TY - JOUR
T1 - Situating teacher inquiry
T2 - a micropolitical perspective
AU - LeChasseur, Kimberly
AU - Mayer, Anysia
AU - Welton, Anjale
AU - Donaldson, Morgaen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Taylor & Francis.
PY - 2016/4/2
Y1 - 2016/4/2
N2 - Professional learning communities (PLCs) have become a popular strategy in various forms (e.g., data teams, grade-level teams) and with various champions (e.g., district leaders, university researchers, teacher advocates). Although well-implemented PLCs have been shown to distribute leadership, the tension between democratic inquiry processes and the demands of accountability remain understudied. This study asks how teacher inquiry is situated within conflicting school priorities and the impact of competing power structures on PLCs through a case study of a teacher inquiry initiative at 6 urban elementary and middle schools in the US. Data were collected over 3 years of PLC implementation. District officials, principals, reform coaches, and teachers at each setting participated in more than 300 interviews, regular site visits, and annual teacher surveys. The influences of power structures – such as district mandates, accountability pressures, and principal leadership – emerged as strong themes in teacher narratives of what it means to “do” inquiry in their PLCs.
AB - Professional learning communities (PLCs) have become a popular strategy in various forms (e.g., data teams, grade-level teams) and with various champions (e.g., district leaders, university researchers, teacher advocates). Although well-implemented PLCs have been shown to distribute leadership, the tension between democratic inquiry processes and the demands of accountability remain understudied. This study asks how teacher inquiry is situated within conflicting school priorities and the impact of competing power structures on PLCs through a case study of a teacher inquiry initiative at 6 urban elementary and middle schools in the US. Data were collected over 3 years of PLC implementation. District officials, principals, reform coaches, and teachers at each setting participated in more than 300 interviews, regular site visits, and annual teacher surveys. The influences of power structures – such as district mandates, accountability pressures, and principal leadership – emerged as strong themes in teacher narratives of what it means to “do” inquiry in their PLCs.
KW - accountability, leadership
KW - data-driven decision making
KW - district policies
KW - micropolitics
KW - professional learning communities
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84961380474&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84961380474&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09243453.2015.1021818
DO - 10.1080/09243453.2015.1021818
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84961380474
SN - 0924-3453
VL - 27
SP - 255
EP - 274
JO - School Effectiveness and School Improvement
JF - School Effectiveness and School Improvement
IS - 2
ER -