Embed professional development in daily school work through multiple mutually reinforcing conduits focused on a limited set of school-wide goals¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

Several RSF schools stood out for intensive professional development addressing "a manageable set of key school-wide goals." Professional development was "embedded in the daily work of the school through multiple conduits, such as team planning led by instructional coaches, modeling and individual coaching, after-school professional development, and feedback following regular observations." One school scheduled afterschool professional development and collaborative time 4 days per week with a full-time literacy coach; another provided 4 weeks of pre-school professional development plus weekly workshops and intensive weekly coaching.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Instructional leaders and coaches with time built into daily operations; the report notes most schools instead tried to address everything at once

Constraints¶

Target Learners¶

• Teachers in new K-8 schools serving low-income urban students

Target Learning Goals¶

• Teacher instructional skill in literacy and mathematics, including teaching and assessing for mastery

Related Strategies¶

• Use strategic hiring aligned to the instructional model, including observing candidates teach and recruiting for mission-specific qualifications

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Young, V. M., Humphrey, D. C., Wang, H., Bosetti, K. R., Cassidy, L., Wechsler, M. E., Rivera, E., Murray, S., & Schanzenbach, D. W. (2008). Renaissance Schools Fund-Supported Schools: Early Outcomes, Challenges, and Opportunities. SRI International. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/renaissance-schools-fund-supported-schools-early-outcomes-challenges-and-opportunities