Medt 8480 Article Summary and Critiques 1

MEDT 8480 ARTICLE SUMMARY AND CRITIQUES 1

Article Summary

Article / Hutchins, K., Arbaugh, F., Abell, S., Marra, R., & Lee, M. (2008). A consumer guide to professional development. Science Scope, 31(8), 16-19. Retrieved from ERIC database. / Engstrom, M., & Danielson, L. (2006). Teachers' perceptions of an on-site staff development model. Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 79(4), 170-173. Retrieved from ERIC database. / Al Otaiba, S., Hosp, J., Smartt, S., & Dole, J. (2008). The challenging role of a reading coach, a cautionary tale. Journal of Educational & Psychological Consultation, 18(2), 124-155. Retrieved from ERIC database. / Obara, S., & Sloan, M. (2010). Classroom experiences with new curriculum materials during the implementation of performance standards in mathematics: A case study of teachers coping with change. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 8(2), 349-372. Retrieved from ERIC database.
Program / Improving Teacher Quality Grants Program / Arts Council Grant that provided professional development on Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligence (MI) theory / Private grant to employee a full-time coach to lead professional development in scientifically based reading research (SBRR) / Connected Mathematics Project (CMP) during the introduction of Georgia Performance Standards (GPS)
Purpose / The authors evaluated 47 math and science professional development (PD) programs for the state of Missouri to determine what makes PD meaningful and effective for teachers. / The authors sought to determine how to support teacher-initiated professional growth and how to sustain effective curriculum reform. / The authors present a case study of a reading coach and her experience with school reform.
The purpose of the original grant was to implement the new SBRR program, provide ongoing professional development for teachers, and to use student assessment results for instructional planning. / The authors conducted a qualitative case study to investigate the classroom experiences of three 6th grade teachers and their math coach as they implemented new instructional materials along with new state curriculum.
Formative/Summative / Summative / Summative / Formative / Summative
Stakeholders / Missouri Department of Education, Science teachers, professional developers / State Arts Council, district-level Staff Development Committee, participating teachers / Principal, Reading Coach, K-4 teachers / 6th grade math teachers, math coach,
Evaluation Questions / What makes a PD program effective? How can teachers get the most out of PD programs? / What concerns did teachers have about implementing MI theory? To what degree are teacher using MI theory in the classroom? Additional questions related to motivation, feedback and support / What do teachers understand about teaching reading? What is the most powerful thing teachers have learned that has affected their teaching of reading this year? What suggestions do teachers have for improving staff development? / How does professional learning impact teaching in the classroom? How well do teachers understand the curriculum changes?
Methods / Person-Centered, Primary-Source Data (interviews, observation of PD sessions.)
Instrument-Centered, Secondary-Source Data - analysis of teacher and student learning. / Thirty teachers were invited to participate in the study. Twenty returned surveys and of those, eleven agreed to be interviewed. / All participating teachers were given a 22-item multiple choice test (Teacher Knowledge Assessment: Structure of Language). They also complete a survey that included background information, history with reading instruction, effectiveness of the coaching process and ideas for improving staff development. 1200 additional pages of documentation were evaluated including the grant proposal, curriculum samples and the reading coach’s notes. / Three 6th grade teachers and the math coach helped the researcher identify key themes and issues related to the study.
Data was analyzed and interpreted. Additional interviews were conducted based on preliminary findings.
Data Collection / Interviews with teachers and professional developers, observation, analyzing data about learning / Focused writing samples, interviews with teachers, unit and lesson artifacts created by teachers / Pre- and posttest teacher surveys, staff interviews, grant proposal, reading coach’s field and presentation notes / Audio-recorded interviews, video-recorded classroom observations, field notes, student work, teachers’ materials
Results / The quality of PD is influenced by context, content, delivery format, instructional strategies, and experiences of the teachers attending PD. / Teachers expressed concerns about time management, organization and scheduling issues related to implementing MI theory. They also were unsure of the impact MI theory would have on student learning.
