Chapter 22: Using Structured Interviews to Facilitate Reflection and Systematic School Improvement

Effective, embedded professional development places teachers and site administrators at the center of the school improvement process. As active participants in school improvement, teachers and administrators are empowered to seek information and collect data and to reflect on the implications of that information and data. They are also empowered to plan and make decisions that best serve them in creating appropriate and effective learning environments, while at the same time providing a continuing process for improving their schools (Clark & Clark, 1994). Particularly appropriate for embedded professional development are the concepts of reflective practice (Schon, 1983). It offers a process for regularly examining practices, generating feedback, and for pursuing strategies for improvement. In fact, environments that encourage reflective thinking offer settings where it is safe to examine practice critically and pursue opportunities offered by new instructional strategies (McLaughlin, 1991).