Supporting TeacherThe learning-team model helps teachers make changesin practice that lead to improved student achievement.

Steve Chappuis, Jan Chappuis, and Rick Stiggins

56 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP/FEBRUARY 2009

Learning TeamsEffectiv e professional devel-

opment is supposed tofoster lasting change in theclassroom. When it doesn't,we waste valuable time,

resources, and most important, ourteachers' trust that time engaged inprofessional development is well spent.We can avoid this by offering provencontent in a delivery model that alignswith characteristics of effective adultlearning in school. Professional develop-ment also works best when it's on-site,job embedded, sustained over time,centered on active learning, and focusedon student outcomes (Chappuis, 2007).

We've tried the traditional workshopapproach-which typically doesn'tincorporate all of these characteristics-to help teachers develop assessmentcompetence. But we've had unevensuccess, for a variety of reasons. Theamount of content to be learned oftenexceeds what a workshop can cover,even in a series of sessions. A passive"sit 'n' git" mind-set can permeate theenvironment, even with an engagingpresenter and interactive agenda. Inaddition, there is no opportunity for thepresenter to facilitate the reflection, theputting into practice, the collegialdiscussions, and the learning that canonly take place when participants returnto their classrooms.

Attending a workshop or conferencecan help raise awareness of and enthu-siasm for a topic, create a shared vocab-ulary or foundation of knowledge, oract as a catalyst for further learning.However, when the session is over,continuing support for implementationis seldom available. This is a majordrawback of the traditional workshopapproach.

A More Purposeful ApproachThe learning-team model of professionaldevelopment has gained popularity asschools seek to match the intent ofproviding deeper, ongoing, teacher-directed learning with the most suitablemode of professional development.Many school districts have altered theircalendars and weekly schedules toprovide teachers with regular commonplanning and learning time. Others haveincorporated release times for teacherteams during the instructional dayThese structural changes provide a foun-dation for successful adult learning and

help remove the barrier of teacher isola-tion that is, in part, responsible for thelack of effective professional growth (seeFullan as quoted in Sparks, 2003).

However, the learning-team model werecommend involves more than justattending regular meetings in smallgroups; it also requires that teacherscommit to working and learning betweenteam meetings. Change requires individ-uals to practice with new informationand engage in collaborative sharing, aprocess that presents its own set ofchallenges.

Ensuring SuccessAs with other professional developmentmodels, adopting and using thelearning-team model does not comewith an automatic guarantee of success.For every team that succeeds in

changing teacher practice, one or moremay stall or even fail. To raise the proba-bility that the learning will "take,"consider the following recommendationsbefore you implement the learning-teammodel.

1. Create a cultural shift in the school.Fullan (in Sparks, 2003) points tocultural barriers, in addition to existingstructural barriers, that schools need toovercome to support good professionaldevelopment. School leaders mightbegin by stressing the importance of"teachers as learners," helping teachers

understand that improving practice byacquiring new knowledge and skills is aprofessional obligation and that thework of becoming a great teacher is acareer-long endeavor. Incentives, such asa stipend, release time, credit appliedtoward advancement on the local salaryschedule, or college credit, then fall intoplace as a secondary, rather than aprimary, motivator or support.

It's essential to emphasize the long-term, ongoing nature of professionaldevelopment as opposed to a short-termcommercially promised quick fix. Partici-pants need to commit up front to aninitiative that may require more of theirtime and effort than attending after-school workshops.

Finally, schools should create (andadhere to) group norms for the learning-team experience, such as "Keep the

ASSOCIATION FOR SUPERVISION AND CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT 57

The learning team model requires

that teachers commit to working

and learning between team meetings.

focus on helping students learn,""Involve everyone and make sure allvoices are heard," "Stick to the topic ortask during meetings," and "Comeprepared to meetings."

2. Create an understandingof the process.Confusion can arise when teachers areaccustomed to a model of professionaldevelopment in which the presenter hasall the responsibility for action and theparticipants' responsibility is limited tojust showing up. Set the stage for achange in the delivery mechanism byhelping participants understand that the

goal of learning teams is to collabora-tively strengthen classroom practicesthat will strengthen student learning.

Learning in learning teams takes placein four related contexts. It begins withan influx of new ideas-through hearinga presentation by an expert, readingbooks or articles, or viewing an instruc-tional video or footage of classroompractice. Next, it involves shaping thenew ideas into classroom practice.Teachers transfer this information totheir own contexts by doing such thingsas preparing lessons, materials, andactivities to use with students. Partici-pants then observe and reflect on theresults, asking themselves such ques-tions as, What worked? What is theevidence? What needs fine-tuning? andWhat do I need to learn more about?Finally, participants meet with others todiscuss, problem solve, and create.Teachers share what they learned, whatthey tried, what they observed, whathappened with students, and what they

still need to work on.For example, in their study of class-

room assessment, participants may readabout how to teach students to give oneanother descriptive feedback. Theycould try this strategy in their class-rooms and then come together to sharethe specific adaptations they made andthe effects they noticed on studentlearning. They may then discuss how tofine-tune the process for further use.