Teachers were pleased with the opportunity to collaborate with one another, the district and the university.
They enjoyed the “collegiality” amongst themselves as participants. This led to a strong support group that encouraged teachers to continue implementing MI theory.
Teachers were concerned about having time to plan together. They also felt that an organized structure within the local school setting would have been beneficial. They also desired follow-up activities to extend their knowledge. / The majority of teachers expressed that the SBRR concept was new to them. They were anxious to learn more about the program in the upcoming year.
Results showed they wanted to more instruction on working with literacy centers, practicing DIBELS, adapting instruction based on data, phonics and integrating the concepts they had learned during the current school year.
Many teachers resented attending professional development during their planning time, preferring half-day planning time with subs. Others liked meeting as a grade level during their planning time with the reading coach to discuss SBRR.
While some shared they had learned a great deal about reading instruction, several said they would respond next year after they had implemented the program.
Teachers who did not receive intensive planning sessions with the coach expressed resentment toward her position as the coach. “What does she do all day?”
A majority of teachers expressed that they were “overwhelmed by needing to learn a new district-adopted core reading program as well as the professional development.”
The teachers and the coach were very upset when the program was suddenly terminated after just one year due to the principal being reassigned to another failing school. / After participation in a 5-day in-service that taught the CMP curriculum as if the teachers were students, teachers expressed confidence in being able to replicate the instruction in their own classrooms.
They learned about cooperative learning with math and allowing students to discover ways of problem solving.
After participating in a 1-day seminar introducing the new GPS, teachers did not feel that they were designed any differently than the previous QCCs.
Teachers found it difficult to change their ways of teaching once the school year started and the demands of testing surfaced.
Teachers also struggled with managing the new curriculum as that was not a major component of the intensive summer training.
Professional development sessions turned into planning time.
Sixth grade teachers’ math scores improved by 25% after the first nine weeks.
Recommendations / Make sure PD includes: active learner participation, narrow focus on relevant topics, integration of content and teaching, emphasis on student assessment, networking time with other teachers, long-term support.
Teachers should be honest with evaluation feedback, consider attending staff development with a colleague and involve the principal with supporting initiatives to implement PD learning. / Teachers need on-going support when implementing a new program. Consider using staff meeting time as an opportunity for further professional development.
Involve the administration in the planning and organizing of professional learning.
Make sure that all professional learning is aligned with student achievement and school improvement efforts.
Provide formative evaluations throughout the implementation of professional learning so that leaders are aware of the needs of teachers.
Conduct action research on a regular basis so that ongoing professional learning opportunities are consistent with the needs of teachers. / Professional development should align with core curriculum.
Assessment programs should align with district-mandated reading programs.
Coaches should consider that some teaching styles conflict with the existing ideas and experiences of the teachers.
If a program is considered to be an “add-on,” teachers are less likely to view it favorably.
The role of a coach should be explicitly shared with teachers so as to prevent tension within the relationships. Administrators should clearly define the coach’s role.
Recognize that school reform takes time. / Teachers must have sufficient time and resources to understand the intent of new standards and the structure of new curriculum.
Time should also be allotted for reflection on student work.
They should also receive extensive training on how to combine reading and math skills for culturally-diverse students.
While teacher-driven sessions give teachers ownership over their staff development, it must not evolve into a simple planning session.

