ERIC Number: ED660091
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Sep
Pages: 280
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-68253-919-4
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Learning Together: Organizing Schools for Teacher and Student Learning
Elham Kazemi; Jessica Calabrese; Teresa Lind; Becca Lewis; Alison Fox Resnick; Lynsey K. Gibbons
Harvard Education Press
A blueprint for structuring the school environment around teacher learning and collaboration as a foundation for equitable learning and student engagement. In "Learning Together," Elham Kazemi, Jessica Calabrese, Teresa Lind, Becca Lewis, Alison Fox Resnick, and Lynsey K. Gibbons share findings from their decade of experience in nurturing collaborative learning cultures in elementary schools. The work offers guidance for intentionally and explicitly organizing educational institutions to prioritize and support teacher learning, which can, as the authors show, create flourishing learning systems for teachers and students alike. As part of research-practice partnerships in six US elementary schools engaged in school improvement efforts, the authors observed that such deliberate school reorganization is the first step in meaningfully shifting practices from teacher-centered, procedure-based learning to student-centered, discussion-intensive learning that develops student agency. Through interviews with teachers and members of instructional leadership teams, they illustrate the myriad benefits of mutual learning in which educators are encouraged to grow their practice as part of teacher teams and as members of a likeminded professional community. The authors recommend practical actions--from establishing vision-driven hiring and retention practices to aligning resources such as time, funding, and professional development opportunities--that can help to cultivate a schoolwide ethos of instructional collaboration. The wisdom highlighted in this work will be invaluable for teachers, instructional coaches, principals, district leaders, and anyone who makes decisions for students or teachers.
Descriptors: Faculty Development, Teacher Collaboration, Elementary School Teachers, Cooperative Learning, Teaching Methods, School Organization, Educational Improvement, Organizational Change, Teacher Attitudes, Student Centered Learning, Personal Autonomy, Instructional Leadership, Teacher Selection, Teacher Persistence, Educational Resources, Educational Finance, Theory Practice Relationship, Learning Processes, Partnerships in Education, Team Teaching
Harvard Education Press. 8 Story Street First Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138. Tel: 888-437-1437; Tel: 617-495-3432; Fax: 978-348-1233; e-mail: hepg@harvard.edu; Web site: http://hepg.org/hep-home/home
Publication Type: Books; Reports - Descriptive; Guides - Non-Classroom
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: Teachers; Administrators
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A