The changing roles of teachers in small learning communities
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Authors
Chamberlain, J.D., Matthew B.
Issue Date
2004
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Keywords
Teaching
Alternative Title
Abstract
Change is a process of reinvention, shifting focus from what has occurred in the past to a new way of thinking and/or operating. Many of today's secondary schools have found that teaching high school is especially difficult within today's changing technological and informational age. Schools, teachers, and parents have had an uphill battle trying to maintain balance in the lives of our students. Schools have become increasingly less effective with increased class sizes, budget cuts, and shifting responsibilities which have left teachers and students disengaged, shunned and /or ostracized by a system that encourages "individualism."
Yet, through all these alterations, secondary schooling has not seen systemic change to address these problems. Year after year teachers are expected to do more with less, which limits their effectiveness with students. Although many secondary schools have worked toward change and thus increased effectiveness, they are still left with a difficult quandary: remain committed to the conventional model of status quo, individualism and protectionism or become "change agents" for a new way of thinking, a new way of teaching, a new way of effective educating.
This Thesis will address the changing role of the teacher within a Small Learning Community Collaborative model. Specifically, do Small Learning Communities promote collaboration at my secondary school site? If so, how has that collaborative effort changed the role of the teacher and, concurrently, my teaching practices?