More than Just a Group: Teacher Collaboration and Learning in the Workplace

Autor/inn/en	Hindin, Alisa; Morocco, Catherine Cobb; Mott, Emily Arwen; Aguilar, Cynthia Mata
Titel	More than Just a Group: Teacher Collaboration and Learning in the Workplace
Quelle	In: Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 13 (2007) 4, S.349-376 (28 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1354-0602
Schlagwörter	Teacher Collaboration; Literacy; Communities of Practice; Transfer of Training; Theory Practice Relationship; Professional Development; Alignment (Education); Classroom Observation Techniques; Interviews; Staff Meetings; Instructional Improvement; Teacher Effectiveness + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Lehrerkooperation; Alphabetisierung; Schreib- und Lesefähigkeit; Community; Training; Transfer; Ausbildung; Theorie-Praxis-Beziehung; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Pädagogische Konferenz; Unterrichtsqualität; Effectiveness of teaching; Instructional effectiveness; Lehrerleistung; Unterrichtserfolg
Abstract	Teaching is often characterized as an isolated activity, yet opportunities for teachers to work and learn together in schools are increasing. Underlying this shift is the view that as teachers work on new practices and teaching challenges together, they will express varied perspectives, reveal different teaching styles and experiences, and stimulate reflection and professional growth. Despite strong research interest in teacher learning groups, few studies have looked at the relationship between teachers' conversations and collaboration outside the classroom and their actual classroom teaching. Drawing on data from a larger study of literacy instruction with middle-school teachers, this article describes how three teachers participated in an ongoing literacy program with a research group. Two were seventh- and eighth-grade language-arts teachers, the third was a special-education teacher who taught a substantially separate class of cognitively delayed and learning-disabled students. Case studies of each teacher draw on meeting observations, classroom observations and interviews to describe how each participated in after-school meetings, how they used the work of the group in the classroom, and how they brought teaching successes and challenges back to the group. Although each of the teachers participated actively in the teacher learning group and changed their practice, the teachers with the most advanced teaching of literacy practices did not bring that expertise into the teacher group as fully as they might have. The analysis raises questions about how teachers participate and learn and how to structure teacher groups to maximize teacher learning. (Contains 1 figure, 3 tables and 1 chart.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10