MyTeachingPartner: A Consultative Model of

Professional Development

2008 National OSEP Early Childhood Conference

Grace Wilder FunkCenter for the Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning

University of Virginia

Today’s Presentation

Focus on ways to make professional development meaningful for teachers

Traditional Approach to Professional Development

Coursework, inservices, and

workshops

Classroom teaching

Disconnect between professional

development and actual classroom

practices

High Quality Professional Development

Professional development should be driven by teachers’ need for information, support, and feedback

Definition Sustained Intensive Classroom-focused Based on research

MyTeachingPartner

Model of professional development that uses an individualized consultative model to enhance teachers’ knowledge and skills

Designed to address concerns about traditional models of professional development

Takes advantage of advances in technology for the delivery of professional development

Ingredients for Successful PD Model

MTP: Teacher Focused Approach to PD Provide professional development focused on implementing activities

related to:

Early literacy and oral language

Social relationship / self-regulation skills

Focus on implementation as the key to the developmental value of activities

Support high-quality teacher-child interactions as the central part of the activities

Use web-based, Internet technology as the means for delivering ongoing professional development at a statewide level of scale

Student growth in language, literacy and social relationships

Teacher-child interactions and relationships (CLASS)

Consultation & web-based support for effective teacher-child interactions (CLASS)Lang/Lit

Activities

Classroom video recordingat an established time

1

Teacher reviews videoand prompts;

reflects on practice

3

Teacher and consultantdiscuss

teaching practices

4

Consultant reviewsand edits video; writes prompts

2

Consultancy Cycles

Collaborative process Take place every two weeks Focus on different aspects of the teacher’s

practice Use video as the springboard for discussion Determine specific goals and objectives to work

on each cycle

Goals for Teachers

Become better OBSERVERS of own practice

View practice through lens of the CLASS

Become more INTENTIONAL in interactions with children

Increase SELF-EFFICACY

Increase quality of IMPLEMENTATION of lessons & curricula

Classroom Observation Teaching Practice

Knowledge Expertise Support

• Observation provides a link from knowledge, expertise, and support to actual teaching practices

Our Lens for Observing MTP uses the CLASS as the basis for defining high quality implementation of

lessons & curricula and as the focus on our professional development

Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)

Developed to assess classroom interactions and relationships as measured by three major components:

Emotional support

Organization / management

Instructional support

Provides a common language and viewpoint

Classroom “Quality”

STRUCTURECurriculum

PROCESS

Relationships

Children’s Academic & Social Development

Academic & Social Interactions

Materials

Training and Education

Domains & Dimensions of the CLASS

Emotional Support

Positive ClimateNegative Climate

Teacher SensitivityRegard for Student

Perspectives

Instructional Support

Concept DevelopmentQuality of FeedbackLanguage Modeling

Classroom Organization

Behavior ManagementProductivity

Instructional Learning Formats

How Technology Supports MTP

Technology

Technology allows teachers to view effective practice and reflect upon their own practice using a standardized metric of classroom quality

MTP website Language and literacy

activities Activity demonstrations Research rationale Social emotional curriculum

CLASS video library Videconferencing

Activity Components Objectives Getting Ready

– Materials– Things To

Do/Make Activity

– Summary– Details

Extension Activities

Videoconferencing

iSight

iChat

Study Design

Pre-k teachers were randomly assigned by district to one of two study conditions for a period of two school years:

Web Access teachers (n=52) received language and literacy activities, materials and access to the MyTeachingPartner website

Consultancy teachers (n=81) received language and literacy activities, materials, access to the MyTeachingPartner website, and bi-monthly discussions with a teaching consultant

Effects of MTP support Teachers in consultancy:

Grew more sensitive in interactions with students Increased students’ engagement in instruction Improved language stimulation techniques

Children Greater gains in tests of early literacy Lower levels of problem behavior

Consultancy was a more powerful intervention in high poverty classrooms

Using web resources was more important in improving quality for teachers without a consultant

Improvements in Teacher Sensitivity

3.5

4

4.5

5

Te

ac

he

r S

en

sit

ivit

y

Consultancy

Web-Access

Improvements in Learning Formats

3.5

4

4.5

5

Inst

ruct

iona

l Lea

rnin

g Fo

rmat

s

Consultancy

Web-Access

Improvements in Language Modeling

3.5

4

4.5

5

Lan

gu

age

Mo

del

ing

Consultancy

Web-Access

Summary

The MTP Consultation Model is…• Ongoing• Individualized • Collaborative • Based on observations of teachers' current

classroom practice• Intended to promote self-reflection• Designed to improve areas of teaching with direct

links to student achievement

Teacher Feedback on MTP Approach

I think teachers and

administrators have a great deal to gain from this type

of training/consult

ing.

”

“

I was speaking with a previous administrator and told her all about my participation with MTP. I told her that I

felt this was a breakthrough in teacher training and could have

a huge impact.

“

”

Teacher Feedback

“The consultancy part of this program was very beneficial to me. You were wonderful to talk to and share my concerns. You understood the problems in my classroom and you gave wonderful advice.”

“I have enjoyed working with you this year. I feel that we have been partners in the true sense of the word. You have given me great support when I really needed it. I also appreciated your expertise in many areas.”

MTP Approach to Professional Development

Connects professional development with classroom practice using a common

denominator:

the CLASS lens on interactions

Consultative Model

Classroom teaching

Questions and Reflections

What are your thoughts about what you have seen and heard so far?

How does this fit in with your current system of professional development?

Guidelines for a Consultative Model of PD

A COLLABORATIVE approach is essential

OBSERVATION offers a unique opportunity to work with teachers

FEEDBACK works best when it is balanced, specific, personalized, and ongoing

CHANGE takes time

How to Provide Feedback Start with the Positive

“What did you see that you did well?” or “What was going well during this time?”

Ask about Challenges“What as challenging?” or “After viewing the tape, what would

you have liked to have done differently?”

Develop Mutual GoalsEnsures that you are working on something that is meaningful

to the teacher

CLASS Activity

View video Think about indicators of Teacher Sensitivity

– Awareness– Responsiveness– Addresses problems– Student Comfort

Develop feedback to teacher

Questions or Comments?

http://www.myteachingpartner.net/ http://www.ncrece.org/wordpress/