Whole Faculty Group Study

Whole Faculty Study GroupsKourtney ReddenEDLE 5005February 24, 2016

Hello, Im Kourtney Redden and welcome to my presentation on Whole Faculty Study Groups. Here, we will learn what a Whole Faculty Study Group is, how it operates, and how it can be a truly successful professional development system on a school campus.

1Purpose of Whole Faculty Study GroupAllows a school faculty to focus on student learningProvides a forum dedicated to school improvementCreates the space for educators to work together to assume accountability in their classrooms and perfect their craft

As with any professional development opportunity presented to educators, there must be a purpose and goal to strive for. Whole Faculty Study Group does just that. At its core purpose, the Whole Faculty Study Group approach allows a school faculty to focus on its student learning. This platform provides educators a forum dedicated to school improvement based on student learning and performance. It also creates the space for educators to work together to perfect their craft, learn from one another, and assume accountability in their classrooms. This process frees the educators in a school to explore what can make their students successful and to implement it together as a team.

2What is Whole Faculty Study Group?According to Murphy and Link (2005), this professional development approach is:Job-EmbeddedSelf-DirectedStudent-Driven

An educators goal is to increase and improve on student learning through this approach.

A question Im sure youre asking yourself is; What exactly is a Whole Faculty Study Group? According to its maverick researchers Murphy and Lick, Whole Faculty Study Group is a professional development approach that is job-embedded in the campus and individual classrooms, self-directed by educators working in small groups, and student-driven by performance and data. Educators can utilize this tool to further their knowledge and skills of their own teaching, learn from others, and reflect on the tools they have been working with thus far in their careers. Ultimately, an educators goal is to increase and improve on student learning through this approach. By working together in this Whole Faculty Study Group approach, educators can sharpen one another and spur each other on to see new growth in student success.

3What does WFSG look like?Whole Faculty Study Groups include:

Every teacher on campusDivided into small groups (approx. 6 people)Centered upon the School Improvement Plan

The Whole Faculty Study Group is different in its set up from other professional development opportunities. Making it unique, this process involves every teacher on campus. Working together in small groups, they have the opportunity to devise what they learn and make it distinctive to themselves. The ability to center their learning on the School Improvement Plan helps educators to plan and zero in on material that can be useful to their students and themselves. This makes any Whole Faculty Study Group one of a kind; a thumbprint to each individual campus. Authentic learning can occur in this environment since it is not being based upon anything else other than that campus individual student body and its data.

4WFSG Guiding PrinciplesAuthors Murphy and Lick describe five principles to be applied to the study groups:

Students are firstEverybody participatesLeadership is sharedResponsibility is equalThe work is public

Whole Faculty Study Group authors Murphy and Lick developed guiding principles for this professional development system in order for it to govern smoothly and keep its purposes at center focus. These principles include keeping students first, ensuring that everybody participates, sharing leadership roles, keeping responsibility equal, and making sure that the work is public to the school. While this sounds very simple, professional development runs smoother when educators keep these principles in mind. When student learning and success is kept at the heart of professional development, and educators are working in tandem concerning participation, leadership, and responsibility, it only makes sense that results will be better. While educators all know this is a perfect world scenario, they are valid principles to keep in mind when approaching professional development, and certainly if it is a Whole Faculty Study Group.

5WFSG Five FunctionsServe as overall goals (Zepeda, 2012, p. 188):

Support the implementation of curricular and instructional innovationsIntegrate and give coherence to the schools instructional strategies and programsTarget a schoolwide needStudy the research and latest developments on teaching and learningMonitor the impact of innovations on students and on changes in the workplace

Once the framework of Whole Faculty Study Group has been set up, moving toward overall goals is the next natural step for educators. Whole Faculty Study Group has Five Functions which serve as the overall goals in this professional development environment. They are to: support the implementation of curricular and instructional innovations, integrate and give coherence to the schools instructional strategies and programs, target a schoolwide need, study the research and latest developments on teaching and learning, monitor the impact of innovations on students and on changes in the workplace. These functions help to steer educators as they work through the study group together.

