New Pathways for Partnerships: An Exploration of How Partnering with Students Affects Teachers and Schooling

Abstract

This "basic" qualitative study (Merriam, 2009) was designed to examine the ways school policy and leadership in the context of an intermediary partnership at one urban high school facilitated the creation of adult-student collaborations. Building on a growing literature on student "voice" in school reform, the study explored how, if at all, these collaborations reshaped instruction; what effects these collaborations had on teacher and student behavior and outlooks; and whether these changes were enduring. Data for this two-year investigation of a "critical case" consisted of document collection, observations of collaborative practices, and semi-structured one-on-one and group interviews with 12 students and 14 adults. Data was coded for reoccurring themes, and analysis focused on teacher and student descriptions of changes in perceptions or behavior based on collaborative activities. The findings suggest the university-school partnership aided in building capacity for adult-student collaborations and that the collaborations had some influence on adult and student outlooks, behaviors, and classroom practice. The model of intermediary organizational partnership and adult-student collaboration at this school contributes new insights into the types of school leadership and professional learning structures that are beneficial for designing organizational routines where adults and students work collaboratively and continuously for instructional improvement.