Chapter 5: Continuing A Journey Toward Significance At Central Elementary School

This case study examined the responses of teachers from the same school to two different types of professional development. Kindergarten and second grade teachers participated in mandated workshops. Fifth grade teachers developed their own agenda for collaboration. Researchers participated in grade-level meetings and conducted interviews across two school years. Results showed that participants responded to professional development initiatives in ways that reflected the nature of these experiences. Teachers questioned the basic values of the mandated program and worked together to adapt core practices to meet their needs. In the non-mandated setting, participants collaborated to gather information and generate ideas for enhancing student engagement. In both settings, participants reported improvements in instruction but accomplished them in different ways.