Let
me begin this post with an assertion: the quality of the classroom teacher, not
the instructional program, is the primary variable in determining the
effectiveness of a comprehensive reading program. This assertion is often
hidden beneath the glitz and packaging of many commercial programs. It is not
the quality of the wand, but the magic of the teacher that makes reading and
writing come alive in today’s classrooms.
In
addition to this primary assertion, I would assert that no significant changes in instructional practices will occur until
corresponding changes take place in one’s theoretical understandings. In other
words, unless we rethink why we do what we do in the name of literacy education
and instruction, most changes will be cosmetic and superficial. The resources
teachers select may change, or the daily schedule may be rearranged to
accommodate new program components, but the core of one’s instructional practices
remains intact.
What
do these assertions mean for school reform efforts focusing on literacy
education? I believe it means that we need to invest resources, time and effort
into professional development models that balance pedagogical development with
theoretical understandings. It means that we need to invest in helping teachers
develop their theoretical understandings, rather than just changing their
instructional approaches. Change occurs when teachers understand more about
effective instructional practices, based on sound theoretical foundations and
current research supporting literacy development.
This
begs the question, “What should professional development based on these
assertions look like?” To begin, effective staff development needs to create
space and opportunities for teachers to observe quality instruction, reflect on
instructional practices and observations, and have time to dialogue with other
concerned educators. Professional development should be based on the current
needs and previous experiences of the teachers involved. As educators, we have
been talking about “child-centered pedagogy” for many years. Maybe, it’s time
to focus on “teacher-centered professional development.” The focus must be on
growth, not change. Change will occur when teachers’ knowledge base expands and
they are provided opportunities and support to grow and try new instructional
practices.
There
are three key principles of professional development that form the basis of my
work with teachers and school boards; access and opportunity, choice and
ownership, and dialogue and reflection. First, teachers need access to quality
literature and reading materials, opportunities to share ideas with other
teachers, and time and support to enact new instructional practices. Second,
teachers need to have choice and voice in their professional experiences in
order to take ownership and responsibility for their development. Finally,
teachers need time to reflect upon and discuss their instructional decisions
and practices with other educators. These principles provide the foundation for
the four essential components of professional development described below.
In
addition, I need to help classroom teachers, administrators and literacy
coaches or specialists develop a Preferred
Vision for the instructional practices and learning environments they
create in their schools and classrooms. It is our role to help teachers
articulate what they want their instructional practices and learning
environments to look like, sound like and focus upon. In order to develop a
preferred vision, teachers must be able to critically examine their teaching
practices based on current theoretical understandings. Growth without direction
is confusion, and direction without growth is learned helplessness.
In order to help
teachers and literacy coaches develop a Preferred Vision, I recommend the
following four components of a professional development model:
1.
Presentations – professional development
providers should be willing and able to present new information that challenges
and informs teachers about quality instructional practices.
2.
Demonstrations – teachers need opportunities to
see what quality instructional practices look like and talk about what they
observe, either by visiting actual classrooms or through video clips of
teachers teaching.
3.
Learning Experiences – teachers need
opportunities to try new instructional practices on their own and have time and
support to reflect on how things went and what may improve their instructional
approaches.
4.
Readings – other professional voices need to be
brought into professional development experiences by reading educational
journals and professional publications.
These professional
development experiences do not guarantee that teachers will grow and develop;
rather they provide the necessary foundation for professional development to
occur. Helping teachers and administrators develop a preferred vision for their
schools and classrooms, is an important step in realizing the types of quality
instructional practices that will benefit our children and students.