Chapter 4 Homework Stages of teacher development and how they relate to the practice of mentoring are

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Chapter 4: Adult Learning and Planning for Teacher Development

Summary

This chapter examines effective ways to support adult development and learning. Stages of

teacher development and how they relate to the practice of mentoring are explored.

Outline

The chapter supports your growing capacity to

Adult Learning

& Planning for

Teacher

Development

reflect on

your image

of adult as

learner understand

adult

development

understand

learning

theories

identify PD

features

engage in a

cycle of

planning

create a PD

plan with a

teacher

• identify effective professional development features of mentoring;

Learner outcomes

Suggested teaching activities

1. Features of effective professional development (PD)

Purpose: Contrasting the frequent experience of the ‘one shot workshop’ with the features of

effective PD that is more likely to result in positive changes in teacher practices.

intensive

(30-100 hrs),

ongoing

(6-12 mos.) active

learning

connected to

practice in a

community

relevant &

rigorous

content

After assigning chapter 4 reading, and showing this graphic, (adapted from: Darling-Hammond,

Wei, Andree, Richardson, & Orphanos, 2009), ask participants the following question:

The research implies it takes time for teachers to embrace new learning and become comfortable

applying it in their setting. When have you had the time to learn something new and practice

applying it? When have you learned a new practice in a classroom setting without applying it

soon afterward? Compare and contrast the two experiences.

Debrief the participants responses by connecting them to the features of effective PD. Conclude

Journal

(A) Suggest they continue to write in their journal about this topic after the session. Give the

following directions:

Brainstorm both suggestions and questions you have about how to best support teachers in each

of the stages discussed. What do you need to learn about a teacher to mentor appropriately in

each stage? What is your experience working or mentoring teachers in each stage?

2. Stages of teacher development

Share some foundational ideas on adult learning with the participants to introduce this topic.

Malcolm Knowles (1973), focused on the art and science of teaching adults or andragogy, and

characterized adult learners as:

• Extremely self-directed and not ready to comply with only program goals or standards,

Next review Erikson’s psychosocial stages (1959) and then ask participants to get into small

groups and do as follows:

Survival and Emerging Teacher Stage: Feelings may swing from enthusiastic and energetic to

being overwhelmed and lacking in confidence. Mentors need to put feelings in perspective

Consolidation Stage: This teacher usually knows what they know and is interested in increasing

their satisfaction with their work and their effectiveness. This teacher makes mentors feel the

Renewal and Maturity Stages: Facilitating, not directing, learning is needed for mature

teachers. Spending time learning what this teacher knows, values, and is interested in, is essential

for any mentoring to be successful. This teacher has little interest in being treated like an empty

(B) Think about specific mentoring situations when skill building is the best choice or when long-

term investigation and reflection is the best choice. Did the age, teacher stage other learning

conditions indicate one choice would be better than another? Discuss the factors in the learning

context that suggest one strategy was more appropriate than another strategy?

3. What is your image of the adult learner?

Cut out the following bulleted, brief summaries of key ideas associated with different learning

theories and educational approaches. Ask participants to get into small groups and give each

group one bulleted item to read and discuss. An expansion of this activity would be to have

seven tables with the one sentence description plus evocative objects (e.g., a blank slate) to help

them remember the concept.

• Capable, competent, interested, rich in ideas, wanting to grow. Learners’ needs, interests

and experiences must be valued (Reggio Emilia inspired in part by Freire, 1970).

Direct the groups to discuss their following question:

Do you agree or disagree with the statement? Why? Relate to your experiences as a learner or

as a teacher of adults.

Next ask each small group to pass their statement to another group to the right of them. Ask them

Are there situations when assumptions about how adults learn could damage your learning

relationship? An example of an assumption that might interfere with the mentoring process is if a

mature teacher was paired with a mentor who viewed her as a “blank slate”.

Debrief and facilitate the conversation by continually linking comments to the characteristics of

Summarize: Suggest that theories are one way to explain, describe and predict why adults

behave as they do when the theory is backed up by empirical research. However, theories reflect

the times they were developed in and, as with the ‘blank slate’ theory, fall out favor when later

4. Question – Observe – Apply to create a PD plan

(A) Question: How will I plan to challenge the assumptions or reignite a passion for learning in

a teacher by reframing their concerns or dilemmas into questions to research and learn about?

(B) Observe: What are a few ways I will plan with a teacher to consistently and intentionally

notice what they are interested in learning and note their progress toward their goals?

• Interview a teacher about the ways she learns best (reading, talking, noticing, being

observed with feedback, seeing something modeled or trying an idea out). Now practice

Adaptation for experienced participant who is working as a mentor: Find an early childhood

teacher to volunteer for the planning activity described below. Next, sit down with this teacher

who is requesting mentoring in a specific area. Begin with a conversation to construct a

Teacher-Mentor: Professional Development Plan using the form from the end of chapter 4,

labeled figure 4.3). Portions of this plan could be included in a required individual PD plan that a

teacher may be required to have in many federal, state or local program or school district

educational systems.

5. Empowerment is more than simple affirmations

Conclude with Freire’s ideas about empowerment as a sort of affirmation that the participants

have the ability to make a difference in the life of another adult if they remember these three

ideas:

Freire (1970, 2000) felt the empowerment of those who may have felt powerless to change their

situations occurs only if the educator sees themself as:

• Equal to the learner.

Journal

Keep the learning going by asking participants to write about Freire’s comments and what they

mean to them in their experiences working with adults.

Conclude by stating in your own words: Mentoring as effective professional development

requires the adult educator to understand that development continues throughout the human