my school's initiative to having a one-to-one school with the use of iPads. The district
offers classes over the summer on how to implement these tools into the classroom for a more rich
learning experience. There are also classes throughout the year called, Learners In-service Training
(LIT). On these LIT days, teachers have the opportunity to get paid for an hour of their time, after
contracted hours, to work on implementing iPads in a class sponsored by fellow teachers. The iPads
are just one example of how the school and the district helps teachers to implement strategies.
I found a few strategies my school has done to implement proper professional practices. For new
teachers there has been a teacher mentor program. Basically, there are veteran teachers who help brand
new teachers with classroom management strategies, instructional practices, and ways to relieve stress
so they don't burn out. The hope is to create high quality teachers that may not have the proper tools in
teacher preparation courses and reduce the teacher burnout rate. The first year it was implemented was
successful with less classroom management struggles with the new teachers. This year it has switched
from veteran teachers in the same building to be the mentors to the Teachers on Special Assignment.
So I am hopeful that the change will help the new teachers and not hinder it. Going back to LIT, there
are more than classes that are for iPad implementation. The teachers have the chance to work in their
department to work in their corresponding professional learning committee or as a whole. These are
the main areas teachers have to work with on professional learning practices.
teachers there has been a teacher mentor program. Basically, there are veteran teachers who help brand
new teachers with classroom management strategies, instructional practices, and ways to relieve stress
so they don't burn out. The hope is to create high quality teachers that may not have the proper tools in
teacher preparation courses and reduce the teacher burnout rate. The first year it was implemented was
successful with less classroom management struggles with the new teachers. This year it has switched
from veteran teachers in the same building to be the mentors to the Teachers on Special Assignment.
So I am hopeful that the change will help the new teachers and not hinder it. Going back to LIT, there
are more than classes that are for iPad implementation. The teachers have the chance to work in their
department to work in their corresponding professional learning committee or as a whole. These are
the main areas teachers have to work with on professional learning practices.
Learning Experience:
One area I learned more about was through adult learning theories. Conlan, Grabowski, &
Smith (2003) (as noted in Zepeda, 2012) notes "adult learning theory integrates action learning,
experiential learning, self-directed, and project-based learning. In comparison to student learning,
adults learn quite differently. During my times teaching adults I found I had a dilemma, which was my
classes never, met their needs. As Marsick & Watkins (2001) notes, "informal learning is usually
intentional but not highly structured. Examples include self-directed learning, networking, coaching,
mentoring, performance planning that includes opportunities to review learning needs" (p.25-26). So I
learned that I could be a much stronger leader in creating professional development that I know what to
use and what not to use. As Sherrill (2016) notes, "Critical abilities for teacher leaders engaged in
teacher preparation will include demonstrating expert classroom instruction and sound knowledge of
effective teaching and learning strategies, facilitating conferences with pre-service teachers in a
differentiated and reciprocal manner, analyzing approaches to their work via adult learning theory,
and providing feedback tied to theory and research" (p. 224). With knowing that information I have
grown to know how to help create functional professional development that meets each adults’ learning
needs.
Smith (2003) (as noted in Zepeda, 2012) notes "adult learning theory integrates action learning,
experiential learning, self-directed, and project-based learning. In comparison to student learning,
adults learn quite differently. During my times teaching adults I found I had a dilemma, which was my
classes never, met their needs. As Marsick & Watkins (2001) notes, "informal learning is usually
intentional but not highly structured. Examples include self-directed learning, networking, coaching,
mentoring, performance planning that includes opportunities to review learning needs" (p.25-26). So I
learned that I could be a much stronger leader in creating professional development that I know what to
use and what not to use. As Sherrill (2016) notes, "Critical abilities for teacher leaders engaged in
teacher preparation will include demonstrating expert classroom instruction and sound knowledge of
effective teaching and learning strategies, facilitating conferences with pre-service teachers in a
differentiated and reciprocal manner, analyzing approaches to their work via adult learning theory,
and providing feedback tied to theory and research" (p. 224). With knowing that information I have
grown to know how to help create functional professional development that meets each adults’ learning
needs.
Looking at my school’s growth toward instruction I made an evaluation based on the information
provided about it. By what I found the district does not take into consideration what the teachers want
to focus on in their professional development. The district officials rather look at the data and give
required professional development that makes teachers weary about amplifying their instructional
strategies.
provided about it. By what I found the district does not take into consideration what the teachers want
to focus on in their professional development. The district officials rather look at the data and give
required professional development that makes teachers weary about amplifying their instructional
strategies.
Reflection
My main goal that I have focused my attention toward is creating strong and supportive
professional learning communities (PLC). Currently the PLC’s in my department can work more
effectively in certain areas. What I would like to incorporate is learning circles. "Observations by
teams of teachers as a practice can be a dynamic springboard towards building stronger collegial
relationships, particularly when they are structured, planned, and focused" (Zepeda, 2012, p. 230). One
method to create a strong PLC is through learning circles. With learning circles there are specific feature
s: a selection of a theme, discussion and storytelling, observations in the classroom, discussion about the
observations, and sharing of practiced examples (Zepeda, 2012, p. 242). In those ways I can create
better PLC’s that can be data driven that focus more toward student learning. Even Smylie, Conley, and Marks (2002) to suggest that data would be perceived more favorably if it came from an “inquiry community” that allows teachers to present their own data could be a way of creating a healthier data culture (p.171)
professional learning communities (PLC). Currently the PLC’s in my department can work more
effectively in certain areas. What I would like to incorporate is learning circles. "Observations by
teams of teachers as a practice can be a dynamic springboard towards building stronger collegial
relationships, particularly when they are structured, planned, and focused" (Zepeda, 2012, p. 230). One
method to create a strong PLC is through learning circles. With learning circles there are specific feature
s: a selection of a theme, discussion and storytelling, observations in the classroom, discussion about the
observations, and sharing of practiced examples (Zepeda, 2012, p. 242). In those ways I can create
better PLC’s that can be data driven that focus more toward student learning. Even Smylie, Conley, and Marks (2002) to suggest that data would be perceived more favorably if it came from an “inquiry community” that allows teachers to present their own data could be a way of creating a healthier data culture (p.171)
I have also focused more on creating opportunities for parents to get involved in the school. As I
have looked in the CEP for EDAD: 6589, I did not see much resources available for the students and
their parents.
have looked in the CEP for EDAD: 6589, I did not see much resources available for the students and
their parents.
Works Cited
Hirsh, S., & Hord, S. M. (2010). Building Hope Giving Affirmation. Journal of Staff Development, 31(4), 10-17.
Marsick, V. J. and Watkins, K. E. (2001). Informal and Incidental Learning. In Ross-Gordon, J. M. and Coryell, J. E. (Ed.),
The New Update on Adult Learning Theory. A Reader (pp. 25-34). New York, NY: The H.W. Wilson Company.
Sherill, Julie A. (2016). Preparing Teachers for Leadership Roles in he 21st Century. In E. Blair (Ed.), Teacher Leadership: The
“New” Foundations of Teacher Education. A Reader (pp. 152-156). New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.
Smylie, M.A., Conley, S., & Marks, H.M. (2002).
Reshaping leadership in action. In J. Murphy
(Ed.), The educational leadership challenge:
redefining leadership for the 21st century (pp.162-188). Chicago: University
of Chicago Press.Zepeda, Sally J. (2008). Professional Development: What Works. New York: Eye on Education.
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