Teachers as Researchers
Facilitator: Jennifer Delashmutt
Jennifer has over 25 years of teaching and leadership experience in the United States and Asia. For the last ten years, she has served as an elementary principal and PK-12 Director of Curriculum and Professional Learning in Hong Kong and Thailand. Jennifer has led the faculty through sustainable curricular and instructional program changes that positively impacted learning and organizational culture. She has a Certificate of Advanced Educational Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education , an IB Leadership Certification and is an ISTE Certified Educator. Jennifer has experience and is dedicated to supporting faculty, staff, principals, administrators and board members in effective change leadership, inclusive practices, cultural shifts and embracing a continuous cycle of improvement.
As a co-founder of VSI Collaborative, Jennifer is currently partnering with schools in Central America, Asia and Europe in order to build systems that are grounded in research and implemented with reflection, action, sustainability and impact at the forefront.
To learn more about how Jen supports schools: www.vsicollaborative.com.
Session Overview
In this session, we will showcase how to align a culture of iteration with teachers as action researchers. We will focus on one case study of a division in a large PK-12 international school. Feedback, data and other evidence was collected by over 50 faculty members and all students participated. The faculty chose to focus on student learning through the lens of the school’s focus on their learning dispositions: collaborative, creative and resilient. Through the creation of an action research cadre, the development of faculty trios and partnerships, faculty professional learning around action research, and data analysis, the faculty embraced and championed a culture of action research at both the macro and micro levels. Based on individual passions, established learning expectations, current research frameworks, and the school’s mission and vision, teams can develop action and impact plans based on the body of evidence collected. I will share lessons learned and the consideration to embed action research into a professional growth model.
Session Outcomes
Build an understanding of evaluation and how it differs from research
Develop skills to assess impact on faculty/student learning
Increase organizational capacity to promote an action research mindset
Understanding of reliable evidence and how to use to drive systematic change
Strategies to inclusively design organizational shifts
Research Connections
The Action Research Guidebook: A process for pursuing equity and excellence in education Sagor, Williams
Embrace Teachers as Researchers, ASCD Decaire-Golden, Simmons
Who Should Attend
Teachers
Teacher/Team Leaders
Curriculum Coordinators
Instructional Coaches