Sustaining Teachers' Growth and Renewal through Action Research, Induction Programs, and Collaboration.

Abstract

Developing and retaining highly qualified continues to be a critical need (Berry, 2004; Darling-Hammond & Sykes, 2003). As more retire and school populations continue to grow, an increasing number of schools, universities, and states are implementing programs to ease induction, develop quality teachers, and inform educational practices. Many educators turn to action research to achieve these goals. Action research, also called classroom or teacher research, has been defined as systematic, intentional inquiry by teachers (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1993, p. 5). Action research encourages school personnel to systematically develop a question, gather data, and then analyze that data to improve their practice. Over the last fifteen years the complexities of using action research in schools have been well documented (Calhoun, 1993; Crawford & Cornett, 2000; Morton, 2005; Sagor, 1995); however, few studies have explored the effects of prolonged action research engagement on schools (Folkman, 2002; Wagner, 1999). This investigation offers a unique lens with which to view action research. In an earlier study we interviewed at Parkland Elementary School to determine the impact of a school-university partnership on and teaching at one school (Gilles & Cramer, 2003). Action research emerged as one of the engines that drove renewal in this school. For the current inquiry the data were further examined to unpack the complex interactions surrounding action research and to describe what factors led to the group's growth and longevity. Although many change initiatives are short lived, Parkland's action research group had existed for seven years at the time of the research. It was required for those involved in an induction program, the Teaching Fellows, and was voluntary to all other teachers. The Partnership and the Teaching Fellows Program Parkland belongs to the Missouri Partnership for Educational Renewal (MPER), a partnership between the University of Missouri-Columbia and selected Missouri schools. The mission of the partnership is to collaboratively discover, develop, demonstrate, and disseminate effective standards-based educational practices (MU Partnership for Educational Renewal, 2008). The partnership belongs to the National Network for Educational Renewal, conceptualized by John Goodlad (see http://www.nnerpartnerships.org). One important outgrowth of this partnership is the Teaching Fellowship Program. The Teaching Fellowship Program places a first year, fully certified teacher/ Fellow in a classroom with the support of a released mentor teacher, who mentors two Fellows. The Fellows also pursue their master's degrees over 15 months with coursework tied closely to their novice needs. The master's degree is free to the Fellows, and they receive a reduced teaching salary. The combination of appropriate coursework and mentoring help these new transition quickly into solid, thoughtful, and strategic (Gilles & Cramer, 2003). At each school in the Teaching Fellowship Program, one teacher is selected to be the mentor. One-third of the mentor's time is devoted to coaching two Fellows, one-third is committed to the school, and one-third of the time is assigned by the university to college teaching, committee work, or supervision. The mentor in the school facilitates action research with the Teaching Fellows and other interested teachers. For more in-depth information about this program, visit http://www.coe.missouri.edu/~tfp Review of Literature Although a great deal of literature has been published in the last decade examining action research or teacher research, more recently the idea of inquiry at the heart of action research has been explored (Badiali & Hammond, 2002; Calhoun, 1994; Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1993). Collaborating on action research opens communication among and school faculty; it increases awareness and reflection of issues that affect learning and professionalism (Darling-Hammond & McLaughlin, 1995; Friesen, 1994; Lauer, 2001; Levin & Rock, 2003; McLaughlin, Watts, & Beard, 2000). …

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