Book Prospectus Working title:
Developing and Sustaining a Teacher Inquiry Group by Holly Marich, NBCT
Alternative Title Possibilities: A Practitioner’s Guide to Teacher Inquiry Group Facilitation Support Teachers as Learners: A Guide to Facilitating Teacher Inquiry Support Teachers as Learners: How to Start and Maintain a Teacher Inquiry Community Taking the Plunge into Research! Start Your Own Teacher Inquiry Group Ownership, Empowerment, Voice: You Can Have it All in Your Teacher Inquiry Community, a Guide for Getting Started and Maintaining Momentum Publishing Rationale: I chose to write this book to provide a scaffold for colleagues attempting to facilitate their own teacher inquiry groups. After reading much of the available research during my own preparation to facilitate a teacher inquiry group I found many books and articles published for the purpose of sharing teacher inquiry project results, and/or to share the basic structures of the teacher inquiry process. I found myself at a loss when searching for help in how to get my own group started, what to expect once a group is established, and then maintaining that group. The proposed text will guide individuals through the process of facilitating a community of learners engaged in the professional development practices of teacher research. The text will provide its readers with a look inside a teacher inquiry group, to “see” what structures are followed to maximize productivity, for example. Readers will learn to anticipate common roadblocks and be given suggestions to navigate such obstacles. Readers will be able to pick up this text, follow the thoughts, experiences, probing questions, and suggestions offered in each section and confidently facilitate their own teacher inquiry group from beginning to end. The topic of teacher inquiry as professional development is of increasing importance in this time of intense accountability pressures that seem to suppress the classroom teacher’s voice while empowering the dependence of scripted programs. Additionally, an incessantly tightened budget for many school districts has limited many professional development luxuries for its teachers including attendance of regional and national conferences, mass purchasing of recent professional publications, and professional development release time due to substitute teacher expenses. There can be minimal to no financial obligation for teacher inquiry.
The need for teacher inquiry work can be met if more educators feel knowledgeably confident in developing and sustaining a teacher inquiry group. This knowledge and confidence can be nurtured through my proposed text. Knowledge Base: The experience base for this book is the author’s personal experience as a facilitator of teacher inquiry groups for the past five years. Additional knowledge base for the author is provided by 10+ years of combine extensive readings of teacher inquiry/action research publications, instructional coaching, critical friends group and teacher inquiry group participation, and facilitating professional development work for schools and school districts. Nature of Content: A general description of the teacher inquiry process is provided while a detailed, comprehensive treatment is given for aspects of facilitating a teacher inquiry group. The book is applicable to practice as it is a user-friendly guide for any individual, regardless of position: classroom teacher, support staff member, school nurse, administrator, school board member, academic coach, superintendent, college professor… to promote, develop, support and sustain a teacher inquiry group. Competing Book Titles:
Related Works: Teacher Collaboration for Professional Learning: Facilitating Study, Research, and Inquiry Communities. Cynthia A. Lassonde, Susan E. Israel, and Janice F. Almasi, Jossey-Bass, 2009. Inquiry as Stance: Practitioner Research for the Next Generation. Cochran-Smith and Lytle, Teachers College Press, 2009. The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Professional Development. Nancy Fichtman Dana and Diane Yendol-Hoppey, Corwin, 2008. Facilitator’s Guide to the Reflective Educator’s Guide to Classroom Research. Nancy Fichtman Dana and Diane Yendol-Hoppey, Corwin, 2008. Teacher Action Research: Building Knowledge Democracies. Gerald J. Pine, Sage Publications, 2008. Teachers Taking Action: A Comprehensive Guide to Teacher Research. Cynthia A. Lassonde and Susan E. Israel, editors , IRA, 2008 . Teachers Investigate Their Work: An Introduction to Action Research Across Professions. Altricher et al, Routledge, 2007.
What Works? A Practical Guide for Teacher Research. Chiseri-Strater and Sunstein, Heinemann, 2006. Action Research: A Guide for the Teacher Researcher. Geoff E. Mills, Prentice Hall , 2006. The Action Research Guide Book: A Four Step Process for Educators and School Teams. Richard Sagor, Corwin, 2004. The Art of Classroom Inquiry: A Handbook for Teacher-Researchers. Hubbard and Power, Heinemann, 2003. Taking Action with Teacher Research. Edited by Meyers and Rust, Heinemann, 2003. Living the Questions: A Guide for Teacher-Researchers. Hubbard and Power, Stenhouse, 1999. Teacher-Researchers at Work. MacLean and Mohr, National Writing Project, 1999.
