TY - JOUR
T1 - Learning from school restructuring
AU - Peterson, Penelope L.
AU - McCarthey, Sarah J.
AU - Elmore, Richard F.
PY - 1996
Y1 - 1996
N2 - We analyzed cases of restructuring experiments in three elementary schools, each with ethnically diverse populations, located in large urban school districts in different parts of the United States. Over 2 years, we gathered data on views and classroom writing practices of two teachers in each school through on-site interviews and observations. We also interviewed the principal and other support personnel. We found that these three schools did successfully restructure; changes included new student grouping patterns, new ways of allocating time for subject matter, teachers meeting together as a whole school or in teams, and access to new ideas through professional development opportunities. Through close analyses of teachers' classroom practices, we learned that changing teachers' practice is primarily a problem of learning, not a problem of organization. While school structures can provide opportunities for learning new practices, the structures, by themselves, do not cause the learning to occur.
AB - We analyzed cases of restructuring experiments in three elementary schools, each with ethnically diverse populations, located in large urban school districts in different parts of the United States. Over 2 years, we gathered data on views and classroom writing practices of two teachers in each school through on-site interviews and observations. We also interviewed the principal and other support personnel. We found that these three schools did successfully restructure; changes included new student grouping patterns, new ways of allocating time for subject matter, teachers meeting together as a whole school or in teams, and access to new ideas through professional development opportunities. Through close analyses of teachers' classroom practices, we learned that changing teachers' practice is primarily a problem of learning, not a problem of organization. While school structures can provide opportunities for learning new practices, the structures, by themselves, do not cause the learning to occur.
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U2 - 10.3102/00028312033001119
DO - 10.3102/00028312033001119
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0030539672
SN - 0002-8312
VL - 33
SP - 119
EP - 153
JO - American Educational Research Journal
JF - American Educational Research Journal
IS - 1
ER -