Summer Diary #2:
We need more time
to share our own expertise
When do most faculties ever get a chance just to talk about education issues?
From Monday through Thursday last week our staff met from 8:00-1:00 for
professional development. The mornings were devoted to various educational
issues while afternoons were spent in computer training. So far the staff
has been cooperative and eager to participate in the mostly hands-on sessions,
and generally people are behaving in a professional manner. It is a definite
improvement.
Monday was spent reviewing record-keeping procedures and outlining expectations
for the summer and next school year. Our instructional coordinator set the
tone that there would be no nonsense, and we were expected to behave in
a professional manner.
Tuesday through Thursday mornings a gentleman who has worked with our staff
frequently on the Efficacy program integrated efficacy content with performance
tasks and Missouri's standards. The efficacy program basically states that
all kids are capable of getting smart and mastering any content before them
with effective effort and using feedback to create effective strategies.
There was a minimum of talk from him-- we were constructing our own knowledge
-- and except for our presentations and group interactions on various tasks,
there was a minimum of talk among the staff as well until Thursday morning.
On Thursday morning the presenter asked us to review the concepts we had
covered the day before to become mentally prepared for the tasks ahead.
We volunteered information, asked questions, and quickly found ourselves
involved in a discussion of our kids, our classrooms, our school, and the
challenges we face. We talked about the necessity of making our classrooms
safe havens for kids, another staff member questioned what that meant and
how it could be achieved, and others shared their views and strategies.
For roughly 15 minutes, the staff was engaged in a productive discussion
of what we wanted for our kids.
It ended all too quickly. The presenter called us back to order so he could
cover what he needed to that day. To his credit, the instructor had let
us follow our tangent because he understood that it was related to his content
and was productive. I understand his predicament; he was asked to Turner
to cover particular material, and since Thursday was his last day, he had
to keep to a schedule in order to complete his program.
This incident, however, emphasized to me just how little our staff actually
talks about our views about education, our kids, and Turner Middle, and
the willingness, even desire of the staff to interact on that level.
Too many workshops; not enough real conversation
Most professional development comes from outside presenters or agencies,
and they come to Turner with a packaged spiel and focus. They do not really
know our kids, our issues, or us; they are there simply to supply us with
information and strategies. Faculty meetings are mostly business meetings,
reminders of morning duty schedules, reports from committees, and other
announcements. The administration or committee chair talks, the faculty
listens (or pretends to), and little real conversation occurs.
After five years of inservices, I cannot claim to have heard it all, but
I am noticing a certain repetitiveness of themes. It seems to me that unless
we engage in some discussion of how these strategies and ideas apply to
Turner, we are spending time in workshops only to apply new strategies in
hit and miss fashion. How much of the perceived unwillingness to try a new
approach stems from confusion, sincere disagreement, or not understanding
how a particular strategy might apply to one's own classroom?
If teachers were engaged in more talk among themselves, wouldn't misconceptions
and confusions be identified and cleared up? Wouldn't staff members share
their experiences and expertise? Why isn't more time made for staff discussion
and interaction?
I have been rethinking my entire approach to the two sessions I am presenting
later in July. Although there is a certain amount of content I need to cover
as well as particular products I think will be of service to my peers and
help them understand each concept more fully. However, in both sessions
I see the need to include staff discussion with each other, not just a give
and take between me and the person talking.
It seems to me that we need to discover the experts among us instead of
always looking to some outside agent to fix us and tell us what to do. I
think we all have something to share, but if we never talk to each other,
we may never find out what that is.
Read Ellen's next summer diary entry
>>>
<<< Read Ellen's first summer
diary entry
Read some background about Ellen and
her school
Comment on this week's entry
Back to Ellen's 2000-2001
Diary Index