MU educator seeks keys to teachers’ development

By YADAMSUREN BORCHULUUN of the Tribune’s staff
Story ran on Saturday, June 24 2000

Jay Scribner believes we can improve the educational system by giving teachers more opportunities to develop their professional skills.

The MU assistant professor recently won a $45,000 National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship to continue his research on the topic. He was one of 33 fellows chosen for the honor from a field of 200 national postdoctoral scholars.

Scribner’s latest study focuses on how the work environment influences teachers’ learning. He began his research while working on a doctorate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison focusing on urban high schools. Now he is extending the study to several rural and suburban high schools in Missouri.

Scribner hopes his work will eventually help school leaders make wiser decisions about policies and organizational structures by studying how they help or hinder the way teachers learn. He said he’s grateful for the fellowship grant because it will allow him to finish his project within two years.

Scribner wants to include all types of learning in professional development. He thinks learning on job, along with formal workshops, is essential.

"The workshops are just a tiny space in the professional development," he said.

Scribner’s study shows the teachers’ professional development program varies among school districts. "Some districts have superficial, not in-depth, programs," he said. "They do not apply the resources properly."

Though many districts have a long way to go, Scribner believes Columbia schools excel in this area. "Columbia is a shiny spot, which represents the strong and multifaceted professional development program," he said.

Columbia Public Schools organizes its own workshops and training programs, choosing topics based on needs assessments that are done each year. Local teachers lead some of the workshops; others feature national experts.

"The top three needs this year are the technology usage in lesson plans, the multimedia presentation and teaching students technology," staff development coordinator Mary Anne Graham said. "People from all over the state attend our training." One teacher from Brazil plans to attend a program soon.

The presence of MU gives teachers another good opportunity to polish their skills by attending classes or even pursuing further degrees.

"We are lucky we have MU," said Douglass High School business teacher Jill Barr, who is pursuing a doctorate. "If I were in other small town, it would have been difficult for me."

"We have a very good staff development program here in Columbia," Barr added. She said teachers should also get out and experience the world through internships and job-shadowing.

Rock Bridge High School principle Bruce Brotzman also praised the district’s professional development. "There is ongoing training throughout the year, even summer," he said. Topics run the gamut, from technology and instruction methods to curriculum.

Brotzman, like Scribner, believes professional development must "be ongoing, collaborative and embedded in teachers’ daily practice."