Developing Lasting Visions of Effective Teaching

Developing Lasting Visions of Effective
Teaching:
Professional Learning Communities
Supporting Learning Across the
Professional Continuum
Nicole Miller Rigelman and Barbara Ruben
Portland State University
March 4, 2011

Session Overview
• Problem Statement
• Conceptual Framework
o Partnership Learning Triangle
o Professional Learning Design Principles
•
•
•
•

Research Questions
Context, Data Collection, and Analysis
Findings and Next Steps
Questions and Discussion

Characteristics of Partner
Schools
• Shared vision of effective teaching and learning.
• Structures that support collaborative professional
learning.
• Recognition of the reciprocal benefits of partnerships
between the university and school.

Design Principles
1. Establish professional learning communities.
2. Connect theory and practice.
3. Elicit student thinking to further learning.

Research Questions
In what ways does collaborative professional learning in a
university/school partnership, focused on deepening student
thinking and reasoning,
o influence the learning of K-8 students, teacher candidates,
mentor teachers, principals, and university faculty; and
o support the development of the teacher candidates’ vision
of what it means to be a teacher (e.g., seek opportunities
to deprivatize their practice and refine their teaching in
collaboration with others and with a focus on student
thinking).

Cohort Structure
• Worked in partnership with two schools.
• Clustered 23 student teachers (n1=9 and n2=14).
• Used primarily a triad model for field placement, forming
classroom-based PLCs.
• Utilized site-based and university-based supervisors.
• Managed dual authorization levels through main and “guest”
placement.

Learning Context
• Engaged in collaborative lesson planning cycles (school
and classroom).
• Teacher candidates completed field-based assignments
and reflective writing and dialogue.
• Established cohort-wide PLC and cohort-based PLCs
(i.e., Critical Friends Groups).

School-based
School-based
Professional Learning
Community
Community

School-based
School-based
Community
Community

ClassroomClassroombased
based
Professional
Professional
Learning
Learning
Community
Community
based
Professional
Professional
Learning
Learning
Community
Community

based
Professional
Professional
Learning
Learning
Community
Community
based
Professional
Professional
Learning
Learning
Community
Community

Cohort Professional
Cohort Professional
Learning Community
Learning Community
CF
CF
G
G
CF
CF
G
G

CF
CF
G
G

CF
CF
G
G

Collaborative Professional
Learning
• Formative Assessment/Collaborative Examination of
Student Work
• Collaborative Lesson Planning through Tuning
Protocol
• Debrief a collaboratively planned lesson using a
process similar to “video club” (c.f. Sherin, Linsenmeier, & van Es, 2006)
The purpose across these sessions was to provide teams
with protocols and tools to support their ongoing
collaboration.

Data Sources – Teacher
Candidates
• Individual written reflections (quarterly)
o summative reflection focused on collaboration
o log reflections focused on connecting field- and
course-based learning
o consultancy group reflections
• Focus group interviews (March and June)
• Observations of the work within the various PLCs
(ongoing)

Data Sources
Mentor Teachers
• Focus group interviews (March and June)
• Observations of the work within the various PLCs
(ongoing)
Principal and Supervisors
• Ongoing conversations
• Interview (June)

Findings: K-8 Student Learning
We’re able to give each other
We’re able to give each other
aa lot of ideas about how to
lot of ideas about how to
take scripted lesson from the
take scripted lesson from the
curriculum and add our own
curriculum and add our own
spin on them to make more
spin on them to make more
meaningful for students.
meaningful for students.

[The students learned]
[The students learned]
flexibility. [They had] aa lot
flexibility. [They had] lot
more individual attention,
more individual attention,
small group attention, ...
small group attention, ...
writing feedback, many
writing feedback, many
adults caring about them.
adults caring about them.

Lower students get
Lower students get
help, higher students
help, higher students
get challenge – good
get challenge – good
model for
model for
differentiated
differentiated
instruction.
instruction.

Findings: K-8 Student Learning
Teacher candidates, mentor teachers, and principals alike
agreed that
o K-8 student learning opportunities were enhanced
through this collaboration.
o increasing the number of adults in the classroom
brought multiple perspectives to the teaching and
learning process allowing adaptations and enhancements
to lessons, differentiation, and attention to individual
student learning.
o multiple adults in the classroom had a positive impact
on relationships with students.

