Support+and+Empowerment

How can we provide tangible support and empowerment for all members of the staff?

Here is the rough draft for my section. I know there are typos, but please review and let me know what you think. :) [|Support and Empowerment.docx]

[|Article 1] Background Active support (AS) was developed to help staff organise and deliver practical support for meaningful client engagement in everyday activities. Both the amount and momentary effectiveness of staff support for client engagement have been found to increase following AS training. Training typically consists of a combination of workshops and onsite coaching sessions. To date, onsite training procedures have not been described or evaluated independently of AS workshops. Method An onsite training procedure used in AS - interactive training (IT) - was evaluated independently of AS workshops through direct observation of staff and client behaviour. Staff views were canvassed via a questionnaire. Results Following interactive training, staff assistance and client engagement increased. Staff views on the experience were positive. Conclusions Results from this preliminary study suggest that further research on the effectiveness of interactive training is warranted.

[|Article 2] This study examines two experienced teachers’ transformations and sense of agency as they implemented a writer’s workshop curriculum with multi-lingual third grade students. Multiple lines of inquiry guide the study including //communities of practice// (Lave & Wenger, 1991), //teacher identities in figured worlds// (Holland, Lachicotte, Skinner, & Cain, 1998), and the //ethic of care// (Noddings, 1984/2003). A constant comparative method was used to analyze classroom observation notes, interviews and debriefing sessions (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Findings indicate that teachers transformed their pedagogical practices around writing, and at the same time reconsidered what it may mean to become renewed professionals.

[|Article 3] This study explores trajectories of professional growth by teacher educators participating in a professional development community on teaching thinking. Qualitative measures revealed a four stage model of personal professional trajectories: anticipation/curiosity, withdrawal, awareness and change. The model delineates passages traversed by teacher educators grappling with complexities and challenges of an engaging professional development experience in a communal context. All participants followed the same four staged trajectory though individuals were located at different points on the path. Findings lend support to the nonlinear view of professional development, illustratingKinchin and Cabot’s (2010) paradigm of backwards and forwards movements along career paths.

[|Article 4] This article discusses various ways to empower the staff in the workplace. It also discusses accountability, sharing authority, and developing and articulating a vision.

[|Article 5] The writer explores the beginnings of a professional learning community (PLC) in schools through definition and its varying meanings for education practice, which has become ubiquitous among educators. One of the first resources to outline the key elements of a PLC was Shirley Hord's book // Professional Learning Communities : Communities of Continuous Inquiry and Improvement//. Learning organizations advocate supportive, shared leadership and collective creativity. They also encourage shared values and vision, supportive conditions, and shared personal practice.