Chapter 10: Reaping the Benefits: The Positive Effects of a Successful PDS Partnership on Inservice and Preservice Teachers

This study examined the effectiveness of implementing professional development on a volunteer basis at a professional development school (PDS) and points out the many ways in which the PDS structure supports growth for teachers, preservice teachers, students, and even university faculty. The specific professional development was focused on types of academic tasks. It specifically encouraged the instructional participants to change their way of teaching to consist of more challenging academic tasks to help improve student understanding and achievement. The results show that by having teachers take time to examine their own practices and increasing the number of high-challenge tasks in the classroom, students were more motivated during the activities, and they understood the content better. Preservice teachers who work in the school also benefited from the partnership and professional development because they were taught the same material in their university classrooms. Throughout the study, it is clear that the PDS partnership is a positive model for students who are reaping the benefits of teachers taking the initiative to change their instruction in order to become more effective for children’s learning.