Teacher Communities of Practice Global Education Sector Office

Teacher Communities of Practice Global Education Sector Office of Overseas Programming & Training Support (OPATS)

Athletes in team sports… § § . . often get together outside of games and practice sessions to go over past games, discuss strategy, etc. If you have ever spent time around a garage, with a group of farmers, maybe even with waiters or clerks in a retail store, then you probably know the meaning of “to talk shop” ; that is, to share tips and experiences about your profession.

When people come TOGETHER to talk about the craft of their work. . . § § § . . . they form what we call a Community of Practice. A Community of Practice is where a group of people get together to talk about what they do to do it better, to do it more easily, and to catch up on developments in the field. As a consequence of such discussion, they become re-engaged with practice and more motivated about work. They feel a sense of selfcontrol, and they may even begin to experiment with new ways of doing things.

Etienne Wenger (& Jean Lave) Credited with launching the idea of Co. Ps says,

In schools, we are concerned with three levels of Co. Ps Teacher Co. Ps Classroom Co. Ps School/Community Co. Ps

Why Co. Ps are crucial to the TEFL Certificate Strategy Co. P or not Cop Activity

Teaching communities of practice are rarely formally created § § § Instead, two teachers go beyond complaining about students or administrators to solve a problem or answer a question about teaching. Such sharing feels good. They want to do more. As they do more they share their enthusiasm. Others join. Often the interaction becomes more formal. Workshops, conferences, or teacher associations may begin.

From the teacher’s mouth Teaching can be quite a lonely job if one doesn't’t consciously get into a forum for sharing with others who are in a similar place. Volunteering in [a Co. P] has given me a source of support from the community. I love the person I’m evolving into through this opportunity. an ESL teacher in Canada

Teachers USUALLY aren’t so good about forming Communities of Practice § § § Teachers have less opportunity to see each other teach, so they are less secure in their practice. They are busy—there are lessons to design, papers to correct, and often houses to clean and families to feed. For teachers to feel they can take charge of their teaching and to engage in professional growth, we need to be more explicit in creating Communities of Practice.

“Instigating” Co. Ps

If you want to create spaces for Teacher Communities of Practice… § § . . . start with the one or two teachers who show interest from the start. Meet with them. When others see the engagement and enthusiasm, invite them to join in as well. Encourage members to share what they’ve done that they’re proud of. Don’t invite many people too quickly. Often the greatest motivation to get involved is the fear that you might be left out.

Let members feel good about doing their part § § As soon as you can, ask others to select topics. Suggest that teachers take turns bringing snacks. Little by little, ask teachers to take turns facilitating sessions. Make teachers feel welcome when they join, and make teachers feel valued when they volunteer to help. …Soon, you’ll have a Community of Practice. Read “ 4 Strategies for Co. Ps”

Using Co. Ps to Track Teacher Capacity Building

Monitoring Co. P Impact How often in the past three months have you changed something in your teaching because of something another teacher shared? On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do you feel you can make a difference through your teaching? What have you done in your teaching the past three months that you’re proud of? ‣ On a scale of 1 -10 How much do others respect what you do as a teacher?

Teacher Self-Evaluation to Monitor Co. P Feedback 1. How good are you in making student want to learn and enjoy class? 2. How good are you at classroom management in each of your classes? 3. How good are you at designing lesson plans and materials? 4. How good are you at providing an alternate explanation when the first doesn’t work?

Survey Each Other – if time, do the mosaic activity