Seeking new ideas
Another feature of interactive professionalism is that educators establish “norms of continuous improvement where new ideas are sought inside and outside one’s setting” (Fullan and Hargreaves, 1996, page 63). Elmore (2002) makes a powerful argument that professional development is the key to improvement. It provides the means through which educators can learn from each other, both within and at the boundaries of their communities of practice. He says, though, that professional development cannot be effective if we do not break down the current structures that isolate educators from each other and create new structures that help them to communicate with and learn from each other. This includes identifying those who have the knowledge and expertise to help students learn.
page 32The practice of improvement should create more differentiated and flexible organizations in schools and school systems. The development and distribution of competence and expertise should result in more knowledgeable and powerful people operating in “boundary roles” as mentors, teacher leaders, and professional developers, as well as more knowledgeable and powerful people in the ranks of the teaching force and administration.
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