INTERSECTING RESEARCH WITH CLASSROOM PRACTICE

The Professional Development Teachers Need Now

By Danielle Scorrano Research & Development Director of The Windward Institute and Host of READ Podcast

Unprecedented may have been the word of 2020. The ongoing, devastating global pandemic has led to growing concerns about safety, has increased disparities across numerous sectors The need for professional development and systemic entrepreneurial solutions for future learning in an uncertain environment. Traditional models of professional development for teachers may have been limited to single workshops or presentation-based offerings. of society, and has raised questions about our children’s well-being continuously in our daily lives. This current time has never felt more support for teachers is far greater than But current research instead promotes the multifaceted, interactive, individualized, and active models of professional development that integrate theory and practice (Desimoneuncertain. As educational leaders seek to tackle the it has ever been & Pak, 2017). Literacy coaching, for example, has been shown to be effective in facilitatingmost pressing issues in their field, supporting teachers must remain a top priority. It is well-documented that the quality of support before, particularly as teachers shift between learning and classroom application from theory to practice (Clark, Shoepf & Hatch, 2018; Darling-Hammond, Hyler &for teachers matters. In a multi-method quantitative study of 9,000 teachers across a physical classrooms Gardner, 2017). Still, coaching effectiveness has varied in scalability and sustainability,large urban school district, Kraft and Papay (2014) revealed variability across teacher and remote learning even in a pre-COVID-19 world (Bryk, Gomez, Grunow & LeMahieu, 2015; effectiveness in relation to the quality of support teachers received in their environments. Kraft & Papay, 2017). This summer, experts in research andenvironment. Factors such as safe working reading education, Margie Gillis, EdD, environments, collaboration, strong leadership, commitment to and Julie Washington, PhD, spoke on The Windward Institute’sprofessional learning, positive school culture, and constructive Research Education ADvocacy (READ) podcast (full interviews feedback positively contributed to teacher growth (Kraft & Papay, can be accessed at readpodcast.org). The conversations with these2014). Studies across research methodologies and paradigms experts on the podcast and related research provided the followingmaintained similar findings. key insights and considerations on how systems of education

The need for professional development and systemic support further facilitate high levels of teacher support. for teachers is far greater than it has ever been before, particularly as teachers shift between physical classrooms and remote learning Our Changing World environments. At a systemic level, we must deeply examine the The needs for long-term planning and sustainable solutions in ways in which professional development is offered and seek education are imperative in our current world. From an international

perspective, the Organization of Economic Cooperation and trust is key. Desimone and Pak (2017) assert that coaching and Development (OECD, 2019) outlines educational trends shaping professional learning communities integrate social connections, our current and future society, including security, networked and relationships, and collective efficacy with coherence of learning. In global connections, health and well-being, and modernization. their analysis of novice special education teachers, Jones, Youngs The current pandemic illuminates the need for modernization as and Frank (2013) found that teacher perceptions of support from it pertains to access and equity of technology systems. With the collegial relationships influenced their commitment and overall pressing need for virtual learning platforms, access to high-quality well-being. As Dr. Gillis explained the mechanisms of effective technology for educators and learners as well as investments in coaching on the READ Podcast, she emphasized trust as a key training have become increasingly essential for all. factor for teacher-coach relationships. Beyond the need for technology, educators must consider the implications for educational access for diverse populations of Teacher Agency students. During the August interview of the READ podcast, Effective professional development programs seek to engage Margie Gillis, EdD, pointed to increased cultural and linguistic teacher agency in enacting their learning. Calvert (2016) defines differences in student populations, calling for greater support for teacher agency as the potential for teachers to act with purpose to teachers to build their competencies to engage connect professional learning with their individual and collective their students. In their discussion of multicultural education, Banks and colleagues In any environment, growth. Integrating learning that tunes into agency facilitates intrinsic motivation and (2001) similarly outline the need for schools to provide students with equity of access to a professional engagement. Guskey (1986), for example, maintains a link between self-efficacy and highly rigorous curriculum built within an empowering social school culture. In an development models teacher change, and Clarke and Hollingsworth (2002) illustrate connections August webinar and READ podcast interview, Julie Washington, PhD, called for increased understanding of cultural and linguistic will fail unless leaders deliberately between teacher learning, classroom enactment, reflection, feedback, and teacher intrinsic beliefs. differences, citing examples from her research on students using African-American Language consider mechanisms Mechanisms for Sustainability In any environment, professionalin the classroom. Sustained professional development should facilitate learning for teachers to build upon their instructional for programmatic sustainability. development models will fail unless leaders deliberately consider mechanisms for programmatic sustainability. Desimone pedagogy and create opportunities for and Garet (2015) posit that leadership andeducators to understand cultural and linguistic funding structures act as current challenges for professionaldifferences in a multicultural environment (Banks et al., 2001). development programs. Furthermore, Desimone and Stuckey Complete Systemic Involvement (2014) explain that fidelity of implementation may create barriers

Effective professional development involves the complete for continuous sustainability of professional development commitment and participation within the organization (Jensen, opportunities. Sonnema, Roberts-Hull & Hunter, 2016; Learning First Alliance, Considerations of sustainability and nimbleness during the 2000). Systems-level involvement includes effective leadership as pandemic offers leaders the opportunity to facilitate systemic well as communities of practice that engage teachers in coherent change and improvement across networks. Through improvement and collaborative professional learning (Darling-Hammond et al., science, for instance, leaders can enact change that is centered on 2017; Griffith, Ruan, Stepp & Kimmell, 2014; Learning First the problem and its stakeholders, analyze variability through Alliance, 2000). While discussing the systems of coaching and deliberate measurement and data collection, engage in systemic professional development in school districts on the READ podcast, inquiry, and cultivate networks toward continuous improvement Dr. Gillis explained the importance of analyzing existing systems in (Bryk et al., 2015). In this changing world, examining contextorder to address and improve practices moving forward, particularly specific elements of systems such as governance, instruction, as it pertains to reading. During the interview, Dr. Gillis explained, human capacity and resources, and data enables leaders to “You’re going to be putting a Band-Aid on a huge problem if you understand the factors that may promote or inhibit future growth don’t address how reading is being taught in the first place.” (Bryk et al., 2015). 2020 may have brought forth extraordinary challenges, but it Relationship and Trust may also offer unique opportunities to leverage growth toward a

In an uncertain world, the delivery of professional development more equitable future. While maintaining a commitment to can continue to remain fluid and flexible. Whether taking place supporting teachers with existing research, educational leaders may online in remote environments or physically within school devise innovative methods to address increasing demands and shifts buildings, professional training that prioritizes relationships and within our current and future society.