Inspiration and Guidance to Develop Collective Teacher Efficacy
Collective efficacy, or a shared belief that through collective action educators can positively influence student outcomes, has remained at the top of a list of influences on student achievement in John Hattie’s Visible Learning research. Collective efficacy has been embodied by many educators, though collaboration tends to be focused on building community and relationships, which alone are not enough to move the needle on student achievement.
This book contains stories of collective efficacy in schools where it has been actualized in practice, and includes:
• Real-world case studies of teams who have fostered and sustained collective efficacy
• Practical guidance for building collective efficacy through professional learning designs
• Tools that can be adapted for specific needs or local contexts
Through these accounts, readers will gain a better understanding of ways to capitalize on the reciprocal relationship between student achievement and collective efficacy by having a clear understanding of what collective efficacy looks like and how it can be accomplished.
Table of Content
List of Figures and Tables
Acknowledgments
Preface
About the Authors
Chapter 1: Educators’ Beliefs Matter
A Tale of Two School Improvement Teams With Very Different Outlooks
Collective Efficacy Beliefs
Efficacy Beliefs Drive Receptiveness to Change
The Formation of Efficacy Beliefs
Five Enabling Conditions for Collective Teacher Efficacy
Conclusion
Chapter 2: Goal Consensus
The Nature of Goal Consensus
The Maine Township Journey
Focusing on Adult Learning
Overcoming Challenges
Evidence of Success
How Does Goal Consensus Develop Collective Efficacy?
How Can We Support Goal Consensus in Our School or District?
Conclusion
Chapter 3: Empowered Teachers
Teacher Leadership
What Is an Instructional Leadership Team?
Overcoming Challenges
Evidence of Success
How Does Empowering Teachers Develop Collective Efficacy?
A Leadership Mindset
How Can We Empower Teachers in Our School or District?
Conclusion
Chapter 4: Cohesive Teacher Knowledge
Improvement and Change Do Not Follow a Linear Trajectory
What Is Opening Classroom Doors?
Evidence of Success
How Does Cohesive Teacher Knowledge Develop Collective Efficacy?
How Can We Use Opening Classroom Doors to Build Cohesive Teacher Knowledge in Our School or District?
Conclusion
Chapter 5: Embedded Reflective Practices
Perceptions Are Critical to Confronting Inequity
Introduce Structures and Protocols That Help to Facilitate Reflection Based on Evidence
Ensure Teams Use Disaggregated Data and Multiple Measures as Diagnostic and Formative Tools
Encourage Experimentation With Evidence-Based Strategies
Supporting the Sustained Use of Strategies
Conclusion
Chapter 6: Supportive Leadership
A Leadership Mindset
How Do Leaders Shape the Conditions for All to Learn?
What Is the Process of “Letting Go”?
Creating Opportunities for Informal Leadership
Conclusion
Chapter 7: Conclusion
The Best Time to Plant a Tree Is 200 Years Ago. The Second Best Time Is Today.
Afterword: What Collective Belief Does for Communities
Appendix A: Positive Consequences of Collective Teacher Efficacy
The Relationship Between Collective Teacher Efficacy and Student Results
Appendix B: Enabling Conditions for Collective Teacher Efficacy Scale (EC-CTES)
Appendix C: The Stakeholder Interview
Appendix D: Logic Model Template
Appendix E: World Café for Revisiting Logic Model
Appendix F: Opening Classroom Doors Logistics
References
Index
About the author
Jenni Donohoo is the director of Praxis-Engaging Ideas, Inc and a project manager for the Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE). Jenni has a Ph D in Educational Studies and Supervisory Officer Qualifications. Jenni is a former classroom teacher and currently works with system, school leaders, and teachers around the world to support high quality professional learning. She has authored many peer-reviewed publications and three best-selling books, including Collaborative Inquiry for Educators, The Transformative Power of Collaborative Inquiry (with Moses Velasco), and Collective Efficacy: How Educators’ Beliefs Impact Student Learning. Jenni’s areas of expertise include collective efficacy, metacognition, adolescent literacy, and facilitating collaborative learning structures.