Differentiating professional development for teacher success: a study of effective teachers

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of how, if at all, Nooksack Valley School District's theory of action for improving literacy instruction impacts the success of three high performing elementary literacy teachers. The specific questions that frame this study are:Why do high achieving Nooksack Valley elementary literacy teachers attain academic success with the majority of their students year after year? More specifically, what is the relationship, if any, between these elementary literacy teachers' success and the district's efforts to improve teaching practices in literacy?The study is intended to enhance the district's efforts to increase the quality of decisions and accompanying plans to improve the practices of teachers and success of students throughout the system. Although the district has a stated theory of action that is used to guide decisions, we do not know whether the initiatives accompanying this theory of action are related in any way to a rationale articulated by the district's highest performing teachers as to why they are successful with virtually all students. If the district's actions are relevant for their success, we want to know what these actions were and how they contribute. Inversely, if the district actions have not been relevant, we want to know what factors do contribute to their success.