Table of Contents
The study takes a top-down approach to learning and sets out to prove that professional development is a cornerstone for educational reform by following twelve (grade K-2) teachers in the Miami-Dade County Public School district, which is among the largest and most diverse districts in the country. This initiative involved the cooperation of Ready Schools Miami, a multi-organization educational task force which focuses on, among other things, educational and basic-needs improvements, communication, data dissemination and the development of the professional learning communities which were critical to the structure of this research.
Teachers chosen for this study were asked to participate in professional learning communities with various educational offerings, including an online graduate program, allowing and encouraging them to gain professional development which would ideally be reflected within the classroom. Teachers were put through two rounds of observations throughout the year, with measurements being assessed by comparing these two check-ins.
Findings were gathered through four methods: The Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) protocol (Pianta, La Paro, & Hamre, 2006); interviews, observations and a documented review. A second round of interviews focused further on collecting empirical data by asking more in-depth questions about educational support received by the teachers. All data was analyzed using focused coding.
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Data analysis ultimately revealed that collaborative professional development is impactful on the quality of classroom teaching. Educators who participated were found to be better able to provide answers, stimulate language development and improve instructional practice.
Evaluation
The teachers who participated in this study were given access to many beneficial tools thanks to Ready Schools Miami including better communication techniques within the school that allow for greater connection with other teachers and consistency for the children, which studies in Psychology regularly point to as a cornerstone of early child development. I believe, if studied further, researchers would find these benefits can be applied to children all across the country as long as teachers are given access to the tools they need for success.
Use/Significance
The evidence points to a direct correlation between participation in collaborative professional development and improvement in the classroom. This benefit can be strived for immediately across all grades and districts by encouraging teachers to stay informed, keep each other informed and stay motivated to learn more about techniques and tips as they become available.
The two schools in this article took different approaches with regard to motivation, where one school allowed teachers to freely choose whether to participate in the educational programs while the other school made the programs mandatory. All participants were rewarded with “Master Plan Points” toward renewing their teaching certificate. It was seen that, in the school where participation was not required, less people took advantage of the opportunities however, I suspect if this program were offered for a longer period of time, many more teachers would participate when it was time to renew their certifications.
With this knowledge, schools could use more impactful motivational tools to keep teachers interested in collaborative professional development at all level of their career. One approach for encouraging motivation could be the collaborative apprenticeship model, which allows teachers to take responsibility for each other’s learnings, share skill sets and promote professional growth.
In addition to further collaborative professional development and education for teachers, it was found that feedback is a key component to help improve teaching. Many of the educators interviewed were overjoyed to receive an intensive evaluation of their work, whether positive or negative, and were able to implement constructive changes within the classroom to provide a better experience for their students. While this wasn’t studied specifically, it is noted that lack of thorough guidance was a concern for the participating teachers, and it would make sense for all schools to implement a more constructive evaluation system.
Comparison/Connection
Children enter a classroom every day with the rightful expectation that their teacher is there to impart wisdom and guidance in the best way possible. Teachers enter their profession with the rightful expectation that they will make a difference in children’s lives to the best of their abilities. If continuing educational growth and professional development for teachers will allow both of these rightful expectations to be met, then there is no doubt more should be done to facilitate the implementation of collaborative learning goals within and throughout the educational system. I for one plan on continuing my educational experience through reading, collaborating and taking advantage of all focused initiatives as they arise to be sure that I am giving my students the most productive educational experience possible.