Findings: Teacher Candidate
Learning
IIthink that my favorite part is when we talk
think that my favorite part is when we talk
after teaching. We try to talk after every class
after teaching. We try to talk after every class
to debrief pedagogical moves. It doesn’t
to debrief pedagogical moves. It doesn’t
matter who teaches the lesson, we talk about
matter who teaches the lesson, we talk about
what went on in the classroom, students’
what went on in the classroom, students’
discussions, a-ha moments, or hurdles.
discussions, a-ha moments, or hurdles.
As aastudent myself, IIhave spent the past year
As student myself, have spent the past year
studying about collaboration, meaningful learning,
studying about collaboration, meaningful learning,
and best practice, but IIdon’t think those things
and best practice, but don’t think those things
really sunk in until IIhad the chance to use them in
really sunk in until had the chance to use them in
my classroom every single day, and genuinely
my classroom every single day, and genuinely
understand what it was like to work with other
understand what it was like to work with other
people to make everything IIwas teaching relevant
people to make everything was teaching relevant
and meaningful to each one of my students.
and meaningful to each one of my students.

Learning
In math class, we have been learning about an inquiry-based
In math class, we have been learning about an inquiry-based
curriculum and how to really allow students to own their
curriculum and how to really allow students to own their
thinking. Through completing assignments such as Inquiring
thinking. Through completing assignments such as Inquiring
to Understand and the Math Talks, IIhave been able to
to Understand and the Math Talks, have been able to
incorporate some of this in the classroom. This not only
incorporate some of this in the classroom. This not only
has shown me what an inquiry-based classroom might look
has shown me what an inquiry-based classroom might look
like, but has given me the chance to understand how my
like, but has given me the chance to understand how my
students think in math, which will only help in future
students think in math, which will only help in future
instruction. Our language arts class has also given me the
instruction. Our language arts class has also given me the
opportunity to understand student thinking through
opportunity to understand student thinking through
conducting reading and writing conferences. Assignments
conducting reading and writing conferences. Assignments
such as these really taught me that the more you know
such as these really taught me that the more you know
about your students, the more effective you will be when
about your students, the more effective you will be when
teaching lessons
teaching lessons

Learning
Perhaps the biggest effect of this collaborative
Perhaps the biggest effect of this collaborative
model is that what effects one of us effects
model is that what effects one of us effects
the rest of us. If we see someone’s success
the rest of us. If we see someone’s success
we learn from them. If we see someone fail
we learn from them. If we see someone fail
we learn from them too. The more people
we learn from them too. The more people
that are in the mix, the more potential
that are in the mix, the more potential
learning experiences arise. This allow us twice
learning experiences arise. This allow us twice
the experience in the same amount of time.
the experience in the same amount of time.

Learning
Teacher candidates stated that
o collaboration was central to their learning.
o by deprivatizing their practice, they learned through
their collective successes and failures.
o it was when they were able to implement the
learning from their courses in the field that they
really learned.
o the field based assignments required them
implement strategies in their classrooms that
allowed deep examination of student thinking.

Learning through Collaborative
• Teacher candidates described ways that their
mentor’s instructional practice was influenced by…
o thinking more deeply about actions/decisions and
s/he had to articulate reasoning, and
o a willingness to tweak scripted curriculum and
implement innovations due to the extra eyes,
ears, hands…

Findings: Mentor Teacher
Learning
The most common learnings that mentor teachers
identified were
o increased flexibility and
o enhanced communication skills.
Both improved their abilities as a mentor.

Findings: Mentor Teacher
Learning
With regard to their teaching, mentor teachers
o acknowledged alternative approaches to reaching
students, and
o increased their use of technology.

Findings: Mentor Teaching
Learning through Collaborative
Mentor teachers in focus groups with their peers did
not articulate much learning…
An explanation, offered by each principal
independently, was mentor teachers may not want
to claim learning in front of colleagues/principal.

Findings: Principal Learning
• Clustering student teachers from only one university
allows consistent communication and expectations.
• Mentor teachers need choice in selection and number
of teacher candidates to determine “fit.”
• Field-based assignments should be coordinated with
mentor teachers (i.e., communicate purpose, timing,
results).
• Set parameters for individual versus collaborative
mentoring so that the time is not a burden.

