how school leaders can promote teachers’ professional development by mieke clement & roland...
TRANSCRIPT
How School Leaders can PromoteTeachers’ Professional Development
By Mieke Clement & Roland Vandenberghe
Group Members: Yeung Chui NganKong Ching WahChan Kam YuenLai Ka Wai
1. Introduction & methodology – Chui Ngan2. Results – Kam Yuen3. Case I – Ka Wai4. Case II – Ching Wah
Content
Teachers should be encouraged and supported within the school context to develop professionally in order to deliver high quality education.
Relations between schools leaders and professional development
(Little 1992)
Professional Development
• is not simply a matter of individual characteristics.
(Kelchtemans & Vandenberghe 1994)
• cannot be disconnected from the context within which it takes place.
Professional Development (con’t)
Huberman (1993)• indicates the working conditions at the school level may favour professional development in different stages.
• If teachers enjoy an harmonious career, they can work in a school context that encourages some experiementation without threat of punishment if one is not successful.
• Teachers have the possibility to take on new tasks without loss of wages.
• Teachers can access to the expertise of colleagues in and outside the schools.
Ways to assess their relations
• Teacher-thinking tradition [Lieberman (1994), Wildman (1989)]
• Workplace conditions [Kirby & Colbert (1992), Louis & Smith (1990), Rosenholtz (1989) & Smylie (1994)]
- structural workplace- cultural workplace
Teacher-thinking tradition
Elements of the school culture contribute to teachers’ professional development.
Lieberman (1994) states that norms of collegiality, trust and openness are important for the development of teachers’ knowledge and beliefs.
The colleagues and the school context are important determinants.
Structural workplace conditions
To foster teachers’ professional development by taking organizational, structural measures
Through teachers’ participation in the decision making process, feelings of control and satisfaction contribute to teachers’ willingness to develop professionally.
Evaluation of teachers fosters development. It should also reward teachers for development, for taking risk and for change.
Cultural workplace conditions
Values of the school with regard to professional behaviour and professional development
Teachers feel safe to experiment with innovations and improvements.
If teachers encounter problems, the whole team reacts. (collective sense of responsibility)
Clear and shared goals create common expectations and foster professional solidarity. (collective goal-setting)
Collegiality is important
Smoothly running collaborative relationships lead to a greater involvement and a stronger sense of responsibility for the quality of education from teachers.
Colleagues function as a source of feedback, support and alternative ideas.
How school leaders can influence teachers’ professional development positively through the creation of workplace conditions?
• How teachers assess the school leader’s
influence on their professional
development?
• Through which specific processes and mechanisms do the workplace conditions contribute to teachers’ professional development?
Methodology
A qualitative research 39 teachers of 11 elementary schools were
interviewed in a semi-structural way. An extensive case study was made of two of
these schools. Five weeks in each of the schools and interviewed 23 teachers and the two school leaders.
Ways to analyze data
Two step strategy• ‘vertical analysis’ (data were coded, then displayed in matrices)
• ‘horizontal analysis’ (comparison among teachers and settings)
Response in 3 Different Ways
A. Not impressed by the contribution of the school to their professional development– working condition does not support – limited collegial interactions– colleagues seldom collaborate– school leader seems not to be able to change the
situation– teachers feel school leader does not trust them
Response in 3 Different Ways
B. Certain possibilities for professional development in school exist– they can respond to some interesting activities
but there is no pressure to engage– stimulated by their colleagues, they offer new
ideas in a climate of trust and openness– school leader makes an offer that teachers can
freely engaged in and is monitored at a distance
Response in 3 Different Ways
C. convinced that school can stimulate and orientate their professional development– teaching methods and problems are discussed
frequently– teachers feel challenged by their colleagues– school leader is very explicit in what he expects
from the teachers
Teacher’s professional development depends...
teachers’ individual commitment workplace condition teachers’ perception of the way the school
leader functions
The perception resemblance to the principal styles by Hall et al. (1982, 1984)– school leaders of group A show a rather limited
vision of how their school and staff should change in the future responders
– school leaders of group C have clear, decisive, long range polices and goals initiators
Results
Through which Specific Processes and Mechanisms do the Workplace Conditions School Leaders Create Contribute to Teachers’ Professional Development?
