The Impact of Teacher Leaders on Students' Achievement In Science
1. Context of the Work
The characteristics of the current elementary teaching workforce and the culture of most
elementary schools limit students' opportunity to learn science (Darling-Hammond, 1997;
Rice, 2003). Weiss and colleagues (2003) observed 364 teachers across the United States
and found that only 18% of elementary science and mathematics lessons included the
elements of effective instruction. Over the past five years, the North Cascades and
Olympic Science Partnership (NCOSP) at Western Washington University (WWU), through
funding from NSF's Math and Science Partnership program (Grant No. EHR-0315060), has
developed an educational model of professional development for inservice teachers that has
been shown to develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions teachers need to improve
their instructional practices and increase student achievement in science. The NCOSP model
is grounded in the latest research on How People Learn (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking,
2000), effective science instruction, teacher education, and professional learning
communities within schools. Research on our work with inservice teachers has shown marked
learning benefits for their K-12 students as a result of their NCOSP-based professional
development.
NCOSP represents a collaboration between 28 school districts, two Educational Service Districts (ESD 189, ESD 114), Western Washington University, five local community colleges, and several science foundations and organizations in Washington State. The work of these partnering schools and organizations is focused on improving science teaching and learning in both K-12 and higher education. Since 2004, Teacher Leaders (TLs) from approximately 160 partnering schools within 28 school districts have accessed services and resources from NCOSP, namely professional development from university faculty in science and education, and school-based support from science Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSAs). This paper examines the impacts of NCOSP's professional development on TLs and the subsequent effects on the science achievement of K-12 students in classrooms with NCOSP TLs as compared to students in non-NCOSP classrooms in northwestern Washington State.
NCOSP represents a collaboration between 28 school districts, two Educational Service Districts (ESD 189, ESD 114), Western Washington University, five local community colleges, and several science foundations and organizations in Washington State. The work of these partnering schools and organizations is focused on improving science teaching and learning in both K-12 and higher education. Since 2004, Teacher Leaders (TLs) from approximately 160 partnering schools within 28 school districts have accessed services and resources from NCOSP, namely professional development from university faculty in science and education, and school-based support from science Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSAs). This paper examines the impacts of NCOSP's professional development on TLs and the subsequent effects on the science achievement of K-12 students in classrooms with NCOSP TLs as compared to students in non-NCOSP classrooms in northwestern Washington State.