Findings: Teacher Candidate Vision of
What it Means to Teach
Throughout this term, IIhave come to
Throughout this term, have come to
realize that it is my responsibility as aa
realize that it is my responsibility as
teacher to adjust and develop curriculum
teacher to adjust and develop curriculum
that is accessible to every single one of my
that is accessible to every single one of my
students. Although this sounds somewhat
students. Although this sounds somewhat
idealistic, being in the classroom every day
idealistic, being in the classroom every day
has made me see that it is not only totally
has made me see that it is not only totally
possible --it is also totally necessary
possible it is also totally necessary

Because IIam so used
Because am so used
to collaboration, IIam
to collaboration, am
sure IIwill seek it out
sure will seek it out
and try to incorporate
and try to incorporate
it into my future
it into my future
teaching
teaching

This is what IIneed in
This is what need in
my teaching community,
my teaching community,
all of us working hard
all of us working hard
to accomplish goals for
to accomplish goals for
our students, the school
our students, the school
and supporting each
and supporting each
other.
other.

[Videorecording] provided an invaluable opportunity to not only
[Videorecording] provided an invaluable opportunity to not only
look at our own teaching, but also to see and hear the interactions
look at our own teaching, but also to see and hear the interactions
of the students as they engaged with each other. This is an
of the students as they engaged with each other. This is an
important experience that I Iwill take with me into my own
important experience that will take with me into my own
classroom. A teacher cannot see and hear all and though much can
classroom. A teacher cannot see and hear all and though much can
be inferred by our informal observations of groups at work and
be inferred by our informal observations of groups at work and
our evaluations and observations of student work and on
our evaluations and observations of student work and on
assessments, video provides aatool to see students behavior when
assessments, video provides tool to see students behavior when
the teacher isn’t next to them and to gain insight into their
the teacher isn’t next to them and to gain insight into their
interactions, their teamwork and communication, and their
interactions, their teamwork and communication, and their
understanding based on aamuch longer period of time. This seems
understanding based on much longer period of time. This seems
especially important with aateacher working alone in aaroom. There
especially important with teacher working alone in room. There
is no way that I Iwould be able to pull away from my teaching
is no way that would be able to pull away from my teaching
responsibilities within aalesson to just watch and listen to aagroup
responsibilities within lesson to just watch and listen to group
for 10 or more minutes, but aavideo camera can be that observer
for 10 or more minutes, but video camera can be that observer
for me. This also is aavaluable tool for collaboration as aa
for me. This also is valuable tool for collaboration as
colleague(s) could be invited to watch the video with or without
colleague(s) could be invited to watch the video with or without
me and to provide their thoughts and feedback based on their
me and to provide their thoughts and feedback based on their
observations.
observations.

• Teach each student for understanding
• Form relationships and build learning communities with
students and with colleagues
• Become a reflective practitioner as an individual and
with others
• Collaborate with a common focus on student learning

Next Steps
• Deepen partnership
o Guest and main placements take advantage of
existing pairings within the building
o Mentor teachers and faculty coordinate fieldbased assignments
o Increase access to tools that support examination
of student thinking/reasoning

Next Steps
• Communicate potential power of this model at
secondary level
o Multiple sections of the same course natural site
for coplanning, coteaching, and debriefing

Next Steps
• View collaboration as a co-inquiry where we cross
typical boundaries in the interest of learning across
the partnership.
o Faculty join triad for collaborative lesson study
(planning-observation-debrief cycles)
o Faculty “guest teach” in K-8 classrooms
o Mentor teachers “guest teach” in GTEP courses

How can we learn to work closely with our professional peers, to
How can we learn to work closely with our professional peers, to
seek help and advice, to not only learn from, but to actively seek
seek help and advice, to not only learn from, but to actively seek
critical feedback if we never experience this kind of environment
critical feedback if we never experience this kind of environment
during our teacher training? By learning with and from one
during our teacher training? By learning with and from one
another we build the kind of community in which we learn
another we build the kind of community in which we learn
deeper and grow stronger in our abilities as teachers. Most
deeper and grow stronger in our abilities as teachers. Most
importantly we build aa support system in which we can feel safe
importantly we build support system in which we can feel safe
to take risks, to learn from both our successes and our failures.
to take risks, to learn from both our successes and our failures.
The result is that the novices leave this program equipped for the
The result is that the novices leave this program equipped for the
kind of team work and collaboration that is the model in many
kind of team work and collaboration that is the model in many
schools/districts and prepared to help build this model in those
schools/districts and prepared to help build this model in those
places where it does not exist. Yes, novices can and should learn
places where it does not exist. Yes, novices can and should learn
not only from, but with other novices, thereby improving the
not only from, but with other novices, thereby improving the
teaching and learning for teachers and students alike.
teaching and learning for teachers and students alike.

Questions?

Nicole Miller Rigelman – rigelman@pdx.edu
Barbara Ruben – rubenb@pdx.edu

Developing Lasting Visions of Effective Teaching

Developing Lasting Visions of Effective Teaching

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