3. Address the skills neededfor self-directed learning.Some teachers may need to developspecific skills to fully realize the benefits

of collaborative, self-directed profes-sional development. Skills that helpmaximize this model of adult learninginclude participants' ability to carry outa long-term learning plan systematicallyand sequentially, compare their currentskills and learning needs with theintended learning, gather evidence oftheir own learning and progress, andconnect their learning to new classroompractices (Knowles, 1990).

To develop skills of self-monitoring,for example, the person in charge of thelearning team's course of study mightidentify a list of artifacts that will provideevidence of participants' learning and itseffect on student achievement; prepare aprotocol for gathering "before," "during,"and "after" evidence; and schedule asharing session for the last team meeting.

4. Get the right facilitators.Just as the classroom teacher influencesstudent learning more than any othervariable does, the skill of the facilitator

is central to the success of the learningteam. Although it's not always necessarythat learning team facilitators be contentexperts, they should have several skillsand dispositions.

For example, they should be able tofacilitate discussions, creating a teamenvironment in which all members feelsafe and supported even when theydisagree by establishing norms that callfor this, modeling appropriateresponses, and respectfully enforcingadherence to the norms. They shouldknow how to keep the learning focusedon transferring new knowledge intoclassroom practice by bringing thediscussion back to this focus withfollow-up questions, such as, What haveyou tried? and How is it working? Theyshould be able to help team memberstrack their growth and its effect onstudent achievement by organizing aprotocol for selecting and reviewingappropriate artifacts.

Skilled facilitators take on the role of"advanced learner," selecting activitiesmatched to the team's needs and doingthe reading and activities in advance ofmeetings so they can help steer teammembers through unfamiliar orcomplex concepts. At the same time,they manage the logistical details behindthe learning experience, such aspreparing agendas, time lines, meetinglogs, and handouts.

5. Provide facilitatorswith adequate support.Facilitators need to maintain theirknowledge base, level of enthusiasm,and facilitation skills to be effective intheir roles. School leaders can providesupport by creating a network for facili-tators, such as a series of regular meet-ings during which facilitators functionas a learning team themselves, sharingwhat their teams are doing, planningtogether for their teams' activities, andexploring topics in which they wantgreater expertise.

School leaders should provide

58 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP/FEBRUARY 2009

Facilitators should be able to createan environment in which all membersfeel safe even when they disagree.

content minilessons as needed todeepen facilitators' understanding ofthe concepts that learning teams areworking on. They should recognize thecontributions that facilitators havemade to developing teacher expertisethrough venues of professional recogni-tion available in their district. Principalsneed to be periodically updated onwhat facilitators are doing and wherethey are in the program so each prin-cipal can stay current with the progressof staff members and provide supportaccordingly

6. Ensure the active supportof school leaders.Principals don't just set the tone andclimate of the building-they alsoinfluence the overall culture inwhich everything else operates.They need to hold the time allo-cated to professional developmentsacred, protecting it from interfer-ence or distraction. To promote asense of accomplishment, theyshould help teachers track and eval-uate their own growth by inquiringabout changes they have implementedin their teaching practices and changesthey have noted in their students' moti-vation and achievement. And theyshould model for their faculties theprocess of being a continual learner, byparticipating either as a member of abuilding's learning team or as a memberof a district leadership learning team.

A professional development programwill have a greater probability ofsuccess when the learning goals areclear to all at the building and districtlevels. Facilitators and principals needto be in agreement on learning expecta-tions for the team, and building anddistrict leaders should be able to articu-late what teachers will be learning andwhy they're learning it. In addition,district or building leaders shouldcommunicate to all staff members theexpected benefits and proven results ofthe professional development focus of

study With a supportive framework, acoherent curriculum, and a skillfulfacilitator, teachers can learn without anexpert being physically present in theroom with them.

Avoiding the PitfallsIn after-school workshops, things cango wrong. There can be insufficienthandouts, faulty technology, badlighting, a poor sound system, or apresenter with laryngitis.

Unforeseen problems can also deraillearning teams. To reduce the likeli-hood of problems, start by choosingcontent that rests on a foundation ofresearch that supports its effect onlearning and that translates the researchinto everyday classroom practice. Lookfor curriculum materials that areteacher-friendly and suitable for use ina learning-team model of professionaldevelopment.

Make an inventory of all programs orpractices that teachers are being askedto learn, along with the learning goalsof each. Is there sufficient time and arethere sufficient resources to accomplisheverything on the teacher learning platein one year? This is one of the mainreasons for the overuse of the workshopmodel: It can cover lots of material. But

covering does not equal learning, eitherin the classroom or beyond it. Doesyour program of professional develop-ment include time to learn, time topractice, time to discuss, and time toreflect for the learning goals itaddresses? If not, it's best to pare theyear's adult learning expectations downto what you can do well-or plan for arnultiyear implementation.