Critique/Reaction

Article 1: “A Consumer Guide to Professional Development”

This is a wonderful resource for teachers who attend and those who plan staff development. The authors suggest practical ideas for developing teacher learning experiences that will benefit them in the classroom. They also encourage teachers to use these guidelines to select appropriate professional learning opportunities and suggest ways they can enhance their learning beyond attending a professional development session.

This information will be extremely useful to me as I begin planning staff development sessions for the faculty and staff at my school. While it is unlikely that every session will incorporate all of the suggestions listed here, I know that I will be able to incorporate many of them into the lessons that I teach.

I especially appreciate the “less is more” suggestion. It is so easy to overwhelm teachers with all of the amazing resources available to us today. However, it is important to note that professional learning is most likely to be implemented by teachers when they receive small, tangible concepts that can be incorporated immediately into the lessons they are teaching.

Article 2: “Teachers’ Perceptions of an On-site Staff Development Model”

This article is another solid resource for professional development instructors to consider when planning teacher training. The teachers who participated in this study expressed concern in two primary areas: logistics and relationship to student achievement. While participants felt that the content they learned was of good quality (Gardiner’s MI Theory), they did not feel they had the time and resources to effectively implement the program. They also were unsure how it impacted student learning.

In order for professional development to be successful, teachers need to have time to work with the program and have access to continual support throughout the implementation process. In addition, teachers must see the connection between what they are learning and what they are teaching. It is the professional development instructor that is responsible for identifying ways to make this connection. Professional development committees and school administrators would benefit from reading this article.

Article 3: “The Challenging Role of a Reading Coach: A Cautionary Tale”

This case-study provides some very practical advice for anyone attempting to implement school reform. The article was especially applicable to the program that I will be evaluating for this course. Like the school featured in this article, we are piloting a new reading assessment program. The teachers did not have long to review the material before they were expected to implement it in their classrooms. The professional development for this program is currently being implemented by our reading coach. I found many similarities between the ideas and concerns expressed in the article and those I have heard from our faculty and staff. As a result, I feel that the recommendations presented in this article will likely be wise choices for our school to follow.

As with the previous articles, this would be valuable information for our professional development committee, reading coach and administrative staff to review. I am concerned that the program I am evaluating has been pushed out to the teachers too quickly without enough preparation. I will be very interested to see how the results of my program evaluation correlate with the conclusions found in this study.

As I read the article, I was saddened by the fact that the grant was terminated early and well before the efforts of the staff could be realized. The authors, reading coach and teachers were deeply disappointed about this and felt that their hard work was all for naught. From the explanation in the study, it appears that the sole basis for rejecting the grant was the fact that the principal was moved to a new location. I do not understand why the new administration would not support the initiatives of the staff members who appeared to be on the right track. This is something I hope we can avoid as we implement professional learning within our school. Teachers need time to see the results of their efforts.

Article 4: “Classroom Experiences with New Curriculum Materials during the Implementation of Performance Standards in Mathematics”

This article was of particular interest to me because the study took place in Georgia during the time we transitioned from Quality Core Curriculum (QCC) objectives to the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). As I read, I could relate to the teachers’ initial enthusiasm upon completion of their staff development. Just as easily, I identified with their tendencies to fall back into their old teaching styles once the pressure of the school year began. Perhaps it was the introduction of new curriculum and the new textbook adoption within the same year that caused these 6th grade teachers to return to their previous ways of thinking.

It is imperative that professional development be designed so that teachers can reasonably implement the suggestions. I have been in many sessions where I was so overwhelmed with ideas that I didn’t know where to start. With no time for reflection or practical application, I rarely opted to use any of the ideas I learned.

With these thoughts in mind, I plan to design professional learning opportunities for my teachers that will not be taught in isolation. My hope is that by thoroughly researching what works for teachers, I will provide effective staff development for my teachers. I also believe that sharing this article with our Instructional Council, Professional Development Committee and our Administrators would be beneficial in garnering support for the programs I plan to implement.

References

Al Otaiba, S., Hosp, J., Smartt, S., & Dole, J. (2008). The Challenging Role of a Reading Coach, a Cautionary Tale. Journal of Educational & Psychological Consultation, 18(2), 124-155. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Engstrom, M., & Danielson, L. (2006). Teachers' Perceptions of an On-Site Staff Development Model. Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 79(4), 170-173. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Hutchins, K., Arbaugh, F., Abell, S., Marra, R., & Lee, M. (2008). A Consumer Guide to Professional Development. Science Scope, 31(8), 16-19. Retrieved from ERIC database.

Obara, S., & Sloan, M. (2010). Classroom Experiences with New Curriculum Materials during the Implementation of Performance Standards in Mathematics: A Case Study of Teachers Coping with Change. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 8(2), 349-372. Retrieved from ERIC database.