Chapter 8: Negotiating Tensions In School Reform: Efforts to Promote a Learning Community in an Urban Middle School

This chapter documents ways that a group of sixth grade teachers in an urban middle school attempted to form a professional learning community. During the 2002-03 school year, they met once a week to consider ways to implement state and local mandates for improving their reading instruction. Participants describe the challenges they faced as they worked together to improve their own morale and enhance student achievement. Results underscore the complexity of reform initiatives with low performing middle schools.