Carefully consider the compositionof the learning team itself, the numberof members it should have, andwhether they should be from the samedepartment or grade level. Provide athorough orientation for participants at

the outset, including the rationale andcontext. Explain why you're studyingthis topic, what's to be gained whenit's transferred to the classroom,how long the program will last,and how it's connected to otherschool and district initiatives.

Schedule meetings in advanceand at times that enable all team

members to attend. Dedicate thattime to learning and to nothing else. In

a recent study of a professional devel-opment project in which we wereinvolved, the investigator found that "alack of sufficient meeting time was thesingle most common constraint cited byteachers in identifying impediments tothe successful function of their teams"(Weinbaum, 2008, p. 26).

When at all possible, work withvolunteer participants. Our experiencehas shown that teams are most effectivewhen participants choose to be part ofthe team as opposed to being requiredto be there. This may seem at odds withcreating a schoolwide culture oflearning or a focus on a particulartopic, but the two are not mutuallyexclusive. School leaders can createbuy-in through offering initial presenta-tions or short workshops that introducethe content and the research-anoverview of what works, why it works,and how it works-along with anexample or two that can be useful in

ASSOCIATION FOR SUPERVISION AND CURRICULuM DEVELOPMENT 59

the classroom right away.Stay with the same professional devel-

opment focus for multiple years,inviting participation each year. Plan forthe implementation to become "viral,"building to a critical mass.

Finally, clearly communicate the struc-ture and responsibilities of learning-teamparticipation. What separates thelearning-team model from many of itsprofessional development cousins is thatlearning does not just take place duringthe team meetings. In schools whereteacher teams already meet regularly toreview data or discuss or decide onschoolwide issues, this will help mini-mize confusion between those types ofteam meetings, which tackle a specificissue, and the learning-team professionaldevelopment meetings, which are bettersuited to the deeper learning thatsubstantive change requires.

The Best Kind of LearningCollaborative learning teams providemore than one-time exposure to newideas. Over time, they can change day-to-day teaching by giving teachers theongoing opportunity to learn together,apply learning to the classroom, andreflect on what works and why. Just aslearning improves for students whenthey have the structured opportunity toreflect on what they know and don'tknow in relation to the targets ofinstruction, adult learning also benefitsfrom intentional reflection on classroompractice. Collaborative learning teamscan transform the nature of adult inter-action and learning in schools byengaging teachers in the same process ofcontinual learning and improvementthat we ask our students to strive for intheir work. M

ReferencesChappuis, J. (2007). Learning team facilitator

handbook. Portland, OR: EducationalTesting Service.

Knowles, M. (1990). The adult learner: Aneglected species. Houston, TX: GulfPublishing.

Sparks, D. (2003). Change agent: An inter-view with Michael Fullan. Journal of StaffDevelopment, 24(1), 55-58.

Weinbaum, E. (2008). Learning about assess-ment: An evaluation of a ten-state effort tobuild assessment capacity in high schools.Philadelphia: Consortium for PolicyResearch in Education, University ofPennsylvania.

Copyright © 2009 by Steve Chappuis,Jan Chappuis, and Rick Stiggins.

Steve Chappuis, Jan Chappuis, andRick Stiggins work with the ETSAssessment Training Institute in Portland,Oregon; www.ets.org/ati.

IF YOU WANTTO TEACH,LEARN TO REACH.As an educator, your ability to engage and inspire is key to success. That's why all ofArgosy University's education programs emphasize the interpersonal skills you'll need Jto make the grade. Because knowledge is one thing, teaching it quite another.

You can earn your Master's, Specialist, or Doctoral degree in:*"* Educational Leadership"* Instructional Leadership"* Instructional Specialist"* Community College Executive LeadershipIn addition, Argosy University's 19 campuses across the country offer degreeprograms in Psychology, Counseling, and Business.

Classes Enrolling Now - Call Today About Our National Information Session On April 4th.

ARGOSY UNIVERSITYLearn moreXf( todyDU at [argosy.edu 1 rcall 800.377.A0617Args nvestdinsrto 1 20 Not Mihgan Aveu ut 130 1 Chicgo,I 6060

Proiai anesvay y octin.No al rora s r egeeleel ae valaleA'evryloaton P 00 Aros Unvriy 08A. 00-1/8

60 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP/FEBRUARY 2009

I

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

TITLE: Supporting Teacher Learning TeamsSOURCE: Educ Leadership 66 no5 F 2009

The magazine publisher is the copyright holder of this article and itis reproduced with permission. Further reproduction of this article inviolation of the copyright is prohibited.