Partnership Building Building a Partnership Between Pacific University SOE & A Rural School District Serving Native American Children Seth Agbo, Ph.D. Coordinator, Undergraduate program School of Education Pacific University

Main Goals School improvement Teacher education Veteran teacher development

Specific Goals Addressing problems of teaching & learning Assessing intercultural and interethnic learning needs Support for pre- service teacher field experience Creation of Professional Development Schools (PDSs) to prepare culturally competent teachers Recruitment of underrepresented groups into teacher education

Seven Project Phases 1.Negotiating Working Relationships 2.Widening the Web 3.Developing Strategies 4.Funding Sources 5.Definition of Action Projects 6.Professional Development Schools 7.Collective Education Activities

Phase 1: Negotiating Working Relationships December 2000: Fact-finding visits to Grand Ronde & Warm Springs Reservations January 2001: Visit of Pacific U. School of Education Dean (Willard) Director of Service Learning (Ellen), Daniel & Seth to Grand Ronde. February 2001: Same team to Warm Springs

Phase 2: Widening the Web February 2001: A conversation with Willamina School District March 2001: Workshops based on group discussions Problem Identification & Priority Setting Exercises

Phase 2 (continued) April 2001: Priority setting exercises Fundamental & specific suggestions to deal with priorities

Phase 3: Setting Strategies May 2001: Teacher Professional Development Summer Support Institute/Workshops Technology Integration and Sustained Support

Phase 3 (contd.)  June 2001:  University faculty lead instructional activities in public school classrooms.

Phase 4: Funding Sources July/August 2001: –Preparing the grounds for financing projects –Gathering background information for grant proposals –Negotiating support for grant proposals –Setting meeting agendas – Grant writing proposals

Phase 5: Definition of Action Projects Deciding on action projects Ongoing participation in school improvement and teacher development

Phase 6: Professional Development Schools (PDSs) An emerging confluence of diverse trends of theory & practice in teaching An evolving seamless web of ideas & activities about teaching & learning Learning about teaching & teaching about learning.

PDS Site Staff PDS Site Students in the Classroom Pre-Service Field Experience University Students Ed. Theories & Pedagogical Methods University Faculty PDS on-site facilitator Professional Development School (PDS) Model

PDS Overarching Goals The PDS model will facilitate: Improvement of pre-service and novice teachers. Ongoing professional growth of veteran teachers. Ongoing exchange of pedagogical knowledge and skills. Team planning, collaboration, collective reflection.

Phase 7: Collective Education Activities  Center for: Disseminating information about pedagogy and technology Generating content and professional elements and conditions of learning and teaching Exchanging ideas between school teachers, researchers, administrators, students and university faculty Collaborative research

Continued Collaboration PDS staff and college faculty must continue to meet regularly for planning and improving ongoing work Any new initiatives being planned must be developed jointly between the school and the college

Implications for SOE/Pacific University University should support priority hiring of PDS site staff as adjunct faculty Cost share for transportation, etc. to PDS sites Reallocation of existing resources and new resources are obtained Flexibility within systems geared toward traditional teacher preparation

Implications (Contd.)—Policies that: Support university faculty and public school collaboration Recognize participation of area public school staff as valuable in-service professional development partners in teacher education Support public school staff as guest teachers in teacher education classes. Support the joint development of operating policies & procedures for pre-service teacher education & in-service teacher development.

CONCLUSION--Transformational Learning Model Transformational Learning--New frames of teacher learning that enhance the learning of public school students, pre- service teachers, veteran teachers and teacher educators: Learning by teaching Learning by doing Learning by collaborating