Capturing the Qualities of a Productive School Site for Teacher Learning

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 4
  In Roundtable Session: Partnerships, Practices, and Productivity: Reimagining Community Engagement and Teacher Education

Abstract

We draw on Murrell (2001)’s principles of community teacher framework for examining the qualities of productive university-community-school partnerships for educating effective community teachers. Developing community teachers relies on deep and supportive partnerships with local schools. Yet little is known about what qualities make a school a productive site for teacher learning and how the partnership influences each other. We interviewed 13 participants who were all connected to one local school partner in different capacities (e.g., student teacher, graduate hire, administrator) to better understand how this school exemplified qualities of a productive site for teacher learning. We share excerpts that support four common qualities discussed in the interviews and discuss implications for establishing these types of partnerships.

Authors

• Jarod N. Kawasaki, California State University - Dominguez Hills

• Sandy Chang, University of California - Los Angeles

• Deborah M. La Torre, University of California - Los Angeles

• Annamarie M. Francois, University of California - Los Angeles