How does mandated professional development for educators affect student success? Partnering with Carol Tomlinson, EdD and Robert Pianta, PhD from the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education, we will investigate this question through the integration and testing of two research-based instructional models – Differentiated Instruction (DI) and MyTeachingPartner (MTP) consultancy in the Charlottesville City Schools Model Schools Project. We will combine the MTP and DI models to create a previously untested, whole-school framework for professional development that ties these models to student achievement. While these two models share underlying philosophies, they have never been studied in an integrated model. We hypothesize that school-wide implementation of DI and MTP in preK and elementary classrooms will have a positive impact on student achievement that is greater than either strategy alone. Working with an Instructional Coach (IC), teachers will videotape one lesson every two weeks. Utilizing the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) as a measure, ICs and teachers will use these videos to reflect, collaborate, and determine effective strategies to develop and implement differentiated lessons and improve teacher-student interactions.
This project will directly impact approximately 1,750 economically, racially and linguistically diverse students (42.0% Black, 60.1% Poverty, 13.5% ESL, 14.8% Students with Disabilities) in six schools over five years. Using qualitative and quantitative measures that meet scientific standards, we will determine the impact of instructional changes on student achievement. Therefore, this development grant will extend to a much larger audience as we explore the question, “Can student success be mandated?”
To learn more, contact Gertrude Ivory.