Characteristics unique to the proposed texts compared to the related works listed above: Main focus: how to start and maintain a teacher inquiry group step-by-step Quick read with elements of personal narrative writing Practical application tools appropriate for a first time teacher-research group facilitator Data collection reports on the emotions teacher-researchers experience while working through the process of inquiry, essential for self-awareness and the anticipation of possible road blocks. Suggestions are given to work through such emotions. Justification for and role of the group facilitator Justification for and role of the group members Journal excerpts from the group facilitator and transcripts from one session to allow the reader a “fly-on-the-wall perspective�. The recommendation to use a consistent workshop approach for each session that includes four essential parts: 1. Sacred, Silent, Sustained Writing Time with quick share 2. Focus Time (with protocol) 3. Lightning Rounds 4. Closing Moves (goal setting and emotions survey)
Special Materials: The manuscript is organized into seven sections ending with one page section summaries. A reference section concludes the manuscript. A 42 page appendices includes sample agendas, templates, inventories, protocols, transcript excerpts from one inquiry session and journal excerpts written by an inquiry group facilitator during the facilitation process. Section Two Special Materials: sample course outline, sample course announcement, bar graph showing participant motivation data, sample day-one agenda Section Three Special Materials: “Keys to Success” for ownership of question, and framing a question, goal setting, posting scaffolding charts, analyzing data tips, holding teacherresearchers accountable for taking action, planning a writing retreat, and providing publication options Section Four Special Materials: photographs of one teacher inquiry group, session structure example, sample email reminder, scaffolding visual aids photograph Section Five Special Materials: writing tool use bar graph, other data collection tools used graph, journal writing data, average number of journal entries, session attendance data, average individual attendance, protocol choice, protocol choice form, satisfaction survey ticket out, satisfaction and helpfulness data, quotes from teacher researchers regarding impact of teacher inquiry group, goal setting data, motivational priorities bar graph, intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation data, different emotions experienced through the process of inquiry data, patterns of learning quotes from inquiry participants Length and Schedule: The complete manuscript is 125 single-sided, double-spaced pages, ready for editing. Other Publishers: Consideration by other publishers has not been pursued. Author Bio: Holly Marich is a Writing Project fellow engaged in teacher inquiry as a participant, a group facilitator, and inquiry advocate for the past eight years. She has participated in an invitational three-day workshop hosted by National Writing Project entitled “Inside Inquiry”. She has completed Action Research as a Graduate Student and through the National Board Certified Teacher process. Holly is also a National School Reform Faculty Critical Friends Group facilitator. Holly is a founding member of the Teacher Inquiry Community Leadership Network of Nevada, an affiliate of the three Nevada Writing Project Sites. Established three years ago, this network
is actively promoting the work of teacher inquiry throughout the entire state of Nevada with neighboring state support/interest from Arizona, Utah, and Idaho. Currently, Holly provides professional development for the Northeastern Nevada Regional Professional Development Program, (NNRPDP). Providing and or planning professional development for various schools within six of Nevada’s seventeen counties. A major focus is promoting teacher inquiry as a tool for professional development within these counties.
Table of Contents Note to Reader……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5 Section I
A Review of the Literature: Teacher Inquiry a Valuable Approach to Professional Development Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……….7 Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………...9 Personal Motivation for Looking at Teacher Inquiry, My Story Teacher Inquiry Defined The History of Teacher Inquiry Modern-Day Definitions Teacher Inquiry Valued an Approach to Professional Development A Transformational Tool Probable Barriers and Limitations to Consider Section Summary
Section Purpose: This section provides the theory behind teacher inquiry as professional development. Prominent researchers in the field of teacher inquiry such as Jean McNiff, Marilyn Cochran-Smith and Susan Lytle are quoted, among others. Sample Excerpt: Teacher inquiry might be considered something that educators do naturally as they make decisions, take actions, and adjust to situations continually in the classroom. The distinguishing features between what educators commonly do in their every-day classroom work and teacher inquiry is that of deliberate, systematic note taking and data collecting coupled with critical and systematic reflection that is eventually prepared for an audience outside the researcher’s classroom (Dick 2002, Gilbert & Smith, 2003). Often it is the publication aspect of teacher inquiry that ultimately separates itself from the natural wonderings, adjustments and reflections of the classroom teacher. Teacher inquiry allows the practitioner to gain new knowledge and formulate change simultaneously.
