On-going Projects
Projects started during the summer, continue during the school year.
Participants from the projects sometimes meet in study groups. Find
out more about study groups.
The on-going projects that are listed on the left, provide a window to the types of innovative study groups that that are described above. All of the projects do not fit into the study group model, but fit into the definition of good professional development.
Empowerment Through Education
(link
to past ETE)
This dynamic professional
development project provides enrichment opportunities for students in both
urban and rural setting. The interactions between the teachers and the
students provides excellent data for research in successful enrichment
programs for students from all backgrounds. The teachers involved in the
project are involved in school wide projects that provide professional
study group opportunities that allow members from each location to grow in
ways they had not expected.
This professional development project is supported by faculty
members at SUNY Oswego, but the teachers are involved in an ongoing study
group, research rich setting that can be replicated in other settings.
Literacy Centers
This project
provides a model for collaboration. A Combination of in-service,
pre-service, graduates, and undergraduates working to learn more about how
Literacy Centers can improve learning. Teachers are taking charge of what
their students are learning by creating their own materials, thinking
differently about professional development, and taking the risk of
videotaping their classroom successes and failures. Core curriculum and
New York Learning Standards are addressed in planning instructional
experiences that meet the needs of all students. The GESA model
for reflecting on ones teaching will be used to further explore the
diversity issues in the classroom.
Henninger/Syracuse
Brain-Based Learning
An inquiry group of Project
SMART secondary science teachers is meeting with Dr. Eric Olson at
Henninger High School in Syracuse every two weeks throughout the school
year. Topics for discussion include: research on brain-based
learning, teachers sharing exemplars of effective curriculum they've
designed and aspects of effectively teaching science in a block scheduling
format.
Urban Initiatives
SUNY Oswego�s Progress In
Urban Education/Center
for Urban Schools Goals
- To
have a higher percentage of SUNY Oswego graduates actively search for
and obtain teaching positions in urban schools.
- To
have more student teachers placed in urban settings.
- To
support partnerships between urban schools and the School of
Education.
What does the Center for
Urban Schools do?
-We work on establishing and
fostering a connection between students in the School of Education and
urban schools. This is so we
can help develop the potential of students and teachers as well as
encouraging social change.
-Recruit students from the
School of Education for urban placements.
By doing this we hope to provide New York�s Urban Schools an
appropriate number of qualified teachers.
-Help graduates from the
Education Program meet the New York State Education Department and NCATE
requirement of having a placement in a school that is considered �high
needs� and that is rich in ethnic/cultural diversity.
In Short:
The Center for Urban Schools works to help the School of Education meet its commitment to teaching for social justice. We also work to help them establish a presence in those schools where student poverty rates are the highest, student diversity is the norm not the exception, educational resources are extremely scarce, and where student achievement as well as teacher availability are the lowest; namely New York State�s urban schools. we work to support higher education faculty, urban teachers, and pre-teachers to conduct inquiry groups, inquiry projects, and/or research that supports urban schools.
Healthworks
Sue Witmer organizes a group of middle school level teachers to discuss how to integrate health related career opportunities in the Oswego County area across the curriculum. During the study group sessions, teachers from several area school districts work together to create a project for increased health professions interest in the area. The teachers involved are those who:
- are interested in building upon or applying existing curriculum to health issues and/or health-related career opportunities.
- want to create new curriculum projects to use at the middle school level regarding health-related careers.
- are willing to work with others on a professional development team during "after school hours".
This project
is supported by funds from the Oswego County Workforce Development Board
and DDE Higher Education Professional Development Funds, now known as TQLP
(Teacher/Leader Quality Partnerships).
Teacher Worksample and PDS
Barb Beyerbach/The Teacher Worksample and PDS group
has been piloting the teacher worksample in the preservice methods and CRT
course in several methods sections, engaging in joint inquiry into the
impact of the new preservice program on preservice teachers (Particularly
the 12 hour block being taught at Lanigan and the 9 hr. block at Parish),
disseminating past learning about teacher study groups and early literacy
instruction at the National PDS conference, and AERA (Pending proposal
acceptance), and participating in
GESA training.
Delaware/Syracuse
This
Language Literacy project organized by two linguists takes place at
Delaware School in Syracuse. The teacher study group organized by the SUNY
Oswego Faculty members has evolved into a teacher run and organized study
group. The teachers are investigating issues of ESL, Language literacy and
preparation, English Only, Bi-lingual education and the politics of
creating a space for other languages at this elementary school. The work
by the faculty members has been evolving from the start and continues to
create a space for teacher self-efficacy as the project grows.
~Teachers creating partnerships in an informal setting to enhance professional development. |
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Teacher Study Groups |
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"Increasingly, schools are realizing that some of
the most meaningful professional development experiences come from
teachers themselves!" (Roberts, 2003, p. 14) |
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How
do you start a study group?
What do you need to start a study group? |
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Reference: Roberts, E. M. (2003). Join the club. Scholastic Instructor, (v?),i? 14-18, 20.
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