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Teacher Inquiry Professional Development

A major goal of the National Writing Project is ongoing inquiry by teachers into their own practice, and for many years teachers in southeastern Michigan have pursued teacher research through their involvement with the Eastern Michigan Writing Project.

Recently EMWP has initiated year-long, on-site teacher inquiry offerings to establish school-based Teacher Inquiry Communities. These are customized professional development programs focused on issues of teaching and learning identified by teachers and their schools. They range from 1- year to 3-year partnerships between school-based Teacher Inquiry Communities and the EMWP. Teacher inquiry groups range from 5-10 teachers.

In consultation with experienced EMWP teacher-researchers, schools may pursue such teacher inquiry offerings as those described below. Each stage would be facilitated by EMWP teacher researchers and the Partner School’s teachers, who would be eligible for participation in the EMWP Summer Advanced Institute in Teacher Research.

STAGE ONE (.5 – 1 year) teacher inquiry would focus on a semester or year-long book study of a common text, inquiry group for a common question, or common research/assessment strategy to evaluate student learning to be pursued on-site by a group of teachers at the school. These stage one offerings might include:

a. Book study (common book)

b. Inquiry group (common question)

c. Collaborative Assessment Conference or Kidwatching (common research strategy)

STAGE TWO (1-3 years) teacher inquiry begins with participation in a week-long Advanced Institute in Teacher Research in the summer, followed by the development of a full-fledged, site-based Teacher Inquiry Community. This Teacher Inquiry Community would participate in monthly inquiry groups with an EMWP facilitator and would build on-site capacity for a Teacher Inquiry Community beyond the EMWP contract period. The Advanced Institute in the summer includes participants from other Teacher Inquiry Communities from local schools, so that subject- or grade-specific inquiry groups might develop (e.g. Writing in Math or Science, Writing in Emergent Literacy).

For further information:

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