Professional development in a bilingual adult learning community: The case of P.S. 24

Bilingual Research Journal, Spring 2002 by Reyes, Luis O

Abstract

Public School 24 in Brooklyn, New York, represents a bilingual "adult learning community" model espoused by leading experts in the field of professional development. Its eight dual language teachers, a coordinator, and the principal are participants in the New York City Board of Education's multi-year Development and Dissemination (D&D) Schools Initiative, a systemic improvement process that is documenting exemplary instructional practices in schools serving English language learners. This case study illustrates how P.S. 24's D&D team developed a set of "best practices" in a bilingual setting. The hallmark of this model is that the professional development of the teaching staff is a job-- embedded process requiring collaborations with external partners and a redefinition of roles for all adult partners.

Introduction

"As a demonstration site for the New Performance Standards in a bilingual community, our mission is to organize and support the cognitive and affective (social and creative) development of a bilingual nested learning community; focused on collaborations, professional development and New Standards of performance, where all students, parents and staff are provided multiple opportunities to develop a deep sense of ownership that ensures achievement ofhigh standards."

The original mission statement (1997) of P.S. 24, a 4-year-old elementary school in the low-income, immigrant Sunset Park community of South Brooklyn, called for a "bilingual nested learning community." This concept emerged from educators' understanding of what they needed to do to improve the education of English language learners (ELLs). This paper presents an ethnographic case study addressing the applied research question: What specific professional development strategies and practices used by dual language teachers and their supervisors at P.S. 24 contribute to developing a bilingual, reflective, and skillful "adult learning community"?

There are, in fact, disparate literatures that deal with effective bilingual/ dual language education and professional development models. The literature, in particular, documents that successful schools have strong professional development frameworks with specific characteristics. The "best practices" that constitute the "adult learning community" model of professional development are the following: reflective practice, teacher inquiry, continuous learning, and celebrating/sharing successful instructional practices (Lawson, 1997); on-the-job learning (Wood & McQuarrie, 1999); a supported curriculum, including training, mentoring, coaching, and technical assistance (Harwell-Kee, 1999); and transformational leadership (Showers, 1985). However, few studies have described and analyzed these practices in bilingual or dual language school settings (Clair & Adger, 2000; Gonzalez & Darling-- Hammond, 1997). In fact, most studies have discussed professional development issues as part of larger analyses of effective bilingual/dual language programs or schools (Lindholm-Leary, 2001; Reyes, Scribner, & Paredes Scribner, 1999; Slavin & Calderon, 2001). This paper will describe the bilingual nested learning community model as it developed at P.S. 24.

Professional development would seem to be a high priority given that bilingual/dual language teachers suffer from a set of existential dilemmas and professional challenges (Clair & Adger, 2000); Gonzalez & Darling-- Hammond, 1997; Lindholm-Leary, 2001). Their license area continues to be under attack as a political or ethnic boondoggle. Large numbers of bilingual teachers are not fully certified in their license areas. For example, in New York City, 27% are not fully certified, according to the schools chancellor, Harold O. Levy (2001). Teacher education and professional development models often reflect traditional, off-site workshop approaches. Last, many bilingual/dual language teachers may not have access to cutting-edge, research-- based professional development models equal to their monolingual colleagues. Despite this, bilingual teachers are expected to implement the latest standards-- based instructional reforms.

This case study addresses the question of what an effective "adult learning community" model of professional development looks like in a bilingual/ dual language setting. It does so by highlighting dual language practitioners' "voices" as they reflect on their "bilingual nested learning community" model. A description of the context, i.e., the school, its students and teachers, and its program characteristics, will be provided followed by a brief review of the literature on the "adult learning community" model. This article will focus on the teachers' perspective of the five major components of the bilingual, adult learning community model. The teachers' reflections through narratives are important, for they may be relevant to the broader discussion of the adult learning community and teacher development.

Description of P.S. 24

P.S. 24 opened in September 1997 as a pre-K-5 school. As of September 2000, 943 students were enrolled, 90% of whom receive free lunches. Thirty-- one percent of the school's students are English language learners (ELLs); most of these are Spanish speakers. In addition to meeting their needs specifically, the dual language program in this school has been developed to meet the needs of its predominantly Latino students (82.7%) who have a wide range of abilities in both English and Spanish. Many of these students have been classified as English proficient but are in need of further English language development. Students whose "best" language may be either Spanish or English study together and receive instruction in both Spanish and English.