Moving Forward Together

About twenty years ago, my wife said "You have to meet them where they're at." I'm not sure if she was referring to teaching, though I suspect she was, but the thought has stayed with me ever since. It may have been my first introduction to D.I. Educators are keenly aware that students come to them with completely different capabilities and attitudes toward learning. I'm not sure that anybody in education today could successfully argue for a 'one size fits all' education system.

Once again, I find my thoughts (and words) drifting toward the topic of professional development. A few days ago, I was one of a group of 10 people involved in a full day P.D. session where we were examining research (Fisher and Frey - Reading Comprehension Strategies) in order to address a student need in our building. The group was trying to come up with a strategic plan to put in place so that the entire staff would be able to help our students make meaning from what they are reading. No small task! A couple things jumped out at me.

First, there is always the nagging "90%" statistic in the back of my mind. No real student gains are realized until 90% of the staff are well beyond the beginning stages of use for a specific task/practice or strategy.(1) With that in mind, we are always trying to come up with something for the entire staff to do, and furthermore, something easy to implement. The Panama Canal was a solution to a problem. Solutions to difficult problems are messy and require a lot of work and effort. I'm afraid that by trying to find a quick and easy solution (to ensure staff participation) that we are digging a moat rather than a canal. At these meetings, we will all agree to try something new, and report on the success of the initiative.  Ten staff members out of 80, working on something new for 1 week (or even one month) flies in the face of the research. How can we inform our practice based on statistically insignificant findings?

Secondly, there is D.I. (Didn't think I was going to tie it back in, did you?) Only this time, I'm NOT talking about students. Each staff member has different ideas, skills and attitudes when it comes to teaching (especially when talking about trying new things ESPECIALLY when those things are based upon research that doesn't agree with your own personal view of how things work!) We talk about each staff member being at a different place in their 'continuum of learning', yet we try to come up with a one size fits all policy toward educating students. P.D. funds are spent on the willing and eager - people that are less likely to need the P.D.

I believe in what we are trying to do. I don't believe that anybody is at fault. I am confident that what I am engaging in is making me a better teacher, and that my students benefit from it (at least in a limited capacity while in my class -- are they transferring their skills to other environments?). I do not regret the work, but I don't want it to be in vain either. I am afraid that we are in over our heads.

So, here is the crux of it all.
i) How do we, as a school, keep from spinning our wheels?
ii) What do we need to do to collectively move forward?

As always, your suggestions/comments appreciated.

(1) Adapted from Fixsen, D. L., Naoom, S. F., Blase, K. A., Friedman, R. M., & Wallace, F. (2005). Implementation research: A synthesis of the literature. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, NIRN (FMHI Publication #231).