Professional Development Schools: Creative Solutions for Educators

by JoAnne Ferrara

Overview

This book is intended as a guide for practitioners interested in forming alliances within their community to support teacher and student success. Under the umbrella of a professional development school (PDS), school principals willing to engage in this type of partnership have access to a framework for school renewal. Within this school/university framework lie four critical factors that transform the ways in which teachers’ teach and schools’ function. The professional development school model takes a holistic approach to revitalizing schools by sharing knowledge, resources, practices, and the collaborative efforts of P-12 educators and the higher education community. Through the collective wisdom of P-12 and university educators, PDSs provide a new way to think about teaching and a rich environment for learning.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781475802887
Publisher:	R&L Education
Publication date:	03/04/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	184
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

JoAnne Ferrara is associate dean for Undergraduate Advising at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY. She is a former urban public school teacher and administrator. She created the college’s first professional development school in 2002. Her pioneering work with a professional development school nested in a community school transformed her vision for preservice teacher education. Her research interests include whole child education, community schools, and educator preparation.

Table of Contents

Preface
Chapter 1: Making the Case for Collaboration
Chapter 2: Historical Context of the Professional Development School Movement
Chapter 3: So You are Thinking of Becoming a PDS
Chapter 4: Backward Design: Job Embedded Professional Development in PDSs
Chapter 5: A PDS with Unique Focus on Whole Child Education
Chapter 6 : PDS: Making It Work from the Principal’s Office
Chapter 7: The Role of Leadership in the PDS
Chapter 8: A National Perspective on the Current State of PDSs
Chapter 9: PDS Action Steps
Acknowledgements

Editorial Reviews

Ferrara’s PDS/ community school is an innovative model that creates conditions for success. In the environment of high stakes testing, it thinks beyond the traditional school and teacher preparation models, acknowledging the all too often crippling impact that socioeconomic factors have – not only on student’s learning, but on teachers’ teaching and prep. This PDS/ community school strategy creates a space where we can meet both students’ socio-emotional needs and educators’ needs to support both teacher development and student success.

Randi Weingarten

Creating professional development schools, where university faculty work closely with both pre-service and veteran teachers in devising and implementing innovative teaching practices, is not a new idea, but it is an idea in need of renewal. In this important new book, JoAnne Ferrara explains how such schools are working to address some of the important challenges confronting public schools today. She also reminds us that this type of collaboration can lead to practical solutions that enhance the effectiveness of our schools.

Pedro Noguera Ph.D

Professional Development Schools is all at once an excellent primer, handbook, and treatise on the immense value of professional development schools in teacher education. Chock full of insights and best practices learned in the field, the book is as accessible as it is comprehensive. A very valuable tool for all education professionals, from P-12 to Ph.D.

Nancy L. Zimpher

Many education leaders have called attention to the need to forge much stronger connections between pre-service teacher preparation programs and the K-12 education system, and this new book provides practical advice about how to tackle this challenge. Based on local work in Westchester County, NY and drawing on national expertise as well, Professional Development Schools outlines strategies for providing rich clinical experience designed to prepare teachers for the real world of practice in 21st Century America.

Jane Quinn

At last we have a complete and authentic description of what Professional Development Schools can accomplish. From its history, descriptions of powerful partnerships, and their inevitable challenges, we learn about how to improve both schools and universities for teachers and their students. This book shows us both the power and the promise of Professional Development Schools as a model for change.

Ann Lieberman

Creating professional development schools, where university faculty work closely with both pre-service and veteran teachers in devising and implementing innovative teaching practices, is not a new idea, but it is an idea in need of renewal. In this important new book, JoAnne Ferrara explains how such schools are working to address some of the important challenges confronting public schools today.She also reminds us that this type of collaboration can lead to practical solutions that enhance the effectiveness of our schools.

Dr. Pedro Noguera