Section II
Getting Started: The Logistics before the Group
Thinking it Through……………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………24 Choosing a text Considering Possible Formats for a Teacher Inquiry Group Getting the Word Out Motivations Support from Administration
Gathering the Group Section Summary
Section Purpose: This section guides the facilitator through the mindful planning required before the group is created.
Sample Excerpt: The section summary follows. Getting ready for your teacher inquiry group requires mindful planning. You are asking your colleagues to participate in the hard work of teacher-research; a first impression of professionalism, preparedness, and focus will set the appropriate tone for the importance of this work. Choose a text that will support the research group through the different phases of the inquiry cycle. Choose a calendar format that once chosen and published will remain consistent and appropriate for the group. Take the time to visit with administrative staff in your school, or district that might have teachers involved in teacherresearch. The courtesy of this conversation could be the foundation for much needed support teacherresearchers might require throughout this process. For successful teacher inquiry groups, public relations are important. Get the word out to selected colleagues with a personal, face-to-face invite. Get the word out to reach the larger community with e-mail, and advertisement flyers. When advertising, remember to mention any motivations you are able to offer, whether it is a free book, stipend, or simply the opportunity to gather frequently as professionals in a structured setting to learn about best practices. Make these intrinsic and extrinsic motivations known from the beginning. Your first gathering should set the tone for future meetings. Plan carefully to ensure that this tone remains professional, focused, and laced with a sense of urgency. Emphasize this work as powerful and important; stressing that as professional educators, we are up for the task of teacher-research.
Section III
A Structure for Teacher Inquiry Groups
One Approach to the Work………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……….33 Framing a Question Formulating a Plan and a Time-line Collecting Data Analyzing Data Taking Action Writing up the Research Going Public Section Summary
Section Purpose: This section gives the reader a description of a typical inquiry cycle infused within a pre-selected meeting schedule. An emphasis on the facilitator’s obligations to maintain high expectations and consistency is given. Section Excerpt:
A Key to Success! Hold the teacherresearchers accountable for action. Complete a Promissory Note! This can be a fun way to make a “promise to oneself for change”. This promise is made not only to one-self, but theoretically, to students, colleagues, parents, and other educational stake-holders. See Appendix A for a sample note. Section IV
Facilitating Inquiry Groups: Where the work begins
The Purpose for Each Session…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……43 Why the Facilitator Matters Teachers Reflect on their Practice, Question, Ponder, and Discuss Why the Group Matters……………………………………………………………………….……………………………………………….45 Teachers Display a Contagious Desire to Improve their Practice Responsibility Toward Helping Group Members Steady Progress Toward Ultimate Goal Considering the Dynamics of the Group When Members are Working on Different Topics Planning for Each Session, Consistency and High Expectations…….………………………………………….….………47 Consistent Structures Frequent Email Reminders Agendas Goal Setting Expectations Scaffolding Visual Aids Recognizing the Evolution of Needs Throughout the Process and Making Concessions for these Needs Why Teacher Inquiry Sessions go Beyond Shallow Learning and Mere Activities What Makes this Work Rigorous and Worth it …...……………………………………………………………………...……53 Supposition of Professionalism Long-term Project Development Wrestling with Disequilibrium Section Summary Section Purpose: (This is my favorite section!) This section gives the reader a sense of urgency and priority to the work of teacher inquiry. Moreover, this section justifies the important role of the group facilitator and equally important, the role of the group as a unit. Section Excerpt:
The purpose of each session is to provide a venue for professional collaboration. This is not a time to engage in water-cooler chit-chat. As a facilitator your role is to guarantee that the collaboration maintains the needed rigor required to move everyone’s research forward. As a facilitator you will find yourself balancing between the welcomed light, playful engagement between friends and the serious learning between fellow researchers. Additional Excerpt:
Wrestling with Disequilibrium The acts of assimilation and accommodation of new understandings are inevitable when engaged in the work of teacher-research. Finding one’s self on shaky legs while questioning educational practices, beliefs, and values is a reality when engaged in teacher-research. Continuously struggling to walk a thin line between understanding and misunderstanding while making sense of new observations or research becomes a familiar tight-rope act. Feelings of discomfort when honestly analyzing research, often frightened of the unknown, becomes a rash of overwhelming emotion. This characterizes the exciting “rollercoaster” the teacher-researcher rides necessary for higher levels of intellectual development. The investment of time and effort in the processes of teacher inquiry groups provides the reliable scaffolding this “rollercoaster” runs on. Teacher inquiry group facilitators are key, as are fellow teacher-researchers, in helping each other negotiate this thrill ride to new homeostatic levels of being.
