We already have our plates full writing a science curriculum (not to mention teaching full time!) Why are we taking responsibility for helping lead the District's Standards In Practice trainings?

First, SIP trainings are mandated by the District. They are the first across the board effort at implementing reform the District has tried in a long time. SIP provides a way of looking at the effectiveness of individual assignments, and improving them. It actually fits what we have done, in that we can focus on assignments in our curriculum and study how they are working with students, and modify them.

These trainings give us direct access to all the middle school science teachers in the District, on District time, in a very efficient way. If we want to reach all the students in our middle schools, SIP provides us that access.

Lastly, we have a deeper agenda, beyond establishing a new science curriculum. Our work is making a statement about how teachers should be worked with to improve instruction. Our statement is that teachers are capable and willing of taking responsibility for our curriculum, our professional knowledge, and our development and growth. Classroom teachers in fact are the true experts in all these things. We can gain from expert advice, but we do not gain if we are told to simply follow without being given initiative, autonomy and responsibility.

The new SIP trainings are providing a controlled study of the effectiveness of this model. Without knowing SIP was coming, we inadvertently laid the groundwork for a successful implementation. We have created what Catherine Lewis describes as "a shared, frugal curriculum." We have established a set of standards-based lessons, appropriate for the grade levels at which they are being taught. Teachers who are implementing our sequences have already made several of the initial steps required by SIP. Furthermore, they will come to meetings prepared to discuss and share their successes and failures with these assignments, and we will have a real common basis for sharing and collaborating. Most importantly, we have established a group of teachers as recognized leaders, capable of facilitating the professional development of their peers in a constructive way.

The controls in this study are the other curricular areas, where SIP is being implemented without this groundwork being laid. I believe we will see in the coming months a marked difference in the level of success between our SIP efforts and those in other areas. In my opinion, this will provide solid evidence of the validity of the appropriateness of our professional development model. What we are experiencing now with SIP and our project is a recognition from the District that we are positive and useful. I think the deeper lesson that could be learned from this controlled study with SIP is that teacher leadership is not just an option, but is actually an essential element in education reform. This has implications much broader than our curricular goals.

Please share your opinions or thoughts as this process unfolds.