Ruie Pritchard

Professional Development in 'Healthy' vs. 'Unhealthy' Districts: Top 10 Characteristics Based on Research.

Professional development is a requirement of every reform effort. Most states in the USA mandate a certain number of days in the school calendar to be allocated for professional development. Other nations often fund professional development for teachers to accompany an initiative to improve student performance. Although assumptions about why and how professional development should be conducted are shared, empirical evidence is relatively slim. Recent research generally focuses on the role of professional development in school reform. This study investigates the characteristics of involvement in professional development at the level of the district-the umbrella organisation for a geographic collection of schools. As part of a larger study, this research examines the professional development activities in school districts in relationship to overall district health. How do healthy and unhealthy districts differ in their approaches to professional development? What is the relationship between district health and student achievement? While confirming some of the assumptions about what makes effective professional development, this study provides research-based evidence for what districts can do to ensure district-wide impact and to bring about and sustain change. Furthermore, it illustrates the close association of district health and student achievement.

Effects on Student Writing of Teacher Training in the National Writing Project Model.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of teacher training in the NWP model on student writing. The sample consisted of 383 students, in junior and senior high school at the time of the study, with ten essays each gathered over three years. Teachers responded to a questionnaire of practices in teaching composition. Results favored the treatment group at the junior high level. The highest mean score was achieved by senior high students of trained teachers. Statistically significant differences were found between trained and nontrained teachers for four instructional practices and for the amount of interaction with other professionals.

School and District Culture as Reflected in Student Voices and Student Achievement

The study investigated the relation between district culture, student achievement, and student attitudes about their schools. Perceptions of students as expressed in more than 2,000 essays written about their schools were explored. Seven cultural categories were examined for differences across grade levels and districts. Statistical differences were found for 3 categories (Social/People, Education/Curriculum, and Extra-curricular Activities) for writing achievement, for whether the district culture were rated as positive or negative, and for whether students comments revealed a positive or negative view of their schools. This study suggests that district culture has a noticeable effect on school culture and on student achievement.

The relation among school district health, total quality principles for school organization and student achievement1

The purpose of this study was to determine the congruence among W. E. Demings 14 points for Total Quality Management (TQM), the organizational health of school districts, and student achievement. Based on Kanters (1983) concept of a Culture of Pride with a Climate of Success, healthy districts were defined as having an organizational culture with high levels of interconnectedness and trust among and within the various levels of the system. Unhealthy districts were defined as having an organizational culture reflecting disconnection and mistrust among and within these levels. We found a high correlation (0.88) between the number of Demings points implemented within school districts and overall organizational health. Also found was a significant relation (p < 0.01) between organizational health and student achievement. Examining the congruence for each point revealed that healthy districts integrate the TQM principles as a planful strategy rather than discretely applying them, and implement most of Demings 14 recommendations in a process of continuous improvement. All of the high districts were found to have Constancy of purpose. The unhealthiest districts lacked defined purposes and used segmented approaches to management rather than integrated applications. The three points showing the least implementation in all districts were the principles of Drive out fear; Institute programs of training for new employees; and End the practice of administering education on price tag alone— build relationships of trust.

Using a Structured Writing Workshop to Help Good Readers Who are Poor Writers

This study explores the influence of a Writing Academy on the strategy applications, perceptions, and emotions that good readers who are poor writers experience when writing narrative text on-demand. Eleven fifth grade students (12 years old) were identified as good readers who are poor writers based on their academic history of passing the state-required End-Of-Grade Reading Test when they were in the third and fourth grades, but failing the state-required Fourth Grade Narrative Writing Test. Each subject participated in a specially-designed 16 week Writing Academy. Special Needs students who exhibited an identified behavioral or learning disability participated in the class but not in the study. This qualitative study included individual in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Data for each student consisted of interviews, teacher annotations from conferences, writing portfolio, self-assessment writing, and scores on the Writer Self-Perception Scale. These data were systematically analyzed using the constant comparative method, and classified according to their relationship to two construct categories that emerged (a basic profile of good readers who are poor writers, and the impact of the Writing Academy), and/or to a theme category (strategies, common experiences, and emotions). Results indicate that good readers who are poor writers (a) lack knowledge and application of both prewriting strategies and story grammar schema to plan and generate narrative texts; (b) do not employ self-regulation strategies to evaluate and to revise the texts they compose; (c) are inhibited in their writing by strong, negative emotions coupled with the perception of themselves as poor writers; and (d) benefit from participating in a structured writing workshop aimed at addressing the above mentioned problems.

Cultural Norming in Schools in “Healthy” and “Unhealthy” Districts

This study examines processes that personnel go through to assimilate the cultural norms of their schools. These processes are compared according to the teaching and learning environments of healthy, high achieving school districts and unhealthy, low achieving school districts. Specifically, this paper examines the “basket of crabs” effect, a metaphor the authors use to describe what happens during the systemic storming or Dissatisfaction stage for personnel in schools located in unhealthy, low achieving districts. The “basket of crabs” effect occurs when teachers view the success of an individual as a personal or professional threat so that they pull the achieving teacher away from leadership and innovation to a norm of isolation and practicing “teacher work.” This negative norming process stifles potential growth and inhibits full commitment to the school and district.