Section V
A Facilitator’s Inquiry Project, Observations and Documentations of One Inquiry Group
What Patterns Evolve in one Particular Inquiry Group over a Fourteen-Session Cycle? ............................................................................................................................57 Patterns of Data Collection Tool Use Patterns of Journal Writing Patterns of Attendance Patterns of Protocol Choice Patterns of Satisfaction Patterns of Goal Setting Patterns of Motivation Patterns of Emotion Patterns of Learning Section Summary
Section Purpose: Through the use of observation notes, data sets, and teacher inquiry group member quotes this section gives the reader a detailed picture of a typical inquiry group. From this picture a facilitator can make generalizations to their own inquiry group anticipating possible outcomes from emotional levels of participants throughout the inquiry process, journal writing consistencies, attendance percentages, elements of motivation and much more.
Section Excerpt: The section summary follows. While working with a particular group of seven teacher-researchers over a fourteen session cycle the data collected indicates a number of trends or patterns I’ve chosen to document. In the areas of research tool use journals, sticky-notes, self-created forms, surveys, interviews, email, and student artifacts are the most commonly used. Journal writing frequency is five or less entries between each session, on average. Attendance is consistently high, averaging 86%. Choice of structure for focus time is commonly open discussion rather than strict protocols. Reports of satisfaction at the conclusion of each inquiry group session are consistently high at 94%. The “twenty minute focus time for your research” structure is reported to be the most helpful aspect of each session followed by the “twenty minute focus time for someone other than you”. This group of teacher-researchers is more likely to report specific goals to be accomplished between each session. Motivations reported to be most significant for this group are opportunities to conduct research and a structured class to keep their research on track. The emotion each teacher-researcher experiences through the cycle of inquiry is unique to each individual. The most common emotions reported were that of “making steady progress, and “a little nervous, overwhelmed”. A minimal amount of extreme emotional highs and lows were reported without a predictable pattern. Learning patterns for this group clearly emphasis the importance and power of sharing ideas with others. Numerous comments made during the teacher inquiry group sessions illustrated the impact each researcher is having on the other researchers. Individuals admit to using ideas gained from group conversations. Some admit to having their work influence their school administration. Most participants show their excitement in continuing their work as a teacher-researcher as they plan for next year’s inquiry cycle.
Section VI
Final thoughts: As a Facilitator of an Inquiry Group What Have I Learned:…………………………………………………………..…………………………….……………….75
Section Purpose: This section summarizing key learning points from the author as a teacher inquiry group facilitator. Section Excerpt: As a facilitator of a teacher inquiry group I have learned that an individual’s willingness to be vulnerable should be celebrated. An individual’s sense of disequilibrium can and should be nurtured and cultivated into new beginnings. I have learned that as a collective whole, members of a teacher inquiry group compound the learning of each individual participating within the group. I have also learned that some teacher-researchers choose not to make the most of these learning experiences and no one can do this learning for them. As a facilitator of a teacher inquiry group, I have learned that the patterns documented in the work of a particular group are not necessarily predictable or consistent to what might happen in a different inquiry group. I have also learned that results such as these should not discount the research completed. Whether the duplication of results is possible or not, teachers should be supported in the process of asking questions, collecting data, determining conclusions and taking action accordingly. This work is a valuable approach to professional development. It provides a safe venue to explore personal values, beliefs and choices. Teacher-research groups offer new points of view, probing questions to deeper understandings, and validation to consistent efforts toward self-improvement. The work of
teacher-research is truly “golden” and as a facilitator of a teacher-research group I am reminded of why this work is so valuable. Section VII
Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………………….……….78
Appendix A: Appendix B: Appendix C: Appendix D: Appendix E: Appendix F: Appendix G: Appendix H:
Handouts for the Facilitator Sample Agendas Assessments, Inventories, Surveys, Check-lists, & Protocols Inquiry Cycle at a Glance Tips for the Facilitator Recommended Text for Teacher Inquiry Groups Transcript Excerpt from Session Five Inside the Facilitator’s Mind, Journal Excerpts
Section Purpose: This section provides the facilitator with tools and templates to successful facilitate an inquiry group. Section Excerpt: (not actual size) Data Collection Tool Alignment to Question Template Date___________________ Teacher Researcher
______________________
Inquiry Question __________________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Complete the table below to reflect on how your choice of data collection tools will align with what is needed to draw conclusions to your inquiry question Data collection tool choice
Purpose of tool use
Expectations to what the data will determine
How will this information connect to your question?
