Developing Teacher Leaders in Science

Developing a Network of Teacher Leaders in Science Presented at: NSTA Phoenix Regional Conference December 2009 Presented by: Walt Rathkamp, Saginaw Valley State University Steve Best, University of Michigan

Overview of the Session • Provide a background on and examples from the development of the Michigan Mathematics and Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative • Provide considerations for the development and implementation of a teacher leader program • Examine considerations for developing a professional learning network for science educators

Background of the Project • Statewide need for a new generation of instructional leaders • Statewide infrastructure to support the project • Statewide MSP Grant • Experiences and resources of partners

Goals of the MMSTLC • Develop a cadre of teacher leaders with the knowledge and skills to improve teaching and learning in targeted high-needs schools • Establish collaborative working relationships among teacher leaders and other local and statewide partners • Improve mathematics and science learning of students in schools • Increase capacities of the Math/Science Centers and Higher Education to sustain support for teacher leadership around research and standards

Participants • High needs schools • Teacher Leaders • Administrators • Other teachers (later in the process) • Math/Science Centers • STEM faculty from Higher Education Institutions

Levels of Action • Local Team Development and Partnerships • Statewide Professional Development • Networking Among Participants and Other Stakeholders • Resource Development for Local PD • Dissemination of Resources and Ideas

Local Coordination and Leadership Development • Michigan’s Mathematics and Science Center (MSC) Network • MSC Centers Role in Fostering Local Teacher Leadership • Resources and Activities of Local Teams (from the MSC)

Local Partnerships • STEM Faculty • Support Content Knowledge of Teacher Leader • Collaborate with Teacher Leaders and MSCs to Develop Content Speciﬁc Resources • Liaison’s with Higher Education Institutions • Local School Administrators • Math / Science Centers • Teacher Leaders

Local Leadership Development • Recruitment and Needs Assessment • Professional Development Plan for Teacher Leaders • Release Time for Teacher Leaders • Semester Sabbatical • Other Release Time Models

Examples of Leadership Development Efforts • Saginaw (individual teacher sabbatical) • Port Huron (team of teachers with partial sabbatical) • Detroit (afterschool PLC and summer program)

Statewide PD for Leaders • Leadership Skill Development and Awareness of Leadership Issues • Strategic Planning for Local Teams • Role-speciﬁc Sessions Addressing Policy Issues and Networking • Content and Pedagogy Issues for Science Instruction

Leadership Topics Team/General Issue Science Specific Support Curriculum standards, design, Inquiry unit design/adaptation, and policy issues review of curriculum resources Assessment policy, types of Formative Assessment, student data Student Science Test Data Professional development Content and scientific process facilitation and planning specific PD considerations Leadership styles, team Content-based PD approaches, classroom observation strategies, dynamics, change and conflict mentoring approaches, research management findings on student learning and instruction

Science Instruction Focus • Inquiry Learning Process • (Project Based Science Model - Krajcik, et al) • Curriculum Resources from LeTUS and IQWST • Student Designed Investigations • Using Scientiﬁc Models • Data Collection and Analysis • Formative Assessment • Writing and communication strategies in science • Links to research on student learning and instruction

Sample Activities for Science Teacher Leaders • Sample teaching activity to illustrate common instructional issues and observation strategies • Collaborative investigations of science phenomena with multiple variables • Practice PD Design and Facilitation • Book Study Groups • Jigsaw analyses of curriculum resources or readings on science ed.

Sample Teaching Activity • On a blank sheet, write out the names of 15 types of candy. • Create a classification system that first organizes these into at least two sets, and then organizes those into smaller sets using specific rules. • Create any additional unique rules that organize each candy into its own category. • Relate to how this is similar to the classification system developed by biologists. • EACH SMALL GROUP SHOULD HAVE A FACILITATOR (“TEACHER”) TO GUIDE DISCUSSION AND TASK PROGRESS FOR THE “STUDENTS”

Sample Teaching Activity Results • This activity followed a brief presentation of a review of research on issues around higher-order thinking skills and teacher expectations of students in science? • Results were the same across the board, and provided an opportunity for reflection on practice. • Combined with Math group session on similar research and instructional issues, along with TIMSS Video Study findings on teacher engagement. • Provided a “contextualizing event” for teachers to revisit and reflect on when addressing other issues in science education.

Collaborative Investigations • Provide an opportunity to explore content in greater depth while addressing a collaborative approach to inquiry • Sample activities included: • Musical instrument design and testing • Simulation of an outbreak of a communicable disease • Testing of surfaces for ramp/cart activities • Modeling of water movement in a watershed analysis • Provided classroom examples that could be used by teachers, along with an opportunity to see how multiple variables are addressed by small groups in a large group setting

Practice PD Sessions • Cross-state teams plan and implement an hour PD session on a critical topic • Teachers need to incorporate: • A hands-on activity that other teachers can do • Samples of classroom artifacts (including anonymous student work) • Research summary on the issue • Groups selected feedback criteria and led “debrieﬁng” sessions • Each groups’ resources were revised and shared with the cohort

Book Study Group • Modeled after standard book study groups • Teachers selected books up front, and then had a deadline for posting a review, discussion questions, and commenting on questions from others • Resources are posted within an online PD site for the participants, and will become a subject for ongoing podcasts and blog posts • Designed to be a good ﬁrst step effort to leading colleagues’ professional learning

Jigsaw Analysis • Participants reviewed various artifacts of instruction • Lesson plans • Samples of student work • Videos of classroom instruction • Feedback focused on various themes (i.e. assessment, classroom organization and planning, differentiation, etc.) • Provided opportunities for informal networking and collaboration, as well as pilot testing of teacher created resources

Developing a Network • All of the prior activities involve some level of collaboration • Among different schools/teams • Among different roles • Recognize the greatest need of PD: networking and discussion with other teachers • Encourage collaborations on other, non- project related efforts • Each task included the creation of some artifacts that required discussion to focus “on topic” and not stray

Design for Dissemination • Teacher leaders and local teams need to actually engage other teachers during the project • Statewide PD and local efforts focused on creation of useful products and resources that could be used with others • Incorporated online discussion and other communication tools for sharing ideas and ongoing local support of teachers

For More Information • See the links on your handout • Check out other sessions here: • Web 2.0 in the Classroom: Collaborative Learning Tools for Science (Friday at 8am in 228A) • Say What You Mean! Strategies to Help Students Better Communicate Science (Friday at 12:30pm in 221B) • The Problems with Models and How to Fix Them (Friday at 3:30pm in 225A) • Visit the MMSTLC Website: http://mmstlc.net

Developing Teacher Leaders in Science

by Michigan Mathematics and Science Teacher Leadership Collaborative on Dec 03, 2009

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