2 Different Schools
Both are in suburban Flemish elementary, mixed and middle sized schools
A. Heathlandpool – with 438 pupils, school leader has 12 years
experience B. Writerscourt
– with 280 pupils, school leader has 3 years experience
Heathlandpool
A richly varied collegiality Teachers and school leader tell each other
stories during breaks and in the corridors Teachers can discuss easily on educational
issues with school leader, share their personal experience and beliefs
Collaboration between colleagues, favour autonomous work
Writerscourt
Not label the collegial interactions with school leaders in a positive way
School leader doesn’t encourage collaboration because lack of follow up and to motivate the staff
Very scarce collegial exchanges
Using the Principal change facilitator style-concept
School leader of Heathlandpool an initiator School leader of Writerscourt a responder Case study show 2 important concepts
– creation of learning opportunities (L.O.) and learning space (L.S.)
Good workplace condition
L.O. & L.S. should be incorporate in implement new teaching activities experiment with innovations provide support and feedback to teachers have chances to do something effectively
with opportunities provided
Learning Space
Not only good collegial relationship between teachers and school leader, learning space should be provided to use these learning opportunities
e.g. with accurate organized consultation
2 patterns to be discussed
A. Lack of Attention for the Creation of Learning Opportunities
B. No Support for Learning Opportunities by the Creation of A Learning Space
Lack of Attention for the Creation of Learning Opportunities
E.g. Beginning teacher of Writerscourt– no proper interview in employment– no orientation for new staff– no support and follow up– scarce class visits (no proper discussion)– school leader’s comments are not directed to
teacher’s professional development
No Support for Learning Opportunities by the Creation of A Learning Space
Potential learning opportunities are too inadequately supported by a learning space– not encouraged to reflect critically upon their
own teaching behaviour– lack of open discussion, no starting point for
discussion about his professional functioning– lack of follow up
Local Case Study I
•Band 5 CMI school in Tuen Mun
•Co-ed school founded in 1949
•Computer teacher responsible for IT and SAMS development
Situation of the IT and SAMS group
– Cultural Workplace conditions:• Job rotation: group members have learning
opportunities to try different task. Collaborative cultures that leave room for help, support and feedback among team members (mainly vertically).
• Team member can share new ideas with regard to the school, members will have the autonomy to try. Tips and advice will be given from the team leader.
• Encouragement from colleagues• Shared Leadership (empowering behavior)
Situation of the IT and SAMS group
– Teacher-thinking tradition:• Sense of belongings and satisfaction• The group members appreciate the team leader’s
trust.
Situation of school teaching (Computer)
– Teaching methods and problems are discussed frequently.
– Teachers teaching at the same grade are grouped together regularly to discuss the difficulties and new innovations on teaching
– Cross-subject project work(computer + mathematics)
Situation of school administration
– After-school tea gathering to promote teachers’ socialization.
– Supportive administrative measures encourage teachers’ professional development.
Limitations
Certain extent of competition exists horizontally which may be destructive to the collegiality.
Lacking an effective evaluation system Lacking a system of reward and punishment
from the school authority
Suggestion for Improvement
The school leaders should put forward those good examples in the school.
Consider class visit as an essential and constructive means for teachers’ professional development.
Increase the accountability of teachers:
– Teachers’ promotion should be relevant to their professional development.
– Consider teachers’ appraisal as an important tool for teachers’ reflection on what they have done.
Local Case Study II
•Band 1 EMI school in Kowloon
•A girl school founded in 1936
•Mathematics teacher
Situation of the school
– Cultural Workplace conditions:• Job rotation: There is no job rotation. Once teacher
takes up a particular job s/he is difficult to have any change. (This also apply to subject teaching)
• Teachers seldom share new ideas with regard to the school. When subject heads have meeting with members, they only remind them to do things right in order to meet the minimum requirement and try to avoid complaints. Both opportunity and time do not allow members to have any new idea.
• Teachers teach the same subject of the same form seldom share teaching materials.
Situation of the school
– Teacher-thinking tradition:• Do as told.• Everything is just routine work.• Teachers work independently, no connection with
others.
Situation of school teaching (Maths)
– In the subject meeting, there is only division of jobs and run down of teaching schedule.
– Teachers teaching at the same grade discuss only on the scope of uniform tests and examination paper.
– No discussion and collaboration on teaching strategies.
Situation of school administration
– Three lunch gatherings in every year for all staff are not the willingness of teachers.
– Course provided by the school is only on those prescribed BIT and IIT.
– No matter what course a teacher had attended, it will not bring any advantage on promotion.
– Teachers are too heavily loaded with adminsitrative work.
Limitations
Teachers’ promotion are not relevant to their professional development, thus lacking a motivation for improvements.
No new ideas are implemented. Lacking a system of reward and punishment
from the school authority
Suggestion for Improvement
More technical support to teachers are required.
Encouragement of the sharing of material Provide opportunity and funding for
training that teachers really needed but not preset courses like BIT etc.