Determination of Alignment Yes or No
References………………………………….……………………………………………………………………………………………………….122
Primary and Secondary Audiences:
Audience Classroom Teachers
Teacher Leaders/Academic Coaches
School Administrators
Professors of pre-service teacher research classes Professors of graduate level teacher research classes
Explanation Classroom teachers often feel isolated, frustrated, and invalidated by top-down mandates. Creating a teacher inquiry group among peers provides an opportunity for classroom teachers to feel ownership in their learning, empowerment in their discoveries, and support in their collaboration through teacher inquiry groups. This audience is charged with coaching educators toward best practices and higher student achievement. In many cases they are viewed by classroom teachers as an intruder of their classroom, or an unqualified judge of their competence. These feelings of resentment and animosity defeat the purpose of academic coaching and the work of teacher leaders. If these leaders and coaches could work as inquiry group facilitators they can build trusting relationships with the teachers they work with, provide scaffolds for empowerment, ownership, and teacher change that is differentiated, authentic and lasting. School administrators could initiate an inquiry group among administrator colleagues, or facilitate an inquiry group with teachers that choose to participate in this work. It is not recommended that an administrator make teacher inquiry mandatory. At this level of education is action research given as an assignment expected to be completed independently? If so, I would argue that students are best served if provided the structures of an inquiry group. The facilitator’s guide can be adapted for college/university use.
Secondary Audience: Practitioners of any profession interested in inquiry Audience School Board Members School Support Staff School Nurse Groups Custodial Staff Parent Groups Juvenile Probation Officers
Explanation Marilyn Cochran-Smith and Susan Lytle coined the term practitioner inquiry. This term reminds us that anyone can engage in inquiry for the sake of questioning ones values, beliefs, and choices related to social justice, education, or general life problems.
Highly Targeted Mailing Lists: Professional Organization Divisions and Associations: NSDC, National Staff Development Council NWP, National Writing Project ASCD, (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) ATE, The Association of Teacher Educators AACTE, American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education NCTE, National Council of Teachers of English SIG at AERA, American Education Research Association Special Interest Group The Holmes Partnership National School Reform Faculty Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: Inside Teaching AIR, Association for Instructional Research Uses: Classroom teachers interested in a collaborative structure that offers ownership in learning, empowerment in discoveries, and support in building professional relationships can use this text to initiate, maintain, and sustain their own inquiry group. A tool for teacher leaders and academic coaches to facilitate trusting relationships with the teachers they work with, provide scaffolds for empowerment, ownership, and teacher change that is differentiated, authentic and lasting. The proposed text can be a tool for administrators within a common school district to break down barriers of isolation and create opportunities to collaborate and strengthen not just individual schools, but districts as a whole through the work of inquiry.
College/University course instructors of pre-service teachers and graduate students completing action research projects can utilize the proposed text to provide structure, and support that will guarantee quality project completion. The proposed text can be marketed as a guide for any colloquium, regardless of profession interested in questioning ones values, beliefs, and choices related to social justice, education, or general life problems. Potential Course Adoptions: After a random search of education programs offered at various universities a list of sample course titles the proposed manuscript would complement follow: Any methods course required for teacher licensure Research applications in curriculum and instruction Sociocultural concerns in education Designing institutional research studies Education and public policy Qualitative methods in educational research Leadership for social change Case studies in educational leadership ASCD’s Embracing Diversity: A look in the mirror – reflect on own beliefs and biases ASCD’s Professional Development: it’s a process, not an event