Teacher Learning and Curriculum Lorraine M. Males Michigan State University CSMC Doctoral Student Retreat May 2008

Purpose of Presentation I would like to ask you to share your knowledge and experiences to help me plan my research practicum

My Motivation Teaching (early years) Curriculum Teacher Education Professional Development

Why Study Teacher Learning? Teaching matters Links to student achievement Teachers’ knowledge predicts student achievement (Hill, Rowan, & Ball,2005) Facilitate change Research shows that there is a link between teacher learning and pedagogical change (Remillard, 2000; Thompson, 194)

Literature on Teacher Learning Teachers can learn pedagogical, subject matter, and pedagogical content knowledge from preservice and inservice programs (Bullough, Knowles, & Crow, 1989; Ball & Rundquist, 1992, Calderhead, 1988; Hollingsworth, 1989, NCRTE, 1991, Crespo, 2003, Carpenter et al., 1989)

Literature on Teacher Learning from Curriculum Changes in knowledge and beliefs as the result of using new curriculum (Collopy, 2003; Remillard, 2000) Teachers’ prior knowledge and experiences and their strong beliefs about the nature of mathematics and teaching hinder their learning from curriculum (Collopy, 2003; Cohen, 1990; Putnam et al., 1992)

Questions I Have Can teachers learn from curriculum? If so, what do teacher learn from curriculum (e.g., pedagogy, subject matter, pedagogical content knowledge)? Are there characteristics of curriculum that enhance teachers’ learning? How can curriculum be used to enhance teacher learning? Is there a difference in the opportunity for teachers to learn provided by reform and non-reform oriented curricula?

Help Needed Here is your chance to help me! Please help by answering the following questions

Help Needed 1.Are there any readings or authors you suggest I read? 2.If you were going to do research in this area would you study preservice or inservice teachers and why? 3.What frameworks (or lenses) might be helpful? 4.Do you have any suggestions in terms of scope – should I look at different types of curricula, teachers, or content, or focus on one particular aspect? 5.Does this idea seem interesting and worth pursuing and is there any aspect that you think seems particularly interesting? 6.If there was anything you wish you knew when you started your own research and didn’t what was it? 7.Any other comments or suggestions.

Thank you! Feel free to me any suggestions as well Lorraine M Males