6WFSG Process GuidelinesKeep the size of the study groups to no more than sixDont worry about the composition of the study groupsEstablish and keep a regular schedule, letting no more than two weeks pass between meetingsEstablish group norms at the first meeting of the study groupAgree on a written Study Group Action Plan that is shared with the whole faculty by the end of the second meetingComplete a Study Group Log after each study group meeting that is shared with the whole facultyEncourage members to keep an Individual Reflection Log that is for their own personal and private reflection

Murphy and Lick also delineated guidelines for structure in the process to ensure the results that are advertised with Whole Faculty Study Groups. They are:Keep the size of the study groups to no more than sixDont worry about the composition of the study groupsEstablish and keep a regular schedule, letting no more than two weeks pass between meetingsEstablish group norms at the first meeting of the study groupAgree on a written Study Group Action Plan that is shared with the whole faculty by the end of the second meetingComplete a Study Group Log after each study group meeting that is shared with the whole facultyEncourage members to keep an Individual Reflection Log that is for their own personal and private reflection.

7WFSG Process Guidelines (cont.)Establish a pattern of rotating group leadershipGive all study group members equal statusHave a curricular or instructional focusPlan ahead for transitionsMake a comprehensive list of learning resources, both material and humanInclude training in the study group's agendaEvaluate the effectiveness of the study group, using the intended results stated in the Study Group Action Plan

Continuing the process guidelines:Establish a pattern of rotating group leadershipGive all study group members equal statusHave a curricular or instructional focusPlan ahead for transitionsMake a comprehensive list of learning resources, both material and humanInclude training in the study groups agendaEvaluate the effectiveness of the study group, using the intended results stated in the Study Group Action Plan

8Principals Role in WFSGBeing involved in the WFSG processCommenting on action plans and logsKeeping study groups focusedFocusing on researchUsing the decision-making cycleSharing the workUsing dataSupporting core practicesLooking deeperDealing with reluctant teachersCelebrating work and success

In order for such a large feat as the Whole Faculty Study Group to succeed, a very pivotal individual in the school faculty must be diligently working to ensure success: The Principal. The principals role is varied in Whole Faculty Study Group, but essential to faculty success in professional development. Facets of that role include: being involved in the Whole Faculty Study Group process, commenting on action plans and logs, keeping study groups focused, focusing on research, using the decision-making cycle, sharing the work, using data, supporting core practices, looking deeper, dealing with reluctant teachers, and celebrating work and success. By working alongside their faculty in these manners and more, principals can inspire and encourage their teachers to stay the course and see positive growth and success.

9WFSG Points to RememberAssets

Involves the entire schoolHas formal structureInstills support between groupsDrawbacks

Requirement to be in a groupForfeiting slight components of independence and individuality

As with any professional development system, there are both assets and drawbacks. Going into a professional development with eyes open can help to ensure a positive attitude by embracing the positive and finding ways to overcome the challenges drawbacks present. In Whole Faculty Study Groups, assets can include the fact that the entire school is involved. When everyone is having common experiences, it can really enrich learning. There is a formal structure to this professional development, and this can instill support between groups. In like manner, drawbacks can include the fact that the entire school is required to be involved. There is also the slight forfeit of some independence and individuality in the process, but can be viewed in a different light as small groups can pool together and form their own sense of individuality.

10Whole Faculty Study GroupsKourtney ReddenEDLE 5005February 24, 2016

In this presentation we have discovered the purpose of Whole Faculty Study Groups, its set up, guidelines, goals, and functions. In learning how this system functions and ways in which results can be encouraged and ensured, we have also discovered that Whole Faculty Study Group is a viable option as a professional development. The focus on student learning, growth, and success makes this a wonderful option to instill as a campus-wide focus in educators.

11ReferencesZepeda, S. (2012) Professional development: What works. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.